Blind?

Anti-Silence · 04-30-2007, 04:15 PM

Smudge, my two year old, has come a long way sine we brought him home in September. I couldn't even pet him. As we progressed, he had no problems with me touching his left, his right, his butt, his head, his legs. Recently, after an incident with the farrier, which didnt directly involve Smudge at all, he has been weary of my approaching him on his left. He is find with the right. I can pick up his right front and back feet, hug his right, do anything. But on his left, I can't pick up his feet, and if I approach him on his left, he either backs up and looks at me head on, or he walks away from me kind of like he's afraid. I was thinking about this today, so I stood on his right and scratched his neck with my left hand, and put my right hand on the other side of his neck and scratched him. I slowly stepped infront of him and moved to his left while doing this, and he was fine with me being there. So I started thinking, maybe he's partially blind in his left eye? He also doesnt blink when I move my hand towards his left eye, but does blink his right. Either this, or he's still frightened because the farrier was on his left with Parker when he became frightened, otherwise, I'm out of ideas... Is it possible that he's partially blind in his left eye?

Anti-Silence · 04-30-2007, 06:41 PM

anybody? guess not.

pantha11 · 05-01-2007, 02:31 AM

Not sure what happened with the farrier so I can't comment.
Does your horses left eye have a cloud covering it, or part covering.
Do you know if he has an old injury to the eye....if not, can you get in touch with your previous owners to find out.
If your horse doesn't blink when your hand is near the eye, then I would say you may have an issue....would contact your vet, get them to check it out.

ryu2832 · 05-01-2007, 04:55 AM

If the horse doesn't have a defensive reflex in that eye, then he probably can't see out of it.

You can do the cottonball test (toss sterile cottonballs at the eye), but it sounds like you are already to the point that a vet needs to look at him.

ArabGrammy · 05-01-2007, 05:37 AM

We have one that startles really easily from one side and won't work on one side. Vet says damage to optic nerve unable to detect without thorough vet eye exam. Not much to treat but we are aware of it and how to help her not be afraid and startle as easy.

Anti-Silence · 05-01-2007, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pantha11

Not sure what happened with the farrier so I can't comment.
Does your horses left eye have a cloud covering it, or part covering.
Do you know if he has an old injury to the eye....if not, can you get in touch with your previous owners to find out.
If your horse doesn't blink when your hand is near the eye, then I would say you may have an issue....would contact your vet, get them to check it out.

farrier incident.
bad morning.... vent.... **Bigger Vent post 9**

No, there is no cloud covering his eye. He came from a rescue, and they had him for nearly a year before we brought him home, and we got his health records with him... no injury to his eye... the only thing was that he contracted strangles. He hasnt injured himself since being with me either.

The not blinking think worried me, and I plan to have my mom call the vet soon.

The weird thing, though, was that before the farrier came out, he was fine with me on his left and right.

pantha11 · 05-01-2007, 03:58 PM

Interesting story about the farrier, and I,d find a new one and move your horses, but that is only my opinion.
As far as the eye, I think your wise to get a vet out, there could have been problems when he had strangles.

Anti-Silence · 05-01-2007, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pantha11

Interesting story about the farrier, and I,d find a new one and move your horses, but that is only my opinion.
As far as the eye, I think your wise to get a vet out, there could have been problems when he had strangles.

the farrier is long gone. we called our old one and she came out pretty much the next day. I would love to move my horses. He had literally a year ago, so i'm not sure if it would suddenly affect his eye? but I will definately have the vet out. If he is blind in his left eye, its only partial. he can see my hand moving, and if i move it quickly, he will jerk his head like he would with his other eye, but i can definately get a hand close with out him blinking... so im thinking partial.

04-30-2007, 04:15 PM	#1
Anti-Silence Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Alberta Posts: 2,634 Images: 727 Blog Entries: 136	Blind? Smudge, my two year old, has come a long way sine we brought him home in September. I couldn't even pet him. As we progressed, he had no problems with me touching his left, his right, his butt, his head, his legs. Recently, after an incident with the farrier, which didnt directly involve Smudge at all, he has been weary of my approaching him on his left. He is find with the right. I can pick up his right front and back feet, hug his right, do anything. But on his left, I can't pick up his feet, and if I approach him on his left, he either backs up and looks at me head on, or he walks away from me kind of like he's afraid. I was thinking about this today, so I stood on his right and scratched his neck with my left hand, and put my right hand on the other side of his neck and scratched him. I slowly stepped infront of him and moved to his left while doing this, and he was fine with me being there. So I started thinking, maybe he's partially blind in his left eye? He also doesnt blink when I move my hand towards his left eye, but does blink his right. Either this, or he's still frightened because the farrier was on his left with Parker when he became frightened, otherwise, I'm out of ideas... Is it possible that he's partially blind in his left eye? __________________ Outriders hit the showers; Mothers, grab your daughters. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? -- Psalm 27 RIP my beautiful little Artist.

04-30-2007, 06:41 PM	#2
Anti-Silence Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Alberta Posts: 2,634 Images: 727 Blog Entries: 136	anybody? guess not. __________________ Outriders hit the showers; Mothers, grab your daughters. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? -- Psalm 27 RIP my beautiful little Artist.

05-01-2007, 04:55 AM	#4
ryu2832 Senior Member+ Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Iowa, USA Posts: 2,903 Images: 43	If the horse doesn't have a defensive reflex in that eye, then he probably can't see out of it. You can do the cottonball test (toss sterile cottonballs at the eye), but it sounds like you are already to the point that a vet needs to look at him. __________________ Gene Pool: Warning, no lifegaurd on duty. "Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't." author Erica Jong

05-01-2007, 05:37 AM	#5
ArabGrammy Full Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Blountville,Tn Posts: 56	Sounds like vet time We have one that startles really easily from one side and won't work on one side. Vet says damage to optic nerve unable to detect without thorough vet eye exam. Not much to treat but we are aware of it and how to help her not be afraid and startle as easy. __________________ I am chicken hear me roar.* Or maybe I'll just coo in your ear* ArabGrammy

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05-01-2007, 02:31 AM	#3
pantha11 Senior Member+ Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Australia, Victoria. Posts: 1,499 Images: 23	Not sure what happened with the farrier so I can't comment. Does your horses left eye have a cloud covering it, or part covering. Do you know if he has an old injury to the eye....if not, can you get in touch with your previous owners to find out. If your horse doesn't blink when your hand is near the eye, then I would say you may have an issue....would contact your vet, get them to check it out.

05-01-2007, 03:58 PM	#7
pantha11 Senior Member+ Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Australia, Victoria. Posts: 1,499 Images: 23	Interesting story about the farrier, and I,d find a new one and move your horses, but that is only my opinion. As far as the eye, I think your wise to get a vet out, there could have been problems when he had strangles.