Tips for Horse Who Just Lost His Eye

[King_s_Ransom]

It’s taken me a week to get “okay enough” to even post this, but now I am hoping some who have gone through this can give me some tips.

Last Sunday, I went out to the pasture to find my beautiful, young, perfect gelding, Cash, had some sort of pasture accident and ruptured his right eye. I think I knew immediately that it was beyond saving. But the vet came right away and confirmed there was no chance to save it. He had the eye removed on Monday.

Vet’s recommendation on after care: keep him inside for 4-5 days and away from the other horses for 2 to 3 weeks.

Everyone says he will adapt and be fine.

But … Cash got sooo worried and panicked, pawing and pacing in his stall and covered with sweat … I was afraid he would work himself into a colic. I let him out into a confined area, away from his friends (two other horses here, an ancient, retired OTTB and a young 17H Thoroughbred). This did not help much as he spent the afternoon pacing the fence line and calling to his friends.

Then, he stopped eating. Altogether.

So, yesterday I let him out for two hours with his friends. Sommy (the 17H Thoroughbred) immediately took it as h is job to look after him. It was quite something to see. Sommy stuck to his side, calmed him down, made room for him at the hay basket, and when it was time to come back in, Sommy would not come until after Cash was safe inside.

This morning, Cash is much better. The swelling is down in his eye, he was much calmer and less panicky. He had eaten his grain overnight and dove into it this morning. He stays as close to Sommy as he can get, right up against the stall wall that separates them (bars above, so they can see but not touch).

I stroked him a bit on his blind side this morning, and he flinched a little, but relaxed quickly and was okay with it.

He is clearly having a hard time with this sudden loss of vision.

If you have walked this path, or helped someone else, can you share with me tips to help him adjust? Any ideas and advice much appreciated.

[Sansena]

Is it possible he had more of a problem being separated from his friends vs. the loss of the eye? Only you know your horse best. Yes, the vet had best intentions telling you to keep him separate for 2 weeks – your horse will need that time to learn how to navigate without one eye. But your vet likely didn’t anticipate him having a self-appointed guardian either.

We all know each horse is different. And sometimes watchful neglect is the best course of action. Place a call to your vet, describe what you witnessed as well as your horse going off his grain, and most importantly the swelling. If your’e super concerned, pay for an emergency vet visit to make sure all is well.

Most enucliations I’ve been a party to I’ve lost track of the day after surgery (horse left for home from the hospital where I was employed and where surgery took place). The only complications I’ve seen or heard of is that those who opted for prosthetic eyes… the horse’s body shed them within a few weeks anyway.

Keep the incision clean and free from debris, perhaps have a racing ‘hood’ on him that further protects the eye socket, and check him several times a day. I’m optimistic your horse will be fine and back to normal in very short order.

And extra carrots for Sommy.

[hackneymama]

I agree with all Sansena said above - a call to the vet is worth the peace of mine to be sure all is well, and I totally agree that his panic and fear is likely due to separation from his herd rather than lack of vision.

I have had quite a bit of experience with horses that have suffered sudden traumatic vision loss in one (or both) eyes. My first horse when I was a young teen was the first of these - a pasture accident that rendered his one eye totally blind (and a bloody mess!) with surgery and a trip to Cornell. Perks of living in Upstate NY! His other eye had vision with cataracts (so mostly shadows).

The worst thing you can do is keep him in isolation. Even if he can’t be turned out with another horse until he’s healed (which is wise advice) keep one of his buddies in a stall next to him. It sounds like Cash and Sommy are pals - he’ll act as a security blanket to help keep Cash calm.

I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but horses are incredibly adaptable. You may notice he’s a little more spooky on his blind side or has some trouble judging steps and distances for a while, but he will adjust. It just takes time. I’m a huge believer in hand walking for this adjustment - build a strong, trusting relationship with this new incapacity he has and it’ll go a long ways toward rebuilding his confidence. In the meantime, any sharp edges he can bump his eye on, cover with duct tape and a piece of pool noodle. It isn’t pretty, but it’ll make sure he doesn’t hit his face or surgical area in the meantime and cause a pain response.

His fear will likely decrease as the pain in the surgical area decreases as well. Horses are reactionary; pain means danger. Once it’s no longer painful, the fear will heal as well.

Best of luck!

[TMares]

I had to keep a horse in a hoodie that kept his left eye shut for a couple of weeks. He was always still turned out with his crew. He was never freaked out by the 100% loss of vision in that eye. I think sweet Cash is just freaked out by being alone, not the eye.

[Countrygirl18]

Is it possible it was being separated from his friends that spooked him and not his vision loss? I know a horse who lost her eye as a yearling and adjusted beautifully. Unless you physically saw the missing eye you’d never suspect it. Though she was younger then your guy I believe horses are incredibly adaptable.

[King_s_Ransom]

We have been hunkered down through a blizzard all day today, so all horses have been inside. Cash is totally calm tonight. Dove into his grain bucket and was eating hay when I left. I believe you guys are all right – and confirm my own instincts – he doesn’t want to be alone!

