Partial vision loss in one eye - problem for jumpers?

[ace]

I know there must be a few people here that are riding or have ridden horses with some vision loss.

I sadly lost my young Thoroughbred recently, so have just started looking for a replacement. I have just found out about a young warmblood mare that might be available on my “beer budget” since she has partial vision loss in one eye - so far hasn’t bothered her but she was started under saddle and then has been a broodmare for a few years, so I don’t think she’s been tested over jumps, other than free jumping.

Is this a total showstopper? This is a quality horse from well known breeders - I would normally never be able to afford a horse like this, so am thinking of taking a chance on it. I’m not aiming for Grand Prix - 1.10M someday would be nice and/or 4th level dressage

[Foxtrot_s]

One of our trainers had a mare blind in one eye - she jumped to Grand Prix up and down the West coast. They adapt.

I do remember when she lost a jump-off because the tight turn did not let her see the jump until it was on top of her.

[PNWjumper]

There have been GP horses at the 1.60m level that have competed without an eye. So I would say that if the horse has adapted well to the partial vision loss it shouldn’t be a showstopper.

[Backstage]

I’ve ridden a few. I think your best bet would be to go and ride the horse a few times, ideally once off property/somewhere new. An already spooky/looky horse may get worse, especially in new environments. Others adjust really well and do not care at all.

[ace]

Thank you for the input!

[happyras]

SHould not be a problem

I had a horse that lost her vision in one eye and we ended up taking out her eye as it developed glaucoma. There have been many one eyed horses, Kevin Freemans 3 day olymipic medal horse. Rhum IV a famous show jumper and the list goes on. Kevin told me that he never knew a horse with one eye that couldn’t do the same with 2 eyes. My mare was an incredible sound jumper and champion almost everywhere from SPruce to Thermal.

[hunterrider23]

I do remember watching a horse go around a few years ago in our local big charity show (AA rated and honestly massive) who won in the high children’s jumpers and 1.20m with one eye on top of the fact that he was like 20 years old. It never stopped him. Especially with vision loss that young, they tend to adapt. As long as she seems fine jumping, it shouldn’t be a huge issue. I would however make sure that the cause of the vision loss isn’t something progressive/cataracts. A corneal scratch is something you can deal with, but you don’t want the possibility that it’s going to be something that spreads to the other eye as well or causes them to have to have that eye removed.

[Gumby80]

As others have said, generally not a problem, but do check that it is not a condition that will eventually spread to the other eye. Sounds incredibly obvious, but I have seen it happen. Buyer gets a great deal on a horse blind in one eye, everything is great! … until the vision starts to go in the other eye

[alibi_18]

It depends. Like everyone said, lots of horses had succesfull careers in the jumper ring with only 1 eye.

The “partial” vision would concern me a little bit more. It’s different when a horse doesn’t/can’t see something than when it can kinda see it.
A friend of mine’s mare was really spooky at times and the vet determined it was because she was sometime “seeing” flashes of light. She had to have that eye removed and most of the spookiness stopped…

Also, like the others said, make sure you know what caused the vision loss but on the other hand, even if this mare would loss all of her sight, you could still do dressage!!! (Like you said you wanted to)

[findeight]

The ones I have known or ridden all lost the vision in one eye after they had learned to jump courses of show fences.

They had to be handled differently, couldn’t do a short corner to a fence on the blind side and sometimes had a little trouble judging spreads or fences in shadow.

Dont know that I would buy a younger horse with sight impairment that was not already accomplished over fences or that I would be a good enough over fences rider to deal with training one up.

[BoyleHeightsKid]

[QUOTE=alibi_18;8715561]

The “partial” vision would concern me a little bit more. It’s different when a horse doesn’t/can’t see something than when it can kinda see it.
A friend of mine’s mare was really spooky at times and the vet determined it was because she was sometime “seeing” flashes of light. She had to have that eye removed and most of the spookiness stopped… [/QUOTE]

This… my boy has some vision loss in his left eye. It has made him looky when he wasn’t before.

[Sweetums_Mom]

[QUOTE=findeight;8715593]
The ones I have known or ridden all lost the vision in one eye after they had learned to jump courses of show fences.

They had to be handled differently, couldn’t do a short corner to a fence on the blind side and sometimes had a little trouble judging spreads or fences in shadow.

Dont know that I would buy a younger horse with sight impairment that was not already accomplished over fences or that I would be a good enough over fences rider to deal with training one up.[/QUOTE]

This happened with me. I got a “free” OTTB that was a broodmare for 10 years, started her again, then after several months, felt something wasn’t right. She kept hitting the little jumps then over jumping them, among other signs. I got her checked out and she had no vision in one eye due to neglected uveitis. After that, I just flatted her mostly with the occasional trot fence but since I’m timid when jumping, I knew that I would not be comfortable since she had not been jumping before.

My boarder has none to limited vision in one eye but he had been jumping for about 2 years before we found out about it and his lack of vision is more recent. He’s fine but the trainer keeps that in mind when figuring out jump off turns.