Cataract on PPE Question

[GRbit]

Does anyone have insight or experience with cataracts, particularly for horses doing jumping?

PPE came back with a cataract in one eye. The horse is a 1.20-1.35 horse that I am looking at to have fun with for a couple years in the jumpers and then potentially resale; this horse is at the high end of my budget. Horse checks the boxes of what I am looking for otherwise and has no symptoms at this time. Owner was aware of the cataract, but it was not disclosed until it came up during the PPE (owner was supposed to release their PPE and X-rays prior to apt but due to a communication glitch between trainers it didn’t happen in time). Horse has not been examined by a specialist, so no prognosis or further information is available, but owner’s vet didn’t seem that concerned (from how it was described) . I am unfamiliar with this, and just trying to gauge how to proceed—whether it’s worth getting information from a specialist, trying to negotiate on price, or best to walk away.

A couple of questions that come to mind:
-thoughts on being able to resale (plan going in was to resale in 2-3 years)
-is it appropriate to have an an ophthalmologist assess? (Full disclosure: I am not sure how long it would take to have a specialist evaluate)
-anyone have experience with a horse doing a jumping job with a cataract? Was the horse able to continue the job? Changes in vision? Blindness in eye? Change in behavior when under saddle and/or jumping?

Basically any insights or thoughts is welcome.

[hallie2]

my dressage horse has a small cataract and it doesn’t affect him in any way. He negotiates gnarly trails just fine when I take him out.
there was another horse in my barn w a larger cataract and owner took him to new bolton where she learned cataract surgery not often successful. I would def have opthamologist see him. the opthamologist I saw felt the cataract was too small to be problematic. that’s the info you need. He did have some other issues, keratopathy. every now and then his eye gets irritated and I use voltaren (anti inflammatory) for 2 days and it’s all better. I don’t know if cataracts are associated w other eye findings, but I’d want to find out.

[RMJacobs]

My driving pony developed cataracts when he was in his early 30s. He went from bombproof to spooking at things he’d seen hundreds of times before. I retired him. He did fine through a move to be boarded, then halfway across the country to be boarded in a new place. He never seemed to have trouble seeing at home or at the two different boarding barns, but he was also just moving around at a slow amble, giving him plenty of time to look at his surroundings.

How old is the horse you are considering buying?

Rebecca

[Lusoluv]

The fact that the owner did not disclose the cataract either verbally or in an ad (not sure how you/your trainer heard about this horse) would be a huge red flag to me. This isn’t something that should be discovered in a PPE since the seller knew about it! Also the fact that with this condition, the seller hasn’t had the horse examined by a specialist, tells me they were trying to keep the condition “mum” and hope to sell the horse to an unsuspecting buyer or minimal PPE!

I sold a horse a few years ago with a medical condition I fully disclosed in my sale ads. I also priced the horse accordingly. She was in her prime, a saint doing her “job” handily so I still got a great price. I could have tacked on another $10k+ if I hadn’t disclosed her issue, but I disclosed anyway cuz that’s the right thing to do. Sold her in less than 2 weeks.

Unless this horse is a bargain AND you get the OK from a specialist with seller present, I would quickly end discussions on purchasing him/her. Also seller should share or foot the evaluation bill since they’re going to have a hard time selling this horse if they don’t. And resale with all of the above will still be risky, at best. There are 1 eyed horses who can have a successful jumping career, but how many people are willing to buy them in that condition??

[GRbit]

The horse just turned 9

[Lusoluv]

Until you get the eye examined, there’s no way to make a decision to buy. Like the other posters have relayed, it all depends on severity. But if resale is a definite plan, hard no would be my answer, even if the cataract is small.

[Paint_Party]

@Lusoluv

The fact that the owner did not disclose the cataract either verbally or in an ad (not sure how you/your trainer heard about this horse) would be a huge red flag to me.

This revelation would greatly bother me, too. And a “communication glitch” between the trainers almost makes it sound more suspect, as if the trainers were purposely staying mum to keep the sale.

(Yes, I am cynical when it comes to horse shopping.)

However, one of the best horses my sister and I ever owned and showed was a horse with a cataract (he eventually lost most of his sight in that eye) and it never seemed to bother him, jumping or on the trail. But he was like a member of our family and wasn’t a resale horse.

[RMJacobs]

I don’t know much about it, so keep that in mind, but that seems awfully young to have a cataract. Makes me wonder what the future holds.