[walktrot]

My BO had a wonderful Paint mare called Navi who was one of the favorites. She did therapy and regular lessons… She was kicked by a foal when she was young and lost the vision in her lett eye. She adapted so well that you wouldn’t know she couldn’t see on one side. We had to remember to let new riders know. The eye tissue started to break down when she was much older so the eyeball was removed. She had several beautiful foals. She was put down a few years ago well into her 20s.

[moonlitoaksranch]

I had a blind Morgan mare that lost her eye due to neglect (she was a rescue). She had not been handled since she had lost it, so it was like starting fresh when I got her. Daily grooming helped. I talked to her on her blind side and she soon got used to me being there. I found crossties easier. I also took her for walks and taught her the command “watch your step”, which meant she had to step over something. She would drop her head, slow down and step more carefully. The biggest thing with one eye for riding is a loss of depth perception. She couldn’t see ditches very well or tell how big that fallen branch was. After walks around our farm and on the trail, we progressed quickly to trail riding. That command was very useful.

She was put down at 29 due to age related issues.

[stryder]

I agree that he’s better off with his buddy than alone.
It’s not the same as suddenly losing sight, but my mare is nearly blind from cataracts. Her right eye doesn’t respond at all. Her left eye may have a little vision. I’ve taken to leading her from the right side. She would tend to quickly move her head to get her left eye in a position to see something, which would bump me off balance. By leading her from the right side, I’m in a safer spot. She knows I’m there, and trusts that I’ll watch out for her.

Also, while I agree that a hard blinder would be better, they can be hard to find in a hurry. You can take a clean fly mask, and sew a white or light-colored washcloth into the right eye area. It will help protect and keep the area clean. Plus, it’s easy to see if Cash rubs his eye on the inside of his knee, or if it’s becoming infected.

[HenryisBlaisin]

Went through this with my horse about a year ago. Same scenario–pasture accident. I never did find what he got hurt on though I walked his pasture a dozen times. I had to keep him on stall rest until the stitches came out, and he HATES being in, but he seemed to understand (and it probably still hurt). Once the stitches came out, he went out with a hood that had a hard plastic eye cup for a week or two (I borrowed it from a friend whose horse lost the same eye–she got it at NC State). He never rubbed and the actual wound recovery was uneventful.

His first turnout went really well. He had no restrictions, and can be a real handful when cooped up, but he walked out fine, and when I took his halter off, he very carefully turned and positioned himself so that the fence line was on his good side…and off he went, full tilt, using the fence line as a guide. At first, he was a little insecure about his pasture buddy, who is much, much bigger than he is, coming up on that side, but he got more relaxed.

Now, he’s back to everything he was doing before. He’s currently doing lessons with a beginner and never puts a foot wrong. When I ride him, he will leg yield to his blind side with no hesitation. He will startle if you touch him on his blind side and he didn’t know you were there, but that’s it. He doesn’t like to be between his buddy and the fence with the fence on his blind side, and I have to be sure to give him plenty of room going through gates etc. I was surprised at how quickly and easily he adjusted because he can be a bit reactive, but he was largely unfazed by the whole thing once he could resume his normal routine.

Once the swelling goes down, his “new look” took a little getting used to, and as he lost his left eye, he prefers to be led from the right, and I do tack up from the right, though I can mount on the left with no problems.

[cheektwocheek]

My heart goes out to you and Cash! Having gone through this exact same thing with my homebred 2 yr old, you definitely have my support.

It’s a hard adjustment while they are healing, we put mine in a round pen next to friends. He didn’t feel alone but also couldn’t play hard & rough himself up. I started talking to him more, about everything. Teaching others to be safer around him was the most frustrating thing, he does need to hear you first, then touch.

Please don’t give up on any of your future dreams. My guy is doing everything I ever wanted to do with him and he’s only five. Surprisingly he won in hand at a USDF Championship series under Hilda Gurney. Currently schooling training level and hacking in the Hichcock Woods. All things I never thought would be possible the minute he walked in from turnout with a ruptured globe.

[King_s_Ransom]

Thank you to EVERYONE for your ideas, experiences and support. Cash has calmed down since I gave up on the whole isolation idea. I do worry that he will bang into something, but keeping him apart made me worry about a colic – and he could bang into something in his stall by getting so panicked, too. Right now, he is staying with his two friends in a large paddock. The friends definitely want to go out into the field, but I’m not going to separate them and not risking letting Cash out in the big field yet either. Doc comes next week to remove the sutures.

It all still breaks my heart and makes me sick to my stomach to think about – I wish you could see what a gorgeous guy he is and what a great ride. He is the easiest horse I’ve ever owned. I hate that this happened to him. But, I did learn something from this:

The eyes may be the windows to the soul … but they are not the soul. A beautiful soul can still live in the darkness.

[stryder]

@King's Ransom

But, I did learn something from this:

The eyes may be the windows to the soul … but they are not the soul. A beautiful soul can still live in the darkness.

So very true. There is much hope for Cash’s future. Have you seen anything of Endo? He’s quite the hero in the PNW.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNesX-N1K3c