Tell me about your experiences with horses missing an eye

[smilton]

I am looking at a TB on the track that is missing an eye. He is not free but he is a very very nice horse otherwise. He has raced in this condition for some time. He would not be a resale. I'm looking for me or I wouldn't look at him at all. What are your experiences with horses with one eye? Do you limit what you do with them?

Also for those of you who have bought horses off the track do the trainers still call you? I get 2-3 times a week with horse offers. I do no live near the track (5+hrs away). I am going up next week to pick up a couple (atleast the way things are going) and will have one (atleast) to post of give aways.

[VCT]

Well it can depend on the horses personality to a great degree. Some are spooky on their blind side, some are fine. If he's been racing missing an eye I would think he's fairly confident about his blind side. You'll just have to see how he behaves about it when you go to see him.

All the horses I have known who were missing an eye were treated and used just like any other horse for the most part. There may be some basic differences like making sure you talk to them if approaching on the blind side and if turning to a line of jumps with the blind side towards the line you may have to make a wider turn and allow/encourage the horse to turn his head a bit overbent so he can see the line coming, etc. But for the most part they can do everything a 2 eyed horse can if they have the right personality to deal with their minor disability.

The only other strange thing I found with one one-eyed horse was that he really preferred to be led with the person leading on the "wrong" side as thats where his blind side was and I think he felt more secure knowing the person was on that side where he could not see.

I have known 4 one eyed horses... and all were wonderful animals to handle and work with. One was a schoolie, one a fellow boarders, one a broodie, and one owned by a friend of mine. I handled them all and rode all but the broodie. The one who was the fellow boarders was a bit of a hot/nervous creature but I attribute that more to his personality and lack of consistent work than his missing eye.

[bonstet]

I have a one-eyed horse. Half Shire, Half Appendix QH. He's 9yo and lost the eye when he was 2. I got him when he was 5 and green broke. We taught him to jump and he became one of my best, most useful school horses. Went to local shows, has a lead change. Showed at a huge local show last August and placed 2nd out of 17 in a 2'6" Schooling Hunter Division. Completely bombproof on trails and at shows. He doesn't know he's missing the eye. Never affected him at all. Perhaps it would have made a difference if he was a spooky horse in general, but he isn't.

Good luck!

[mrsbradbury]

I also have a one-eyed TB. His was an anterior uveitis, and gradually lost pressure. He lost his sight slowly over a couple of years, then the deflammation? stabilized.

He is not spooky, he will sometimes bump into things on the blind side, and turns his neck to see you. We tell him when we approach him, and use extra caution as not to alarm him.

He's an old man now and retired.

A local stable has a one-eyed TB, and I have heard from reports and clients that have moved, that this particular horse is VERY spooky and unpredictable.

I agree that it depends on the animal, and handling.

[Ambrey]

One of my daughter's favorite schoolies at her old barn has only one eye- he's very sweet and bombproof.

The lesson/trail string also has a one-eyed pony who is just adorable and also very safe/sweet.

[RU2U]

Mine was spooky at first until she learned to adjust and retrust, but for the most part is a good horse. I also put her with a couple of shetlands instead of the big guys. Some how this makes her feel more secure and she is alot more comfortable with her ponies.

We also lead her from the wrong side.

[Alagirl]

I have seen a lot of one eyed horses. I don't think one of them had a problem with it.

One was even a jumper at rather high levels.

def. a look-see deal.

[pony89]

I knew one who lost his sight in one eye when he was 4ish (he still had the eyeball, but was totally blind on that side). By the time I met him, he was about 15, and it never appeared to bother him at all. He was jumping small courses with beginners well into his 20's (and loving it!). He was a great old guy, and I never had to do anything special when I was riding him as far as bending him so he could see things, although I'm sure if there were tight turns, you would have to take some care that he knew a jump was coming up. He did appreciate if you spoke to him before you touched him on the blind side if he didn't know you were there, but even if you didn't, he would just startle a little, never spook. As someone before me mentioned, I'm sure the horse's temperment is a major factor, plus how long they have been living without that eye.

[Deuce]

20 or so years ago I regularly rode a saddlebred with one eye. He wasn't spooky at all. If he heard something startling on his blind side he would turn his head, but that's the extent of it. When being ridden we made sure there was a little extra clearance on his blind side, and when being handled on the ground we always made sure he could hear us on that side, too.

He lost his eye in his early teens and it didn't change his way of going, he always travelled straight unless asked otherwise. His owners stopped jumping him after he lost an eye. I don't know if they were just being cautious or if the lack of eye affected him when jumping, I just know that they stopped.

[Beverley]

I had a tb that lost his left eye to infection at age 8. I hunted him (last time out was age 20 in Wyoming), he raced over fences at age 13, jumped the moon always. It did take him about a year to 'fully' adjust to hearing but not seeing on that side. But the eye loss didn't make him any goofier or spookier in general than before. I've known some one-eyed horses to adjust their head position (cocked to lead with eye) approaching fences, but my guy never did.

[3eme]

I have a 12 year old one-eyed OTTB. When I bought her, she had full sight and then lost it as a 6 year old.

It has not stopped her from winning everything, everywhere (nationally, internationally). When I don't screw up, she is basically unbeatable. I have just had to adapt things slightly, but I have a bit of leeway because we do jumpers. I kind of let her hold her head how she needs to (cocked a bit to the right). I am just careful for signs of neck soreness, and when this happens she gets massage or ortho treatment.

I can't say that the one eye has a huge effect on her. In fact, in some ways it has made her a better competitor. I know it sounds weird, but since she lost her sight, she became an excellent listener (for aids) and quite reactive (a plus in jumpers). It was when she lost her sight that things really started to "click" between us, strange as it may sound. She would jump a truck if I asked her to. God I love her!

My advice is that this should not in and of itself be a deal breaker. If there is a 'fit' otherwise, have faith that animals can adapt pretty darn well to their situation.

[Watermark Farm]

It depends on the horse. If he does well with it now (especially racing!), he will probably fare quite well in the future.
I cared for a retired dressage horse who lost an eye to uveitis. He adjusted well but was very spooky on the blind side (the near side). You had to get used to calling his name and giving him a moment to turn his head to see you. He was ridden after losing his sight but never quite adjusted.
Alternately, we have an ancient Shetland pony who lost an eye many years ago. She doesn't even seem to notice she's only half sighted. Out of courtesy, I do let her know I am approaching the blind side, but she doesn't seem to care.
I'd definitely consider a one-eyed horse if he's got a great mind and handles the handicap well!

[Foxtrot's]

Our old trainer had a Trakehner mare as a Pony Club horse with one eye. It took her through all of PC and then on to Grand Prix jumpers. She once lost a competition (placed 2nd) when coming round a corner too fast with the blind eye to the jump and the mare just couldn't see the jump quick enough. Mostly she was a rock star.

[Foxtrot's]

And another stallion qualified for the Olympic Games in dressage.