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You are in... Forums > Welcome To Your Horse Forum > The Yard > Looking at buying a horse with a cataract in his eye.

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Emmaj86

Joined:

Apr 09

Posts: 12

Emmaj86 says:

Looking at buying a horse with a cataract in his eye.

Hello everyone!!

Never posted anything on a forum before so am sorry if i get it a little wrong.:)

Right i wanted some advice on what you all thought of buying a horse with a cataract in his eye.

This horse ive been looking at to buy was purchased by his current oweners last july as a 7 year old and passed a 5 stage vetting. Due to some personal issues between his owners he has gone back up for sale and when 5 stage vetted a couple of months a go failed due to a cataract in his left eye.

The vet had said at the time that he thought that he'd always had a cataract in his eye and couldnt see it getting any worse ect and would be fine to do all RC activities etc.

If i go ahead with the purchase i will be getting him vetted as i want a second vet to look at him and his eye.

Can cataracts spread into the other eye? And what is the chances of it getting any worse?

Has anyone else bought a horse with cataracts and been ok doing a little of everything?

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I really want some advice before i get attached and spend out on a vetting when maybe its best i stay clear.

=).xx

 

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  • Posted 5 years ago (21 April 2009 22:29)
Cocosmom

Joined:

Jan 09

Posts: 2542

Cocosmom says:

Re: Looking at buying a horse with a cataract in his eye.

Hi, I haven't really got experience of cataracts in horses eyes, but I have always been lead to believe they can thicken and get worse. I dont believe they can spread though. If the one eye did get worse and his other eye stayed clear you could experience the horse becoming more spooky as his eyesight is slightly restricted and I guess it could affect his confidence or ability to jump safey so it depends very much on what you would want to do with him. The best advice I can give you is to have the 5 stage vetting, they will ask you what you intend to do with him and give you their opinion on whether he is suitable. I am assuming this cataract would be reflected in his price, although if it was me personally I think I would steer clear but that is me! I know there is no guarantees with any horse even if they pass the vetting (2 months after I bought Coco I discovered he had a liver problem - fingers crossed we have it sorted now but it could have been a very different story) but I would be distraught if I bought a horse and then had to retire him from work or loose him because of a medical problem. I worked hard to get to a point when I could afford a horse again and I wouldn't have compromised if I was uncertain (although I was tempted when I found what I thought was the perfect horse and then discovered he was just showing signs of being a shiverer - but my other half and parents convinced me to be sensible, even though I was devasted at the time!). The other thing you will need to bear in mind is if you plan to get him insured, the insurance company probably wont insure his eye so if it does deteriorate you could face expensive veterniary treatment. Good luck, whatever you decide, I hope it works out for you!

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  • Posted 5 years ago (22 April 2009 09:18)
Miss Moss

Joined:

Nov 08

Posts: 533

Miss Moss says:

Re: Looking at buying a horse with a cataract in his eye.

I think I would stay clear of a horse with cataracts but thats me personally. You have to look at other aspects including insurance, if he has failed the vetting which he has due to the cataracts he wont be covered for it in vets bills (if it gets worse and you want a operaction to clear it) or you wont be able to claim loss of use due too his eye sight going. I have known horses with one eye that will jump etc but the owners have found it very hard to hack them safely or lunge them. I would think very carefully and vets are not always right!!!! Theycan try to predict the future but dosnt mean they are always right. Ih he had been vetted less then a year ago it should have shown up in that vetting!!!!

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  • Posted 5 years ago (22 April 2009 09:41)
NettieB

Joined:

Aug 08

Posts: 101

NettieB says:

Re: Looking at buying a horse with a cataract in his eye.

Hi

 

I nearly bought a horse with cataracts many years ago, she was a lovely grade b showjumping mare, but when they found the cataracts her owners reduced the price from £6000 to £700, I still wanted her but as I was working as a groom at the time, I decided against it as if they got worse (which the vet said they were likely too) I would have very large vet bills, at the time I couldn't afford it, I was lucky that the new owners kept her at our yard for a while and I still got to ride her but its a personal choice, she was retired from Showjumping too.

