Adaptation to Blindness: Give Them Time

Although blindness can occur suddenly, onset in most horses is gradual. Caretakers of horses with failing vision usually notice progressive uncertainty, especially in low-light situations. Typically, horses may bump into walls or fences and show reluctance to walk over unfamiliar terrain. Herd behavior changes, even among horses that have been pastured together for years. Horses that are ridden may shy frequently, refuse to obey simple commands, and show reluctance to move forward as their sight dims. Balance may be altered, and horses with minimal acuity may show a head tilt or postural change.

When vision finally fails, caretakers report that blind horses go through a transition period where their behavior is unpredictable, reflecting fear and anxiety.^1,2 Rapid circling, “freezing” in place, prolonged neighing, spooking, and aggressive body motions (e.g., crashing into walls, running over a handler) may be observed. This initial adjustment period can be dangerous to both the horse and handler, but it is usually transient, lasting anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Cautious handling, patience, and common sense are needed to help the horse adjust to vision loss during this critical period. Newly blind horses should be housed in a corral or stall to allow close monitoring. Blind horses should NOT be turned out in herds. They will do best if they are initially kept by themselves or turned out with a single carefully chosen companion such as a quiet horse, goat, or donkey. It may be helpful to hang a bell on the halter or neck strap of the companion (Fig. 14-1, A).

Figure 14-1 A, This photo shows Mindy, a 38-year-old mare that has just gone blind from glaucoma. Mindy is anxious but is calmed by the close boundaries of her stall and the presence of Suntan, her long-time sighted companion. B, Mindy shows a head tilt and an anxious posture in the early days of blindness, but she is settled by the voice, smell, and touch of her owner and the company of Suntan, who is wearing a bell on his halter. C, Mindy now accepts her vision loss. She is grazing contentedly with Suntan.

(Photographs courtesy Deborah and Rocco Distaffen, Spencerport, NY.)

Anxious blind horses appear to be settled by the voice, smell, and touch of people they knew and trusted when they had sight (see Fig. 14-1, B). While the transition/adaptation period is NOT a time to try to train a blind horse to do new things, frequent handling and attention are appropriate. All owners report that talking is a key part of blind-horse management. The constant murmur of a handler’s voice provides reassurance, lets the horse know where the handler is, and avoids surprise. Handlers also report that frequent touch is calming and comforting to blind horses. They enjoy grooming and petting and will soon learn that the tactile signals of a trusted handler indicate a safe place.

Adjustment to vision loss is helped if the horse is given a predictable daily routine. Feeding should be done at the same time and in the same place every day. Fresh water should always be available. If the horse is turned out, it should be led out along the same path each time and released at the same spot. Free-choice access to hay is a good settling aid. If the horse is being managed with a companion, the pair should not be separated during the adjustment period. Personnel visiting the farm must be aware of the status of the newly blind animal and cautioned to act with common sense and respect. Startling stimuli (farm vehicle traffic, aggressive dogs, flapping tarps, etc.) should be kept to a minimum.

Over several weeks, acceptance of vision loss and adjustment to blindness occurs in most innately calm horses, and behavior becomes settled and predictable (see Fig. 14-1, C) Well-adapted blind horses tend to be cautious and careful and do not have a higher rate of injury than sighted horses. Steve Smith of Rolling Dog Ranch, a sanctuary for disabled animals that houses over 20 blind horses in Montana, sums up the formula for managing blind horses as follows:

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Common Sense Safety Concerns

A safe environment is important because blind horses can easily be traumatized. Walls and fences should be smooth and free of nails, sharp pieces of wood, or projecting pieces of wire. Stall entry and exit will be easiest if the stall has a sliding door or a door that swings out into the aisle. All hardware should be free of any sharp or hooklike projections. The J-shaped handles of water buckets should be taped over; these often become gapped with use, presenting a hazard that can trap and tear an eyelid (Fig. 14-2).

Figure 14-2 A, The J-shaped handles of water buckets can become gapped with time and are a common cause of eyelid tears. B, Tape up J-shaped bucket handles for safety.

A blind horse may spook and jump sideways if something like snow sliding off a roof or a loose dog scares it. Another great stressor for blind horses is wind. The exact reason wind causes alarm is unknown, but it may be that wind interferes with the usual audible cues blind horses use for orientation. People working with blind animals should be especially careful if high winds, unusual loud noises, or loose animals are present and should always be prepared to take evasive action if the horse gets startled and makes a sudden move. Like all horses, blind horses can be dangerous to be around if they are frightened.

Signage can be posted on stalls or paddocks of blind horses to alert visitors to the animal’s handicap. Regular handlers should stand near a blind horse’s shoulder when working with it, because this is the safest position from which to react if the horse makes any quick moves. Veterinarians and farriers must be aware that the horse is blind and should take a little extra time to reassure the horse, using talk and touch before initiating any actions that might be painful or surprising to the horse.

