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Ask Chelsie...
Do you have experience with blind horses? Has anyone you know owned or trained a blind horse?
Blind Faith is a totally blind 14 hand mare, apparently between the ages of
8 and 15, who recently arrived at The Horse Shelter. So far, she appears in otherwise good health. All here, and friends, have been working hard to determine the best way to help her.
Basically, the two choices are:
1) Surgery to remove her retracted and atrophied eyeballs (to prevent infection and eliminate discomfort), or
2) Put her down.
Potential for quality of life is under discussion. I am gathering information for the decision making process. Qualified comments, experiences, and opinions would be most helpful.
Time of course is of the essence. THANK YOU for any response you can provide!
(honestly and personally; I'm coming down hard on the #1 side. She has a quiet, calm disposition, is cautiously friendly, and seems to be adjusting to her new quarters and condition exceptionally well!)
-Terry R in Cerrillos, New Mexico
Q.
A.
Hi Terry,
I am so happy there are people like you out there trying to make a difference in the horse world.
With blind horses you have to make sure that their environment is right for them. Horses can do very well blind and live a happy life. I can think of lots of horses that were even very athletic and did some performance things blind. They just need to learn how to trust and follow the handler and rider. I would say that you should take out the eyes and give her a shot at life. It sounds like she is a very good tempered mare and would do fine being a good trail partner.
When working with a blind horse you have to use a lot more voice commands then you normally would. And when riding a blind horse you have to give lots of cues with your reins, legs, seat, and voice. But as I said with a little time she could make a wonderful trail horse. You just need to get her trust and a relationship going.
Teach her a cue for picking her feet up higher so when on the trail if she needs to pick her feet up higher you can tell her. It is the little things like that that you have to think about but once you get her working with you she will build a greater partnership with you, or her new owner, than any other horse because she has to trust you.
Let me know what you guys decide and keep me in touch with her progress.
Chelsie Kallestad
