Would you buy a horse with pink skin around the eye?

[NoraAndTheHorse]

I am looking at possibly purchasing a paint mare; one eye has black skin around the eye while the other one has pink skin around the eye. I’ve heard that horses with pink skin around their eye are more likely to get cancer in that eye and higher chances of going blind. I have not been able to find any information regarding how likely they are to get cancer.

So my question, is if you were looking at buying a horse would the pink skin around the eye be turn off for you due to the possible health issues down the road?

This mare fits really well for what I need as far as riding level goes (trail/pleasure riding/lower level shows). She is currently at my trainer’s barn and has been for the last 6 months. However, she is 12 years old and I am not sure how she has been kept for the last 12 years as far as if they have done anything to protect that eye from the sun. Currently, the eye with the pink skin is watery and it looks like she might have gotten sunburned since they were a little slow to get a fly mask on her.

[warriorhorse]

Nope wont own a horse with pink skin around eyes.

[Glyphica]

A good horse is a good color. If you like her, buy her (following a vet exam of course).

I have one with pink skin. He is turned out in a uv fly mask year round. So far so good.

[PrincessPonies]

If the horse is good then the eye shouldn’t be a turn off. Of course have the eye checked during the PPE but if it’s clear just make sure the horse wears a UV fly mask year round mine has two blue eyes and wears a fly mask with about 70% UV proctection year round. She’s happy and i wouldn’t trade her for the world.

[Bluey]

We live where the sun can be a problem for white skinned horses and our winds and dryness contribute to irritated eyes, so no, here you don’t want any such.
A neighbor raised paints and he had some heartbreak from that and eventually quit raising them here, because of that.
Here horses generally are outside 24/7.

Where you are, that may not be such a problem.
Our sorrel tobiano paint ended up with penile squamous cell carcinoma at 28.
Our vet said it was directly related to his white patches, to lack of skin pigment.

Our veterinarian used to tattoo black into those horse’s eyes, to help keep cancer eye at bay.
It needed repeating every few years
You may ask your vet if that is necessary where you are.

[NoraAndTheHorse]

Thank you guys for your responses! It helps to read these posts and know that it doesn’t always turn out bad. I think my main worry is that she is 12, and I don’t know if her owners in the past have protected her eyes. She is a nice laid back mare that I can do lower level shows and trail/pleasure riding with

What kind of fly masks do you guys use? Any special type?

[PrincessPonies]

I use the cashel crusader which offers 70% UV proctection. My horse wears them year round and normally they last a year, though if I have two that I change out for washing they last longer. They fit well and don’t rub her like others do so I’m happy to replace them every year or so.

[Glyphica]

I’m another cashel user. I get the one with long ears and nose. My guy is a few spot appy, so he also goes out in a full neck uv sheet as well.

[Jungle_Monkey]

Will she be living outside 24/7? You could ask your vet to check her eyes when you do a pre-purchase exam.

Any way to ask the owner/trainer if her eyes have been protected? Maybe they would allow you access to her vet records and you could see if her eyes have been treated in the past.

[KLeaphart]

I use an Equine Sun Visor on my paint (the one in my pic). They are the only masks that offer 99.5% UV protection and are the most durable mask I’ve ever bought. He is really rough on his masks (went through 4 crusader masks before I found the sun visor) but not a single thread is out of place and he’s had his new one on everyday for months. They are a bit more expensive but worth every penny.

ECS has a discount code here.

[Cuttergal]

No. Been there, done that. She stayed sunburned, even with a fly mask, she hated stalls. She got squamous cell carcinoma on her third eyelid, which was removed, then brain cancer, which was mistakenly treated as EPM, she never recovered. When the brain cancer began working on her body, she refused to lay down which caused her to break down in her front leg. She was then PTS. No, i won’t own another with the pink eye.

[IPEsq]

Where I live now with crazy sun? No. The pink nose horses have enough problems here. But I’ve known several Paints who did just fine in other parts of the country back before anyone ever used fly masks.

[peedin]

I wouldn’t buy one because pink around the eye puts me off. But if horse fits your needs, do it, and use a fly mask.

[Fillabeana]

If the mare fits your needs really well, I would suggest that you ask your vet about managing the watery eye. And if it sounds like you could manage her needs in your area, in most boarding situations, proceed to a pre purchase exam.

For me… I am with Bluey. My ranch horses live outside, in a very sunny area. I have several horses to manage, and if a horse has special needs then I probably won’t own it. I don’t have any that need any particular supplements ( such as for hooves) , insulin resistance, special shoes. They all live out together, so everyone has to get along in a herd (no bullies or shrinking violets).

But…life in town, for a single horse at a boarding situation, can be managed more easily if the horse has specific needs to thrive.

So again, if this is a good match, I would proceed to your vet about the eye.