The decision to turn a blind horse out into a pasture once it has adapted to vision loss is dependent on the horse and the safety of the pasture. It is a good idea to walk a horse around the perimeter of any new pasture to introduce it to the new space. The process of “mental mapping” may be aided if the handler taps on the fence as it is circumnavigated. Extra time should be spent at the water trough and gate (Fig. 14-3). Audible signals like swishing the water and rapping on the gate will help the horse locate the key features of the pasture.^2,4

Figure 14-3 The process of “mental mapping” is aided if the handler and blind horse circumnavigate a new pasture. Here TJ, a blind Standardbred gelding is shown the water trough.

(Photograph courtesy Susan Straumann, Woodstown, NJ.)

The footing of all enclosure(s) should be level and free of holes. Obstacles like mounting blocks, jumps, or farm equipment should be removed. Corral or paddock fencing must be horse-safe. Post and pole, split rail, plastic or wooden boards, woven wire mesh, or metal pipe panels are good choices for fence boundaries (Fig. 14-4). Barbed wire and electric wire fences are inappropriate. Wire barbs pose obvious safety hazards, and the electric shock transmitted from electrified wire can panic a blind horse, causing it to run through the fence. If smooth-wire strand fencing is the only option, strips of fabric can be tied to the wire at 6- to 8-foot intervals. The strips will flutter in the wind and the associated noise will aid the horse in respecting the fence boundary.

Figure 14-4 Corral or paddock fencing should be horse safe. This photo shows detail of a practical corral boundary where pipe gate sections are secured to T posts.

(Photograph courtesy Steve Smith, Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary, Ovando, MT.)

Tree branches, holes, ponds, ditches, insecure fencing, and farm equipment are obvious hazards that should be eliminated if possible. Immovable vertical obstacles like trees or poles can be made safe if they are rimmed with tires filled with sand or marked by spreading an apron of gravel or rock around their base. The water trough should be located along the fence line and should not contain any sharp corners or rough edges. Seasonal hazards must be taken into consideration. Very wet weather can create dangerous bogs or high water in pasture creeks, and very cold weather paired with freezing rain can create ice patches that are treacherous for blind horses (Fig. 14-5).

Figure 14-5 Seasonal hazards must be taken into consideration when choosing turnout space for blind horses. This photo shows a blind horse that slipped on a large ice patch. He became exhausted trying to get up and had to be hoisted with a sling that was lifted by a tractor bucket. Hay has been spread around the horse’s body to improve footing.

Decision Making for Owners

All horses making the adjustment to sight loss require plenty of patience from their owners. Most horses adjust and accept sight loss over a period of several days to several weeks, but some may require several months for full adaptation. Owners who provide a safe environment and practice good common sense find that the majority of blind horses adapt and can eventually be managed with about the same effort and expense sighted horses require (Box 14-1). However, a minority of horses do not adjust well to blindness, even when circumstances are ideal.

Horses with high-strung, nervous dispositions are the most challenged in adapting to blindness. They appear to experience more fear and anxiety than horses of calmer disposition. Frantic behavior such as constant stall circling, compulsive calling to former herd mates, and intolerance of lead rope or cross-tie restraint may be displayed. Anxious blind horses may crash into walls or fences or run over people who try to help them. Such behavior poses obvious risk to both the horse and its handlers. Blind horses that persist in exhibiting dangerous behavior after being allowed a generous trial period for adjustment may need to be euthanized for safety reasons.

In other instances, owners may not have the resources to provide a suitable environment for a sightless horse. Some of these animals are donated to sanctuaries or placed in foster homes, and some are euthanized. Ultimately, individual circumstances will dictate the choices made in managing every horse that loses sight (Fig. 14-6).

Figure 14-6 Individual circumstances dictate the choices made in managing blind horses. This photograph shows three blind horses. Nikki, the bay mare on the far right, is regularly used for riding. Lena, the chestnut mare in the center, is never ridden but is a steady companion horse and “pasture pet.” Destiny, the young chestnut filly on the left was blind at birth. She never adapted well to blindness and had to be euthanized at the age of 3 for persistent dangerous behavior.

(Photograph courtesy Steve Smith, Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary, Ovando, MT.)

Bullies and Buddies: Social Interactions with Other Horses

Horses in herd situations establish a social hierarchy, with dominant individuals ranking higher in the pecking order than submissive ones. In a herd situation, a blind horse usually falls to the bottom of the social order. Dominant sighted horses will take advantage of the blind one, chasing it away from feed sources. They will bully, bite, and push the handicapped horse, keeping it away from others. Blind horses are threatened and frightened by dominant individuals and will become skittish and nervous. Blind horses in herds tend to lose weight because of poor access to food, and they may not come up to the pasture gate when other horses are being brought in. For all these reasons, it is generally inadvisable to turn blind horses out in herds.

However, horses are social individuals and are usually happiest if they have a companion. Many calm horses are well suited to a “buddy” role for a blind horse. By all reports, bonding between two well-matched horses usually develops quickly. Once a compatible pair has been identified, the two equine friends can be turned out in their own enclosure and will be content to live together as a pair (Fig. 14-7

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