one eye youngster

Bosworth

Bosworth

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www.ballhillequestrian.co.uk
I have just been offered a lovely 2 year old warm blood gelding - very well bred, lovely paces and he is free. The down side is he has only one eye - was born like this. What are your views -I have no problem with accomodation as I own a yard so he would not cost me much to keep. But what are the likely problems a one eyed horse will come up with and what would be the likely impact on potential for jumping or dressage. I know he is free but......... there is no point me committing to having him if i cannot keep him and do something with him.
 
I once had a pony who had been kicked in the eye as a foal and consequently was blind in one eye. He was able to jump, although he found it very hard to judge the height of the fence and tended to get in very close, then put in a huge jump just to make sure he cleared it. He was also reluctant to canter in a circle, although was fine in a straight line.

Hope that helps!
 
I think I've read about something like this before and as he was born like this he won't know any different and it shouldn't have any bearing on what you will be able to do with him.

If you are still in doubt you could always speak to a vet though...

I only have proper use of one of my eyes and it doesn't stop me doing anything!
 
I've met quite a few horses with one eye and for the most part they seem absolutely untroubled, especially if they grow up that way. I knew a good jumper who lost his eye quite late but continued to compete - he just needed the rider to be careful with super tight turns to his blind side. Every now and then you hear about horses with severe vision problems who functioned fine for years until it was discovered in some accidental (hopefully not literally!) way.

A one-eyed broodmare I knew was fine but did need to be in a stall where there were horses on her good side, rather than having her eye against the end wall, or she got upset.

One area I might be careful is introducing him into a new field with new horses. But then I'd be careful with that with any horse.
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The real problem is if you're likely to need to sell him. But if you can take the chance, why not? At worst he doesn't live up to expectations but then not every horse does! At least you will have given him a chance to prove himself and better he goes to you, with your own yard and experience, than gets dumped somewhere.
 
I have ridden a couple of one-eyed horses, I even did my PC Riding & Road Safety Test (many years ago) on a wonderful mare.

The only issue that I came across was an inability to judge the height of jumps accurately, so she tended to stop the first time she came to one, but would fly them on subsequent occasions. She couldn't have jumped competitively, but she was great fun.

Both horses needed riding accurately, to avoid bashing your knee on the arena fence! Developing their lateral work really helped.

It wouldn't put me off him. Point him in my direction if you decide to pass!!
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I went to try a super horse that had only one eye, he was still eventing and doing fantastic dressage tests, he was offered for loan as he was starting to struggle with tight turns against the clock, but for everything else he was perfect, you just wouldn't know.

I would have a chat to the vet and take it from there, good luck.
 
My sister had a Ex Racer who lost an eye at 12 years. she was still winning SJ; XC; Barrel Racing et al..
We were told by a Top Showing Judge that a One eyed Horse SHOULDNT be marked down either.

I have a one eyed Cat
 
I worked with a one-eyed pony at a RS - you would never have known. The only difference was he would approach fences with his head flexed slightly to his blind side, so he could better see the jump - as long as the rider allowed this, he was fine.
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Am now extremely tempted, will give the vet a call and discuss with him. Apparantly it is a deformity in that everything is in the correct place - just the eyeball did not develop correctly and it is still there but looks really odd. Think I need to get a vet to have a quick look - cancer springs to mind as a possible problem. Now just got to convince my OH that it is a great idea.
 
Briarlands Blackberry the eventer ridden by Tristam Owers only has one eye. He's been round Blenheim, Badminton, Burghley etc so it clearly doesn't cause him a problem.
 
Horse on my yard has only one eye...... he was the last foal by Jenny Lauriston-Clarkes horse Dutch Gold...... the eye was missing at birth.....

With previous owner he did event, but present owner does dressage with him.
 
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