Would you remove an eye or PTS?

JackDaniels1

JackDaniels1

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It's the hardest decision and I don't know what to do. I won't go into the ins/out of it but i'd just like some more opinions (it might help me) . One eye can't be saved so we are left with two options as stated in my title.

My worry is he would not cope very well with one eye, he can be unpredictable at times however other times he is v chilled out. Would he become too spooky to ride or me not feel confident riding him? You do hear about freak accidents. I could never hack him out.

On the other hand, am i being selfish having him PTS? should i be keeping him as a field ornament and have nothing to ride for the next 15 years.

I don't know if that all makes sense, i'm not in the best place of mind at the moment, i've been up all night and vets are pushing me for an answer. I feel the vet thinks PTS.
 
if you trust your vet ask what they would do.

is the other eye comprimised atm?

many cope very well in fact i only know one who has not and he was beaten by 3 men until he collapsed whilst they sat in the cart he was pulling (he is a minature shetland), he was removed from the men and has serious injuries to his neck face and eye. difficult choice to make but you know your horseand need to speak to your vet
 
I used to ride a little chap who had lost an eye, jumped 3ft quite happily and not a spooky sort at all.

They are all different, though, talk to the vet, I would probably give him a chance without the eye, you can always PTS later if he doesn't cope, but again it would depend on the horse.

Sorry to hear you're facing this- I wish you well whatever you decide.
 
I have known people with horses with one eye who cope perfectly well, so in your shoes I would operate. I believe it is when they only have partial vision in that eye it makes them spooky, when it is gone they are fine.
Good luck.
 
If I thought the horse would cope and be rideable, I would remove the eye.
If the horse was a temperamental, spooky type to start off with, I'd probably pts.

Not a position I would like to be put in, good luck whatever you decide.
 
You need a friend or OH who can talk to the vet for you and get a clear understanding of the options and their potential prognosis.

Once you gave that as clear in your head as you can, then you make the decision,

Many horses have had an eye removed and gone on to have a happy and succesful ridden career.

You also need some good old HHO vibes and support hunny. I hope it all goes as well as possible.
 
Jools2345 said:
if you trust your vet ask what they would do.

is the other eye comprimised atm?

many cope very well in fact i only know one who has not and he was beaten by 3 men until he collapsed whilst they sat in the cart he was pulling (he is a minature shetland), he was removed from the men and has serious injuries to his neck face and eye. difficult choice to make but you know your horseand need to speak to your vet
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Other eye is 'normal' as far as I am aware?

Like I say, vet thinks PTS going by the what i have told him about the character/personality of this horse. He doesn't really know the horse himself.
 
Yeah I used to compete a horse with one eye, took him a while to get used to it but thy can still have a good happy life
 
Why could you not hack him out?

There's someone here who has a lovely horse with one eye who competes him. I used to ride a mare with one eye who still jumped and hacked as she did before losing the eye.
 
MrsMozart said:
You need a friend or OH who can talk to the vet for you and get a clear understanding of the options and their potential prognosis.

Once you gave that as clear in your head as you can, then you make the decision,

Many horses have had an eye removed and gone on to have a happy and succesful ridden career.

You also need some good old HHO vibes and support hunny. I hope it all goes as well as possible.
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We have got a clear understanding of the options but no one knows how the horse will cope with one eye , that is why it is so hard.
 
why does it need to be removed?

the little pony i work with actually had his left in as the sanctuary could not justify the cost of removal, it has withered and the look takes a while to get used to but no surgery cost or potential complications, it is an option to leave and see how he copes for a while then remove or pts depending on that
 
GlamourPuss86 said:
Why could you not hack him out?

There's someone here who has a lovely horse with one eye who competes him. I used to ride a mare with one eye who still jumped and hacked as she did before losing the eye.
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As he would not see what was coming up behind him/past him? he can be a bit spooky anyway. I think the best way to describe him is big, unpredicable and possibly a bit nervous. He needs variety in his work.
 
JackDaniels1 said:
.......

My worry is he would not cope very well with one eye, he can be unpredictable at times however other times he is v chilled out. ....... I could never hack him out.

........ I feel the vet thinks PTS.
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Were he mine, and if I lacked the confidence, as you seem to, then I'd put him down

Alec.
 
Jools2345 said:
why does it need to be removed?

the little pony i work with actually had his left in as the sanctuary could not justify the cost of removal, it has withered and the look takes a while to get used to but no surgery cost or potential complications, it is an option to leave and see how he copes for a while then remove or pts depending on that
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Do you mean have it removed and then see what he is like? how long would you give it, 6-12 months? i just worry my heart would not let me have him pts if he wasn't able to cope and i got that 'bond' back with him. (he's been away from me for 15 months)
 
JackDaniels1 said:
We have got a clear understanding of the options but no one knows how the horse will cope with one eye , that is why it is so hard.
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cross posted sorry, its a tricky one and you will have more idea how he will cope than anyone on here. do you think you would be able to handle and deal/ride him on a daily basis if he was more sensitive after removal of the eye?

