# Should I buy a horse that's blind in one eye?



## Production Acres (Aug 26, 2009)

NO! Kinda like buying a car that only steers to the left - you can't make any right hand turns. Would kind of limit what you can do. If you want to love it and pet it and name it George, buy it. But if you want to ride it, find one with two good eyes.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Being blind in one eye doesn't affect a lot of horses - they cope very well. However, some horses need to see things well with their good eye, so you may have to "show" her things more thoroughly. 
What do you want to do with the horse?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

If you are serious about riding, you could get in trouble. Jumping, riding trails, and riding on the flat could prove to be dangerous. He can't help not being able to take care of you if he is blind. He may fall and get you hurt. He sounds like a good companion horse or maybe a horse to ride in an arena on occasion. Also, why is he blind? Does he have cancer or something that will be expensive to take care of? There are a lot of nice horses out there that need homes. If you take him on, I would look at it like a charity case. In his defense, my sister was given a blind horse several years back. He was fun to ride just so you didn't take him out into new territory. She eventually gave him to a young girl who enjoyed him tremendously. I would just be afraid that he would trip and fall.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Blind in one eye, not completely blind...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

When I was asking the same question a while back the majority of people said go for it. If the horse has been blind in one eye for a long time then she will have adapted and it will not cause her a lot of issues. You also want to know if she was blinded by an accident or if there is any underlying medical condition.

You need to make sure that you warn her verbally if you approach her from the blind side and just remember that she has areas where you could surprise her. 

It certainly isn't like buying a car that can only turn one way, and she can certainly be more than a pasture pet. As ever the best thing to do is to go and see her, ride her, and work with her on the ground, if everything else is perfect then go for it


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## Faceman (Nov 29, 2007)

There is very little, if anything, a horse blind in one eye can't do that a horse with two good eyes can. Corneal ulcers are common in horses and and as a result a lot of horses are blind in one eye. The biggest issue with them is they can be a bit jumpy because they have that blind side, and on the trail you have to give them enough freedom to turn their head to the blind side to see. As far as having problems with flat work, my goodness, what do you think blinders do?

As said, I would definitely want to know why the horse lost sight in the eye to know if there was some underlying issue...


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## Poco1220 (Apr 6, 2010)

I've known quite a few people who have ridden, owned, and shown horses that were blind in one eye with no issues. It really can make a strong bond between horse and rider since the trust forms so deeply. And as stated above, if the horse has had the blindness for some time they learn to adapt just as anyone else would. Go check the horse out, take it for a ride, and go from there.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

I have ridden one-eyed horses and the only difference you'll notice is that they carry their head slightly to the side to put the good eye forward. It's also more considerate to approach on the side of the good eye, you can startle them easily coming up on the blind side. 

I've known a couple of one-eyed foxhunters who still did their job extremely well; including jumping difficult fences, and my old pleasure horse went blind in one eye from glacouma and still trail rode and did gymkhana and mounted games. 

If they horse was made and well-schooled in this discipline before he lost the eye, there's really not an issue. 

Celeste and Production Acres, I have to ask - do you have any experience with one-eyed horses? Or are you drawing inferences and conclusions without benefit of first hand experience?


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

My sister had a one-eyed horse. He lost the other to cancer. He was a great horse as far as his willingness and gaits. He would go with his head pointing to the side so that he could see where he was going. He seemed to have trouble figuring exactly where things were and tripped on occasion. She gave him to a kid that enjoyed him a lot riding him around the barn. She was in to trail riding, and he tended to trip in unfamiliar areas. She lives in the mountains and tripping is dangerous there.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)




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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I agree with everyone who says to give her a shot. Being blind in only one eye will hinder them slightly and they will require more care when handling and riding, but there is absolutely no reason why you should just pass her up without at least meeting her. Like others have said, there are a great many horses who go on to be very successful as riding partners that are blind in one eye and sometimes both.

In addition to all the other examples posted, there was some big name trainer/clinician that had an Appy that was totally blind, I can't remember now who it was though.

I would make sure that I found out the cause of the blindness before I got serious about her though. If it was something that was an isolated incident then I would go ahead with trying her out. However if it was due to a degenerative condition, I would likely pass on her because a totally blind horse takes a great deal more care and caution.


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

JustDressageIt said:


> Being blind in one eye doesn't affect a lot of horses - they cope very well. However, some horses need to see things well with their good eye, so you may have to "show" her things more thoroughly.
> What do you want to do with the horse?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 i would definitely be riding whatever horse I buy. Also might joina club and do trial rides, parades sometime


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

what exactly are ground manners with horses? I wouild guess anything that you are doing with them as of not riding am I correct? Went to look at some horses last week and one in particular the owner said had bad ground manners or bad ground something


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## Ladytrails (Jul 28, 2010)

smrobs, the clinician was John Lyons and it was his Appy Zip who went blind....


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

nyg052003 said:


> what exactly are ground manners with horses? I wouild guess anything that you are doing with them as of not riding am I correct? Went to look at some horses last week and one in particular the owner said had bad ground manners or bad ground something


Now I have to double check how experienced you are?