Rebecca

[whhisperbaby11]

My horse was about 10 when I got him. He has cataracts in both eyes. This horse does not seem to have any problems, he is a trail horse and does just fine. The cataracts have not changed much in the 8 years I have had him.

But I wanted to say that I got the horse sunglasses for him, and have been very pleased with them.

[StormyDay]

If the horse is currently competing at 1.20 -1.30 I would not be concerned.
I purchased a horse with cataracts in both her eyes. She had zero issues with vision, and never spooked. The entire time I owned her she never spooked at anything. My vet said that if she started to have issues we could have them surgically removed. Unfortunately she passed from unrelated reasons.

[Janet]

Music (1886 - 2020) was primarily an eventer, but she was not reliable cross country, and we switched to show jumping. In her teens she was diagnosed with multiple small caaracts in both eyes. It affected her night vision (because of my work, I often rode in the dark), but did not bother her otherwise. Sometime in her late teens or early 20s (don’t remember the exact year) there were 2 cases within a month or so when she clearly didn’t see the back rail of an oxer. Both cases were schooling (one at a show and one at home), and we had just jumped that jump as a vertical. She was standing right beside me when I put up the back rail, so she should have “known” it was there. But she jumped as if it was still a vertical, and hit the back rail hard. The time at a show she actually fell.

We then switched to straight dressage, where she competed through 2nd level and was easily schooling all the third level movements (at least until her mid 20s). But by then I was focused on competing Belle, and Music’s work moved into the background and we never actually competed at 3rd.

If the horse you are looking at now is currently competing at the level you want, AND you are prepared to retire her from jumping if the cataracts get worse, then I would consider it.

But if you are planning to resell, I would not.

Definitely get an expert analysis.

[trubandloki]

@GRbit

Does anyone have insight or experience with cataracts, particularly for horses doing jumping?

PPE came back with a cataract in one eye. The horse is a 1.20-1.35 horse that I am looking at to have fun with for a couple years in the jumpers and then potentially resale; this horse is at the high end of my budget. Horse checks the boxes of what I am looking for otherwise and has no symptoms at this time. Owner was aware of the cataract, but it was not disclosed until it came up during the PPE (owner was supposed to release their PPE and X-rays prior to apt but due to a communication glitch between trainers it didn’t happen in time). Horse has not been examined by a specialist, so no prognosis or further information is available, but owner’s vet didn’t seem that concerned (from how it was described) . I am unfamiliar with this, and just trying to gauge how to proceed—whether it’s worth getting information from a specialist, trying to negotiate on price, or best to walk away.

A couple of questions that come to mind:
-thoughts on being able to resale (plan going in was to resale in 2-3 years)
-is it appropriate to have an an ophthalmologist assess? (Full disclosure: I am not sure how long it would take to have a specialist evaluate)
-anyone have experience with a horse doing a jumping job with a cataract? Was the horse able to continue the job? Changes in vision? Blindness in eye? Change in behavior when under saddle and/or jumping?

Basically any insights or thoughts is welcome.

Have you talked with your vet about this? You say the owner’s vet does not think it is a big deal, but what does your vet say?

I agree with the others, you should talk to a specialist for their opinion.

Lots of horses do their job just fine with various vision issues. So this horse might be able to do its job for a good long time with this issue.
If your goal is resale, and this horse is already at the top of the price range, this might not be the horse to buy. Some people will find the cataract to be a huge no, which will make selling more difficult.

The communication glitch excuse makes me not really want to trust anyone in this situation.

[Bonnie2]

Ophthalmologist exam. Be as sure as you can before moving forward.

[Obsidian_Fire]

My SM had a cataract when I got him, at age 18. At the time, it was not a problem. However, cataracts can grow and change and his did. By the time he was fully retired (from another issue) at age 24, he was completely blind in that eye. And yes, after finding that out, it made sense why he was no longer as easy of a ride.
If I was buying another SM, with plans to keep thru retirement, I’d get a specialist opinion and probably go forward. BUT. This horse you are looking at is 9. You are planning to resell. WALK AWAY.

[joiedevie99]

My GP horse has two artifacts on the eye (old scars). They were uncovered for the first time during my PPE. We had an ophthalmologist come do a full work up before completing the sale.

