will Celyn survive?

[celyns mummy]

Celyn was rushed to the vets yesterday because we noticed his right eye (the remainding one,having had the other removed in May) is infected. It is possibly moon blindness. We are expecting the worst because it wouldnt be fair to put him through pain everytime it flares up, if he had two eyes it would be different but he wil have no quality of life.

The vet noticed that he had marks on his eye possibly from previous infetion. This is like what he had on his other eye but we are hoping we have caught it earlier so something can be done.

I dont know what to do if it is moon blindness it could mean that on some days he will be almost completely blind, he is only seven.the vet said that if it is then the prognosis is not good. hes fantastic im so down i dont want anything to happen to him.

[galadriel]

Sorry to hear it...must be so shocking for you.

I've known completely blind horses who have good quality of life.

Horses aren't like people, you know. They don't agonize over lost sight. They don't consciously recognize that they can't see; from their point of view, the world just got darker. So it's not the same as a person who loses sight (or anything else). They don't think about it, they don't get emotionally wrought over the loss, they don't think "Why, God, why??"

If he does develop days where he is completely blind, you may have to change his management a little to make sure that he will always be safe when he can't see. But you could still be able to work things out so that he could be happy--and possibly even be ridden. If he will respond well to your aids, and the area where you ride is level and safe, then it can be possible to ride even a completely blind horse.

[chev]

That's very sad, and you must be worried sick. But I did know a mare who was completely blind. She actually have a really good life. She lived in one paddock, so she knew exactly where everything was adn could find her way around. She had a pony in with her for company and the companion almost acted as a guide. We took her out on hacks now and the, one of us on the companion and one of us just behind on her, and she managed fine - just rode with her nose on the companion's flank. Ok, so light hacking in familiar places was all she did, and we had to watch where she was walking as she did sometimes trip but she lived a happy life. She was blind for the last fifteen years or so of her life.

Fingers crossed for you and Celyn - but try and stay positive if you can.

[eml]

I feel so sorry for you as I have been through this. My best ever horse (in avatar) started getting moonblindness about the same age but in those days vets just recommended treating the syptoms as they occurred.

However the good news is that I was able to ride him until he was about 15 when his sight became so bad and his hearing so sensitive he would react strongly to the slightest unexpected noise. I even was able to jump as he learned that the stronger my leg aid the higher he should jump and we were still competing at dressage indoors until the end of riding. I have never had such a responsive relationship with a horse before or since.

He is still going strong at the age of 25 going out into paddocks he knows with the rest of my gang. The only difference is that whilst the others come into their stables on call I go into the field to get him as he needs to 'home in' on my voice.

pm me if you want any advice on keeping a blind horse and as Galadriel says it is still possible for him to have a fulfilling life.

[alwaysfallingof]

Echoing eml, chev, galadriel, even if the worst should come to the worst and he ends up blind, then you can still have a fantastic relationship.

My friend loaned a completely blind horse, and did everything with him: hacked him out, roadwork, dressage, the lot. I've never known a more trusting relationship. It was like she was his eyes, and he trusted her completely.