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## iambatmanxx (Mar 13, 2011)

Our horse Flash, who is a 13 year old Quarter Horse gelding, he is blind in his right eye and he acts just as normal as our other two horses. He just needs to be introduced to some things on his good side. We ride him on trails all the time and he is perfectly fine. So like everyone else, I say go for it. But only if you are up to it.


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

Golden Horse said:


> Now I have to double check how experienced you are?


 is there a forum anywhere on the Net where there arent "Smart Elics"????

if you don't want to answer simply don't comment. After I asked the question here, I googled it and apparently what I thought was very much in the ball park of what ground manners are. This will be my first horse purchase and first one that I will own so yeah I have things to learn. I do know enough to own one though and my dad has some experience as well. Also have some uncles and friends that have them so I will ask questions just as I am doing here. I do know the basics and will continue to learn more and more every day. There I'm sure are some on here just any other forum who swear they know the whole world and know one can tell them a darn thing!!!


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## Micki O (Apr 22, 2008)

I have 4 totally blind horses and 1 partially blind. @ of the blind ones - a mare & a gelding ride great. The only difference between them and a sighted horse when riding is you have to talk to them more. 
I am more interested in why the horse has no sight in one eye. Is it from moonblindness, cataracs or injury etc. There is a chance depending on the casue that the horse will in the future go completely blind. At that point you are looking at retraining which requires alot of time & patience. I personlly like the blind horses. The ones i have are very confident and actually easy to work with. Just make sure you do your homework and understand you may end up with a totally blind horse.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

nyg052003 said:


> is there a forum anywhere on the Net where there arent "Smart Elics"????
> 
> if you don't want to answer simply don't comment. After I asked the question here, I googled it and apparently what I thought was very much in the ball park of what ground manners are. This will be my first horse purchase and first one that I will own so yeah I have things to learn. I do know enough to own one though and my dad has some experience as well. Also have some uncles and friends that have them so I will ask questions just as I am doing here. I do know the basics and will continue to learn more and more every day. There I'm sure are some on here just any other forum who swear they know the whole world and know one can tell them a darn thing!!!


Well that is the first time I've been called a Smart Elic :rofl:, but I assure you I have been called far worse.

And the forum where you will be free of them is also the forum that will be free of people totally overreacting to a simple question.

If you would check up above I have already answered your question that you asked, and I would have no problem in buying a horse who is blind in one eye, but I have some experience and _think_ that I can take care of a horse when I ride.

If someone is asking what are ground manners, I'm now wondering if I should change my suggestion, if you are a novice rider then you would be better off with a horse that will take care of you, not one that you have to take care of.

I do not have a crystal ball, all I know about you is what you have told us, and I was just trying to find out more info.


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

Micki O said:


> I have 4 totally blind horses and 1 partially blind. @ of the blind ones - a mare & a gelding ride great. The only difference between them and a sighted horse when riding is you have to talk to them more.
> I am more interested in why the horse has no sight in one eye. Is it from moonblindness, cataracs or injury etc. There is a chance depending on the casue that the horse will in the future go completely blind. At that point you are looking at retraining which requires alot of time & patience. I personlly like the blind horses. The ones i have are very confident and actually easy to work with. Just make sure you do your homework and understand you may end up with a totally blind horse.


 i certainly will ask them those questions tommrow when i go see her but i doubt i will get her because of that possibility that she might go totally blind and like i stated this will be my first purchase


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

Golden Horse said:


> Well that is the first time I've been called a Smart Elic :rofl:, but I assure you I have been called far worse.
> 
> And the forum where you will be free of them is also the forum that will be free of people totally overreacting to a simple question.
> 
> ...


 ok and I accept that. Now as far as a horse that will take care of me, what would i need or how may I go about looking for that type of horse? I'm guessing you mean one thats well,well trianed and probably gona cost me maybe a thousand bucks or more? I have ridden horses before, rode with people some so I am not totally green. Probably more green to the fact this will be my first one I will own. Also has been a good bit of time between messing with horses for say months at a time, yrs at a time so when I get one, I will dig in. Novice sounds like a beginner but I definitely know some things and feel confident around them. Also I know not to be cocky and think I am a true professional, and I know how to be aware, how not to let them think I am afraid. Thats what I am talking about


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

If you have ridden horses "some", then yes you are a novice/beginner. The worst mistake you can make is thinking you're more experienced then you are and letting yourself be overhorsed. That's only going to ensure you ruin any good experiences you've had with horses and work quickly to make you afraid of them.

Being confident around a well behaved horse is a start. But are you confident if a horse rears straight up above you? What if he lunges at you with teeth bared? What if he spins and kicks so hard he misses your head by an inch?

Unless you've been riding at least once a week for over a year, you are definitely a novice/beginner (and perhaps even with riding that much depending on the quality). For example, we've had a child ride with us for 3 years. She rides several times a week. She is STILL a novice that does not know how to handle anything but a well behaved horse despite riding for that long because she refused to ride anything but her own well trained pony.

Unless you've had several years of almost daily contact with dozens upon dozens of horses, I would strongly advise looking into a well trained animal for your first mount. Yes, you're looking at over a thousand dollars, but is it worth it to save money if you're just discouraged from riding by a horse that's too much for you?

