# Blind Horse at NW Mountain Trail Challenge



## ajegberg (Apr 16, 2008)

I'm new here, but saw this area to post videos and thought I'd share videos of my horse, Smokey, at last year's Mountain Trail Challenge in Eugene, OR. Smokey is completely blind and has been since the age of 8; he is now 20.

Part one:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q5ieHBEQ_-U

Part two:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kfVD_CQ0KEg

Thanks for letting me post this here!


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## Dumas'_Grrrl (Apr 2, 2008)

First off Welcome aboard!!!
 
That was totally awesome!!! 8) I can't even walk around my house with the lights off without crashing into something! What trust he must have!!!! 

Good job! Well done!


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

wow! he must really trust you 

thats awesome


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

:shock: :shock: Incredible, what a brave horse :shock: :shock:


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Wow. :shock: That is amazing!


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Stunning! Wow! Good job! 


Oh and welcome to the Horse Forum


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## travlingypsy (Apr 5, 2008)

That is sooo cool I bet you and your horse have an amazing relationship..Welcome to the forum, you'll love it! 

Does everyone agree that horses can feel energy and stuff. Do you think Smokey could feel the logs energy? Does it work like that?


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

That's an example at a human-horse relationship at its best. You'll never see a horse do something like that without.

Kuddos to her and the horse for taking on the challenge.


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## ajegberg (Apr 16, 2008)

Thank you everyone for your very sweet comments! It was very touching at the event to have hardened old time cowboys tell me that they were fighting tears watching my horse. 

As far as the energy of the objects goes, I don't know for certain, but I believe that it is quite possible. Smokey has an uncanny way of "knowing" where things are sometimes....

I love my horse beyond words and I think he feels similarly...I wish that the feeling could be bottled.


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## travlingypsy (Apr 5, 2008)

Wow, that is so amazing. Its just like a real life version of the movie The Long Shot... a movie about a single mother trying to survive while working at a barn and then all of a sudden her horse goes blind but she still manages to compete in a musical free style comp. That movie always makes me cry. I think when you have a relationship and a true bond with a horse you will never find anything better.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

ajegberg said:


> Thank you everyone for your very sweet comments! It was very touching at the event to have hardened old time cowboys tell me that they were fighting tears watching my horse.
> 
> As far as the energy of the objects goes, I don't know for certain, but I believe that it is quite possible. Smokey has an uncanny way of "knowing" where things are sometimes....
> 
> I love my horse beyond words and I think he feels similarly...I wish that the feeling could be bottled.


OH waw, I didn't realise the actual rider of the video was on this forum! 
I was practically in tears watching your video.Very inspiring. What happened that caused him to go blind? How long have you had him for?


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

That's a good question, yeah, how did he go blind?
I think scent has a lot to do with it...but it amazes me how you guys have such a great bond.  & he has a lot of trust in you, I can see it!


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## ajegberg (Apr 16, 2008)

Smokey is 20 years old, born March 5, 1988. I was fortunate enough to come into his life and purchase him in January 1989. The first two years were a bit rough, being that he was bred to be a racehorse, and I was 12 years old!

For a few years, Smokey had problems with his left eye and we knew that a cataract was developing (he was approximately the 13th foal out of his dam and I think several of his health problems can likely be traced back to his dam being over-bred). The right eye was also developing a cataract, but much more rapidly and we were unaware of this until the day I threw hay for him and he was unable to find it. What a shock! That eye had been healthy as far as we knew. He was 8 years old when he lost complete eyesight.

Smokey and I already had a great bond, but it only got stronger after his blindness. His personality has not changed, though his fight/flight instinct is not as strong now. I just took him to another Trail Challenge this past weekend. My 20 year old blind horse with a barrage of health problems was the spunkiest horse on the grounds! ...and I was so proud of him for feeling that way!

Thank you everyone for your very kind words and enjoying Smokey's videos. If more people understand that a blind horse is not worthless, I am happy.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

That is is unincredible story. I feel very touched to have read such a miracle horse and rider combination. What an amazing horse.

Congratulations again on the competition


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## travlingypsy (Apr 5, 2008)

that must have been really scary..seeing your horse not be able to find his hay, all of a sudden.


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