if not current climate would mean i would have to pts. if he is spooky and sensitive it may mean it effects how he is to handle on the ground-the little one at work is a nightmare, he spins at noises, rushes forward and is very spooky, you have to be careful handling him on his blind side, if he was just a little bigger he would be very dangerous, he is not ridden as he freaks, you cant lunge him as he cant cope with his blind eye being near you and panics so he cannot be excesized at all so it increases his lami risk-he lost his eye at least 5yr ago so he is not going to change now
 
JackDaniels1 said:
Do you mean have it removed and then see what he is like? how long would you give it, 6-12 months? i just worry my heart would not let me have him pts if he wasn't able to cope and i got that 'bond' back with him. (he's been away from me for 15 months[/I]

no i meant if you could leave it as it is, removal is not always the only option.but i agree with Alec
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JackDaniels1 said:
As he would not see what was coming up behind him/past him? he can be a bit spooky anyway. I think the best way to describe him is big, unpredicable and possibly a bit nervous. He needs variety in his work.
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Difficult as until you have it removed you are not going to know. He could be the same. I tried out a pony with one eye in company and they were actually fine. When a car came up behind it was using its ears and really listening (more alert) I dont think it would have been great on its own but this is just an example of one(although I didnt try that as I wasnt going to go ahead to purchase anyway). If the horse is good in all other ways on the ground could you companion if post removal the horse becomes more nervy when ridden? I mean you keep as companion?

I am not sure if you are enjoying riding the horse at the moment with the spooky issues? In that case rather than pass on I would PTS.

I think until its done you aint going to know. They all are different arent they. If I liked the horse I would remove and make a decision from there, see how it goes.
Also if the sight is affected now and you are riding it then its probably going to feel better without it and not miss it anyway ie if the sight is gone already?
To find a good horse is hard.
 
My boy has lost all sight in his right eye following a horrific accident. I didn't have to make the decision, as his injuries were so bad we didn't think it make it, so sight was secondary consideration.

Having had that experience, I think I would go for it. Initially he looked to me a bit more for confidence (if anyone rode him on a circle to the right around me he'd try to turn his head a little more to see where I was, and would listen for my voice) but I wouldn't say it's made any difference to him now.

He was always a confident type, and straight forward, but a competition type and certainly "not a novice ride"


Good luck whatever you decide, horrid decision to make :(
 
everyone says about how many horses there are that are doing well with onlt one eye but i wonder how many are pts each yr instead of having the surgery because people felt they could not cope?

pts is not wrong if you feel its in the animals best interest for whatever reason
 
You won't know until you try with YOUR horse, I certainly wouldn't Pts because I 'thought' he might be too spooky or troubled by it afterwards.

A friend has recently had her mare's eye removed after she got Uveitis (sp?), this was a baby that she backed herself who was only 5 at the time of the eye removal, eye came out the back end of last year, she is now hacking out and has started school work again and has even jumped a little (the mare was intended to show jump). I am sure she would tell you that it has been hard work, it has taken a lot for her to get used to as she kind of took it for granted and kept forgetting that the mare now had a blind side, she has to give her more direction through gates and doors etc... But in no way has it been awful or too hard.

Hacking out she needs to turn the mare's head or allow her to turn it to see passing things that are coming up from her blind side or she gives her stronger body signals on that side. It really isn't that hard, I am sure this friend wouldn't mind me saying that she is not a Molly coddler who has spent hours and hours and hours desensitising her mare. A lot of it was getting on and getting on with it.

Your posts sound to me as if you have already convinced yourself to pts and I am not judging your decision as you know your horse but I do think that they are so resilient and given time and hard work there is no reason why he wouldn't become accustomed to it. If you tell yourself that it is impossible and far too much work then it will be. It sounds to me as if you aren't willing to face the rehab.
 
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My mare has one eye. She hunts, jumps, hacks......does everything!!! :D

I would give him the chance, you can always PTS later if he can't cope.

Big hugs xxx
 
We have a mare on our yard who lost an eye due to abusive treatment. She does very well and is lovely to have around.
 
Weigh up the pros and cons. Most horses can adapt without one eye over time.

If the other eye is good and unaffected then I can't see a problem.

Maybe remove the eye and see how the horse copes, if he can't then consider PTS? But it's definitely worth giving him a chance.
 
I have a spooky big mare and to be honest I would pts as I would be so worried about her injuring other people that I wouldn't feel happy letting anyone else handle her. When stabled and she hears noises she can see what is causing them she does whip around with no regard for anyone around her. There is no way I would feel happy taking her on the roads with an eye missing as again I'd worried for other people's safety as well as my own.
It's not an easy decision but you know your horse and you may find it easier to make a decision now rather than do it and see how he gets on.
 
I do agree with Alec and LynnH I'm afraid as it does sound like you're not the most confident of people and don't trust the horse very much into the bargain (apologies if I have the wrong end of the stick).

You also haven't said how old horse is which would help and her keep arrangements which would all have a bearing on it for me.

I've ridden horses with just one eye and after the initial initiation of acclimatizing to it (which was hairy to say the least and she was a placid type!) it wasn't too bad but you do have to have your wits about you and remember to use voice much more than normal so that they always know where you are.
 
agree with others who say operate then if it doesn't work PTS.
BUT it is coming across from your posts that you would rather PTS without operating and almost looking for others to help you justify the decision, it's your decision and you have to do what you feel is right, you know the horse.
 
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