[vxf111]

@Lusoluv

The fact that the owner did not disclose the cataract either verbally or in an ad (not sure how you/your trainer heard about this horse) would be a huge red flag to me. This isn’t something that should be discovered in a PPE since the seller knew about it! Also the fact that with this condition, the seller hasn’t had the horse examined by a specialist, tells me they were trying to keep the condition “mum” and hope to sell the horse to an unsuspecting buyer or minimal PPE!

This.

That being said, an ophthalmologist assessment isn’t complicated or invasive assuming you can trailer into a vet clinic with someone on staff. I have three times had horses develop corpra nigra cysts (and one additionally has a small cataract) and while it’s certainly a different question whether you should/shouldn’t walk from this seller based on the seller’s BEHAVIOR, getting the cataract looked at pre-purchase should not be a major difficulty.

[Bicoastal]

@GRbit

(1) Owner was aware of the cataract, but it was not disclosed until it came up during the PPE

(2) owner’s vet didn’t seem that concerned…

(3) thoughts on being able to resale…

I don’t know how to multi quote, but the above are three reasons I’d walk away.

1. Yikes! Talk about caveat emptor. The seller knew but waited to see if a potential buyer would discover it. Buyer beware. Walk, no, run away.

2. “Owner’s vet.” You hired your own vet to do the PPE, right? Whatever the seller says is their vet’s opinion is biased hearsay and needs to be completely ignored.

3. A jumper resell with a cataract? Heck no! Why would you knowingly handicap your resale potential? Hard pass.

Save yourself the expense of further diagnostics for a resell. You see how you are questioning it now? So will every future buyer.

Nope, no, no way.

[TatteredDaydreamer]

Definitely not for a resale. Aside from the red flags of the owner not disclosing, this is a hard pass for me. I had a young horse for sale and cataracts were found when the first person who looked at him loved him and did a PPE. We had no idea and were very surprised and disappointed. Took him to a vet clinic to have a full work up done and found that there were multiple cataracts in BOTH eyes. We of course disclosed everything but I had to practically give him away. My trainer found him the perfect home, and that was way more important to me than his sale price.

[GRbit]

Thank you all for your input. After weighing the factors—high end of my budget, likely needing to resell in 2-3 years due to anticipated major relocation, and the lack of disclosure before the PPE, I decided this wasn’t the horse for me and walked.

[beau159]

@GRbit

Does anyone have insight or experience with cataracts, particularly for horses doing jumping?

PPE came back with a cataract in one eye. The horse is a 1.20-1.35 horse that I am looking at to have fun with for a couple years in the jumpers and then potentially resale; this horse is at the high end of my budget. Horse checks the boxes of what I am looking for otherwise and has no symptoms at this time. Owner was aware of the cataract, but it was not disclosed until it came up during the PPE (owner was supposed to release their PPE and X-rays prior to apt but due to a communication glitch between trainers it didn’t happen in time). Horse has not been examined by a specialist, so no prognosis or further information is available, but owner’s vet didn’t seem that concerned (from how it was described) . I am unfamiliar with this, and just trying to gauge how to proceed—whether it’s worth getting information from a specialist, trying to negotiate on price, or best to walk away.

A couple of questions that come to mind:
-thoughts on being able to resale (plan going in was to resale in 2-3 years)
-is it appropriate to have an an ophthalmologist assess? (Full disclosure: I am not sure how long it would take to have a specialist evaluate)
-anyone have experience with a horse doing a jumping job with a cataract? Was the horse able to continue the job? Changes in vision? Blindness in eye? Change in behavior when under saddle and/or jumping?

Basically any insights or thoughts is welcome.

@GRbit

Thank you all for your input. After weighing the factors—high end of my budget, likely needing to resell in 2-3 years due to anticipated major relocation, and the lack of disclosure before the PPE, I decided this wasn’t the horse for me and walked.

OP, I realize you’ve already decided to walk away but I thought I would chime in anyway in case someone searching this topic at a later date.

I’m not a vet but I am an optometrist. (eye doctor)

There are different types of cataracts. Some are visually significant and others are not. It depends on the location, size, and the density. Furthermore, how the cataract looks upon examination doesn’t always correlate to visual decline. I’m still amazed to this day how that I have a patient seeing really well (let’s say they read 20/20) and then the cataracts look horrible to me during the exam. Or vice versa, the patient has really reduced vision yet their cataracts look very mild. Of course, the difficulty with the horse is that they cannot read us the eye chart to know what their visual acuity is like.

So had you chosen to proceed, as others had mentioned, the best course would have been an ophthalmology exam to give you a better idea of how significant the cataract might be.