Best of luck!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Ladytrails said:


> smrobs, the clinician was John Lyons and it was his Appy Zip who went blind....


 
Thank you! That was driving me nuts. For some reason, I kept thinking that it was Monty Roberts but my search was turning up nothing.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

nyg052003 said:


> ok and I accept that. Now as far as a horse that will take care of me, what would i need or how may I go about looking for that type of horse? I'm guessing you mean one thats well,well trianed and probably gona cost me maybe a thousand bucks or more?


Well having bought a few horses because they were cheap, and thinking that I could make them work, well they didn't, and it costs as much to keep a bad horse as a good one.

As a novice rider there is a lot to be said for buying an older horse, they are usually cheaper and they are great for giving you confidence and to have fun with. Honestly in the current economic climate you can find really nice horses at good prices, the trick is to keep looking until you get the right horse at the right price.


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## arashowjumper (Apr 28, 2011)

the 3 time olimpic champion Arete a mexican horse gold medalist winner was blind in one eye. i now own a one eyed horse he is a 6 yr old he was ranked number 8 at the national circuit jumping 1 30 last yr i just got him i kinda won him in a competition, he is a warmblood arriving to my barn next week ill be posting pics spoon...
on my expiriance.. go for it.


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## Micki O (Apr 22, 2008)

If you are looking for a good horse that won't cost a lot to purchase, look at a rescue horse. Rescue horses most of the time do have ghost but with time and effort you will have a very loyal loving horse. If you do your research you can find very well trained horses that have been thrown away so to speak especially in this economy. Good luck on your search. There is a horse out there waiting for you. You just have to be patient and wait until it finds you .


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Micki, I believe this is a first time horse buyer; I really think most rescue cases should be reserved for those a tad bit more experienced.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Micki O (Apr 22, 2008)

JustDressageIt, I know a few rescues right now who have horses that they ended up with because the owners couldn't afford to care for them. I'm not talking about her getting an abused horse, just the ones no body wants anymore. I think there's less risk there than buying one off Craiglist.


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

nyg052003 said:


> but i doubt i will get her because of that possibility that she might go totally blind and like i stated this will be my first purchase


I would like to recommend that you keep looking, if she could go blind in both eyes, she would require more help than I could provide, and I have been riding/owning for 30 years. 

Do you know how to train her to know where her fence line is (even when she spooks), where he water bucket is (even if she gets turned around in the stall), so she would always know these things?
As a newer rider, I doubt she will have the confidence in you to trust you - it takes many many years to get experience, and horses can tell that.


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## Production Acres (Aug 26, 2009)

maura said:


> It's also more considerate to approach on the side of the good eye, you can startle them easily coming up on the blind side.
> Celeste and Production Acres, I have to ask - do you have any experience with one-eyed horses? Or are you drawing inferences and conclusions without benefit of first hand experience?


 
Got a broodmare in the barn right now that is mostly blind. She can see, but things startle her easily. Wife was leading her and her colt last month. Colt was on the off side of the mare and the colt snapped at his momma. Mare jumped sideways as she is skiddish - foot landed on wife's foot, and her jaw hit my wife in the face. Broke her nose nicely. That good mare - and she is nice - cost me over $2500 that night in the er room.
Yes, It could have happened with any horse, but It will happen many more times with one that is blind or partially so.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

To answer the original question only.

A horse being blind in one eye should not be discarded if it is fine for what you want in all other aspects.

I have known many horses that were blind in one eye (some with eye totally removed) and most of them did not have any change in personality with their change of sight.

Being blind in one eye is not the same or even comparable to totally blind.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

I know of horses who are Eventing wonderfully and doing their jobs happily, who have only 1 eye. One, we call the "One Eyed Wonder Pony" and he clears those fences like they are nothing.


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## KawaiiCharlie (Nov 17, 2010)

being blind in one eye doesnt stop a horses ability. being completely blind shouldnt either. 
take a look at this. YouTube - ‪2011 Ohio Versatile Horse and Rider Application: Beka & Stormy‬‏


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## tbstorm (Dec 16, 2010)

if you buy a horse that is blind in one eye you will have to know how to make a strong connection/bond with the horse and some things take more experience. As a novice (im not saying you no nothing here, so keep that in mind) mistakes can be made. Do you know why this horse is blind? did the owner tell you about any vices? is the horse sound other wise? 

you also need a list of questions to ask the owner before you go buying any horse! you might also want to talk to a vet before and have him check out the horse. Another good idea may be talking to the current vet of the horse. 

we used to have a horse that was semi blind and we had to do things differently with him, you have to introduce everything more throughly do things with caution and the way you went about doing business with him was all different. 

It takes experience and we are not trying to offend you in any way what so ever, everyone on HF looks out for everyone, we are just trying to help and give our advice!


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

A horse is blind in one eye is different than a horse that is almost blind.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Arthur has uveitis (moonblindness) in one eye, but you'd never know. He still competes at shows and trail rides extensively.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

That could be expensive to treat I would think.


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