# One Blue and One Brown eyed Paint Questions



## BrittneyB (Jun 23, 2014)

Hi there, 

So I have just bought a 4 year old paint gelding with one blue eye and one brown eye, and he is quite skitish on his right side which is his blue eye side.

My question to everyone is whether a blue eye in paints in a positive trait or if things i've heard about blue eyed horses are true? ie. blindness/vision problems in blue eye.

He has had only 60 days on him so I am curious to know if he is skitish because of limited training thus far or if his blue eye could be causing him grief?

Whether it is fact/myth about blue eye, what things can I do in his training to help him along with his ride side?

Any other information would be great , just looking for input.

Thanks
Brittney


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## Tryst (Feb 8, 2012)

Most horses with blue eyes see just fine, just as people with blue eyes do  It is generally just a lack of pigment.


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Blue is just a lack of pigment. It does not affect the lens, pupils or any functional part as far as I know. As for fixing his problem, it is more of a mental thing than a sight issue.
Horses, especially the sensitive ones react different depending on the side of the body you are on as unlike a humans/dogs brain, each eye is connected to a separate side of the brain and these two sides are not connected (or rather, I should say there is a connection but it is not strong and therefor if you train a horse on one side, the results may not transfer to the other side).
Start doing everything from the other side. Too often people get it in their head that everything must be done on the left and this makes no sense when you stop and think about it. So again, my advice would be to start re-training him on the right side for everything that he already knows on the left


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## FrostedLilly (Nov 4, 2012)

I echo ruffian on this one. I've worked with horses that were skittish on the right, only because so much is done from the left. I would investigate vision as a last resort if he still seems apprehensive with you on that side after a good long while of you being on that side.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

My gelding was skittish on his right for the longest time...and he's got two brown eyes. As has been said, it's just a desensitization thing.

My best friend STILL doesn't believe me that blue-eyed horses don't have any more vision problems than brown-eyed ones do. When I met her, she swore all blue-eyed horses were blind, so I guess claiming that they have vision problems is an improvement. :lol:


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

The blue eyes vision problem thing is a myth.

Since he's only had 60 days of training, I bet it's a hole in training. His training may have just focused too much on doing stuff only from the left so doing stuff on the right seems "different" to him. Just try working with him from both sides.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## sea (May 15, 2014)

The blue eyes = blindness thing probably comes from dogs, where many times blue eyes can indicate vision problems or blindness, in breeds that do not typically have blue eyes. (For example, a blue eyed boxer is likely to have a genetic defect like blindness or deafness due to dilute coat genes, while a blue eyed aussie is well within breed standards and usually perfectly healthy.)


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Blue eyed cats are sometimes deaf!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## BrittneyB (Jun 23, 2014)

Great posts thus far everyone, thank you so much. Puts my mind at ease. I was sure myself that the blue eye didnt have anything to do with blindness, but than you get a few people that swear to it and it gets a person thinking.

I totally agree with the fact that he probably just hasnt been worked enough on his right side. It makes sense because once a horse is fully broke some individuals just go along without ever refreshing or continue working a horses right side.

Keep the posts coming, the input is great!!


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## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

I have a horse with one blue and one partial blue eye and he's just fine he has pink skin so he does get sun burn but is just fine. Your horse is probably one sided as my horses are trained from both side ore on the left but, despooking, riding, getting on and off, are done equally on both sides.


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