Would you buy a one eyed pony?

Have been told they wouldn't do well in show ring. Know of a nice Welsh sec A colt who lost an eye through fault of woman looking after him and he was unshowable because of eye.
 
Funny that. No one seems that keen to swap. I wonder why?
They really are hateful at the moment. Even I, doting mother that I am, don't like them right now!

I'm sure he is a much nicer boy. The forresters on my yard are lovely ponies. They seem really underrated as natives go. I'm not sure why everyone is mad for connies and not these guys. I know they aren't typically 'flashy' but there are two forest bred ponies on the yard who have really pretty heads and are great riding ponies. They have a nice jump in them too. He is obviously a good looking boy too so they can't be the total exception.
 
NP, I saw her on Thurs and felt really bad and hoped someone would of picked her up :)

We brought 4 foalies so couldnt of travelled her home as I did want to bid..You might of been sat close to us as I'm sure you must of been nere.

Who was the meat man? Did he get much.. There was one bloke who outbid me on a pony and I was mad at him but don't think he was the meat man.

Sorry if this sounds a bit random!

Heres a pic of my personal purchase.

21102010608.jpg
 
Indalo said:
NP, I saw her on Thurs and felt really bad and hoped someone would of picked her up :)

We brought 4 foalies so couldnt of travelled her home as I did want to bid..You might of been sat close to us as I'm sure you must of been nere.

Who was the meat man? Did he get much.. There was one bloke who outbid me on a pony and I was mad at him but don't think he was the meat man.

Sorry if this sounds a bit random!

Heres a pic of my personal purchase.

21102010608.jpg
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She is a he...and i only stay for the Reg/section 1/2 ponies

Sorry, but I don't buy part breds/section 4 ponies
 
nativeponies said:
Connies and Sec D's come well below Newfies on my yard, believe me.

I'd have a 1 eyed newfie over a bi focal connie any day..lol
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Genuine ask. I have also looked at Connies and Connies x TB. Not interested in Welsh Ds at all. Why dont you like Connies? I have never had any experience of Connies.
 
Sorry- My bad!

Only saw it had one eye and felt bad..
We brought 3 nf foals aswell, but just really liked this chap.
God knows what he is crossed with though :confused:
Ah well least he'll have a nice happy home now!
 
Monty and Zoom has a one eyed ex polo pony .Zoomy is as brave as a lioness and bold out cross country.Ros has to be a bit aware because for example zoom doesnt realise that steps have edges on her blind side,but apart from that,no problems.Also a good friend of mine used to showjump a wonderfull mare with one eye,and they were very successfull.
 
dozzie said:
Genuine ask. I have also looked at Connies and Connies x TB. Not interested in Welsh Ds at all. Why dont you like Connies? I have never had any experience of Connies.
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i've got nothing against connies..they are cracking ponies..just not as..umm.."predictable" as a newfie :)
 
I went with someone as the knowledgeable friend to see a pony she liked for her daughter, and we both failed to spot he had a massive cataract and couldn't see anything out of his left eye - oops! It was lucky for him though as she probably wouldn't have bought him as a first pony otherwise, and he turned out to be a fab little chap.

Things that helped him - we always talked if we approached from his blind side as we occasionally startled him otherwise. He liked to be led from his blind side - if we led from his good side we effectively blocked most of his vision and he would nip us to let us know he wasn't impressed! He liked to approach the lorry ramp slightly sideways so he could see both sides of it. In jump-offs the rider couldn't take a sharp turn on his blind side to a jump - well that was pretty obvious tbh :) but she was only a kid and sometimes forgot and got a stop. He wasn't keen on high cross pole jumps - I guess he didn't trust where the other side was.

And if he went out hacking and other horses came up behind us, we would let him turn his head so he could see them. But this pony lost his eye later in life - yours will probably be more used to it. Good luck - he looks super.
 
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There's a little pony at the rescue centre near me with only one eye. He is sweet as pie and really cuddly/friendly in the field as long as you keep talking to him while on his blind side, but not good under saddle. Mind you, his was caused through poor treatment/beating, and he only lost it last year (I think he is about 11/12 now) not as a fault from a very young age like yours so I imagine he will adapt very well.
 
Yes, I'd buy a one eyed horse, I'll always remember this horse when I was at college, she was blind in one eye, but she was the most amazing jumper! :)
 
I know two one eyed horses... Both lost their eyes as youngsters, and it doesn't seem to affect them at all! One is a grade A showjumper, and the other is welsh x type who is on all of the PC teams!
 
I only have one eye and I event, play polo, do dressage, sj and hunt - I wouldn't want to be written off - so if you like the horse and he has been like that for a while (i.e. adjustment isn't a problem) then don't see (oops) why you shouldn't go for it - just be aware when hacking out that things might suddenly surprise him on one side. If you close one of your eyes and then bring your hand forward from behind you it will be quite a lot further forward that you see the hand with the bad eye than the good eye - It will be the same for the horse - and normally they can see a lot further behind them than we can. Just something to bear in mind. Never ridden one which has lost an eye but it may just make them jump more because they haven't spotted something coming up behind them
 
NP I think he is lovely. His "specialness" just adds to the package.
I dont see having one working eye as a problem, and as he now has somewhere that will be sympathetic to his needs, he will do fabulously well:D
 
My friend's pony only has one eye, and it copes fine! She's always out competing at hunter trials, showjumping and dressage, is on all the pony club teams. Takes it out hacking and has hunted it, although she did go up front with the master when she hunted, as it wasn't really safe for the horse to be in with the field if it couldn't see to one side. But other than thst it does absolutely everything just the same as any other pony :)
 
My lad is blind in his left eye, he can see shapes and movement from the top of it but nothing under it, he's had it since birth. It's no problem, he does everything and I just have to be aware of him walking too close to walls and fences on his left (how many boots and jods have I ruined cos I haven't checked and he's got too close to a wall!!??):rolleyes: He is abit spooky and sometimes he'll spook at something he's already gone past because he's only just seen it but otherwise it's absolutely not an issue. :D
 
Yes, not a bother. You just have to remember to be a bit more vocal when approaching or doing anything with them, in fact, they're great teachers for people not used to horse ways, they make them think and speak before they act!
 
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