Would you buy a horse with a cataract?

[hairycob]

If a horse ticked all the boxes but had a cataract would you buy it? Trying hard not to make an emotional decision either way after vetting today. Need to speak to the vet again as I was too upset to take much in.
If yes hw much should the price be reduced?

 

[Serephin]

how bad is the cataract and how old is the horse?

I have just had a vetting done on a horse and the vet said he had a tiny cataract but he didn't think it would begin to be a insignificant problem for at least 4 -5 years if at all - I have been reading up on them, and if a young horse has one it is called developmental and rarely amounts to anything, but in an older horse it can lead to blindness eventually.

ETS: I am still going ahead with the purchase as the vet was very positive about the horse.

 

[DidiR]

Depends what you want to do, friend's mare kept stopping, especially at combinations, then found she had a cataract, so it may be that if you are planning to jump much, its not a good idea.

Ask the vet if it is likely to get progressively worse?

also bear in mind it will be discounted from any insurance, so you wouldn't be able to claim even if surgery is an option (I have no idea if it is).

Then on the other hand, you hear of wonder horses who compete including jumping with only one eye... so .. ?!?!?!?!

Chat with the vet.. he is impartial!

 

[amabelscott]

i had a similar problem when a vetting turned out badly for a horse i was looking at - i was very upset but after a long chat with the vet and my family i decided not to buy the horse as if i had to sell it on in the future it would be difficult etc. The horse's problem wasn't a cataract but i think i would still decide against him DEPENDING on how much the price was reduced due to the possibility of huge vets bills in the future, however if the vet says that the cataract should not be too much of a problem for what you are planning to do with the horse then you would have to make the decision as to how much you really liked it or whether you were willing to continue your search for another horse.

 

[JM07]

No...

 

[CastleMouse]

I certainly wouldn't...

 

[madhector]

First of all there are many different types of cataracts, some of which arnt progressive and in that case wouldnt worry me too much.

Do you know what type it is? If it is just scarring then dont worry to much, my mare had this and was classed as a cataract, we took her to newmarket to get a special eye person to certify it as non progressive, she then passed a 5 stage vetting.

 

[hairycob]

Head is saying no, heart is saying yes. Need that chat with the vet in the morning really

 

[Parkranger]

My boy was found out to be blind 8 week after buying him. Don't get me wrong, he's a sweetie but I'd never knowingly buy a horse with possible eye problems, it's really not worth the heartache - he won't jump and will rear if put into a difficlt situation - so I think you have to be able to deal with that and understand that blind horses can be more unpredictable. Realise that the horse you had vetted isn't blind but there are plenty of fully fit horses out there!

 

[goeslikestink]

depends-- as cataracts can be cause by many things

for exsample - moon blindness or uv , if thats the case then the cataract is only part of the problem
as with uv-- ie equine recurrent uveritis

cataracts ar sometimes developed by either a dengenative disorder
or by decease
with moonblindness or uv, it can come at any age, and is a most painful condition that will either effect one eye or both eyes
you have to vet care asap

look it up and google it-- here in uk its not heard of very much as much as it is in usa

a horse thats grown up being blind, is normally used to it as to one thats just gone blind
as with anything and everything to deal with a horse thats blind you have to be a more positive ie
make clear of your signals and directions-- ie use your aids properly
use your voice -
bedding has to be one of sawdust
and always have a water bottle sprayer to spray the dust particals before he comes into the stable and when you change his bed this keeps the dust down
dampen all feedstuffs
and use a fly mask and fly sheet

dont turn out in very hot weather ie direct sunlight
and or windy weather

asthis will make the eyes run and be more painful
horses that have a blind eye normally do well and you can continue work with them

but they will not pass a vetting -- if considering ask the vets if history known as to why horse is blind or ask previous owner
if moonblindness or uv its ongoing and decease will either be the same or slowly over a epriod of time get worse there is no known cure

i have a horse with uv since 4mths old hes competed in p/c and r/c activities sj unaffliated and on a card and has won all his classes hes now 17yrs old and retired-- he completely blind
he started with moonbliness on and off over a period of years
then went competely blind in left eye which took 12 then got a cataract in left eye so completely blind then it started to effect his right eye the right eye

the decease can be managed but not cured

would i buy a horse with a blind eye - yes i would, but then i am like that and feel for the horse

but many horses compete with only one eye


the other thing if the horse has grown up with it then its a normal cause of events for them -- ie they dont often panic when being led out or ridden
but horses that have just gone blind can be spooky and you must be aware that this is a a possiable dangerous situation
ie when being lead-- always stay to the good eye side so not to be run into or over

and when being ridden-- you have to be a possitive, rider giving clear commands and signals of direction both from your aids and from your voice

 

[zigzag]

No.....

 

[fairhill]

No.
My old TB had a cataract that developed after we bought him, and although he was fine most of the time, the cloudiness caused him to go into a couple of cars as he'd shy at things on the pavement. It's not worth it

You might also find that when you bought him home then he'd struggle to settle; mine always found it difficult in a new yard for the first couple of months, until he'd learned his way around. He went through a barbed wire fence whilst he was figuring out the fields, which was pretty horrific.

I would expect the price to be reduced to meat money, so no more than £500

 

[jsharpe]

Hi
My head is also saying no - i did a bit of reading once and don't think surgery is as straight forward as in humans could be expensive. I have a 29 yo Arab who has a cataract - he's my baby of 20 years so I don't care, but he does trip, sometimes quite violently and things can suddenly appear in his line of vision causing some pretty OTT spooks, although i'm not sure if thats sight problems or not paying attention

Obviously he's just a semi retitred happy hacker now, but i do avoid roads - common sense really and i wouldn't like to wizz him round a XC! (yes he has even though he's an Arab

)

 

[Daisychain]

My sister in law bought a pony with cateracts in both eyes and it has never caused a problem, 8yrs on... Also i remember talking to a very experienced old school type vet, and he said cateracts were very grey areas, so could be worth a second opinion, i personally wouldnt rule it out just yet.

 

[Persephone]

My horse has a very small scar/cataract on her eye as a result of an injury. This was picked up during her vetting and my vet spoke to the vet who had treated the original eye injury and they were both confident that it would get no worse. It doesn't appear to affect her at all, and I appreciate that selling on might be a problem. However as I have no intention of doing that it doesn't matter.

Jo x

 

[0]

As a matter of interest, does anyone know if its possible and feasible to operate on a horse's cataract?