 

I found this article that might help you, if you google "equine cataracts" theres lots of info out there to help you choice what to do:

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/care/402/67330.html

 

but I agree with the insurance bit, if there is an existing condition most insurance companies won't insure or will for a large price and conditions.  My horse got a cough and they tried to take off his respiratory system off my policy!! they really don't like to pay out so might be worth getting a few quotes to see.

 

good luck with whatever you do, and a second vetting it always worth it, especially as the cataract showed within a year.

Horses are the best calming and cheeky friends you can have!

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  • Posted 5 years ago (22 April 2009 12:37)
VickyC

Joined:

Apr 08

Posts: 103

VickyC says:

Re: Looking at buying a horse with a cataract in his eye.

Hi i'm not 100% sure about cataracts in horses but I deal with people everyday with cataracts. The cataract is when the lens of the eye becomes opaque and so it would be a little like looking through a yellowish fog for the horse and he could be dazzled by light .  I would ask the vet why he thinks a horse of 7 has a cataract as most are age related and he is very young to have one,  it can be a sign of other health conditions ie. diabetes.  Also it wont be covered by your insurance I would not think as its existing.  It might be worth enquiring how much the operation is as its pretty straight forward and successful in humans. Only thing is the vet wont beable to check the general health of the eye and so if there is any damage behind he wont be able to see it. 

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  • Posted 5 years ago (22 April 2009 15:55)
Divasmum

Joined:

Sep 08

Posts: 1851

Divasmum says:

Re: Looking at buying a horse with a cataract in his eye.

If it is anything like people they quite often end up getting them in both eyes and it means they can barely see without surgery. I personally wouldn't buy the horse.

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  • Posted 5 years ago (23 April 2009 07:47)
Emmaj86

Joined:

Apr 09

Posts: 12

Emmaj86 says:

Re: Looking at buying a horse with a cataract in his eye.

Thank you sooooo to everyone who has come back to me on this topic. Am in two minds at the moment as my head is saying one thing and my heart is saying the other. I know that before i do anything i'll get him 5 stage vetted and get some advice about his cataract.

Its hard because i hate writing him off just because he's got a flaw. I mean who doesnt have a flaw? He's a great guy thats looking for some TLC and a new mummy. But i have to be sensible and think about what dangers he could cause to others around him if he was to get spooked etc because of his eye. I mean would anyone buy a horse that only had one eye rather than a horse with two eyes and a cataract in one?

As much as i'd love to say i'll take him anyway and love and care for him no matter what happens with his eyes i cant as i dont have bottomless pockets (sadly). He's going cheap due to the cataract in his eye but like some of you have said i wont get covered by my insurance so if anything did happen the vets bills would all have to come out of my pocket!

I'll keep you posted on what i decide to do. Am guessing its all down to what the vet has to say. 

Thanks again to everyone and if you have got any more advice please keep posting them as i'd loved to see what everyone thinks.

Em.x

 

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  • Posted 5 years ago (23 April 2009 15:19)
Divasmum

Joined:

Sep 08

Posts: 1851

Divasmum says:

Re: Looking at buying a horse with a cataract in his eye.

A cataract is somewhat more serious than a flaw! The risk being that he looses his sight in BOTH eyes.

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  • Posted 5 years ago (23 April 2009 16:41)
Emmaj86

Joined:

Apr 09

Posts: 12

Emmaj86 says:

Re: Looking at buying a horse with a cataract in his eye.

Am sorry if i seemed a little reckless by saying that a cataract is just a flaw. I know that its serious and shouldn't be taken lightly.

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  • Posted 5 years ago (23 April 2009 22:06)
Miss Moss

Joined:

Nov 08

Posts: 533

Miss Moss says:

Re: Looking at buying a horse with a cataract in his eye.

I hope you make the right choice for you and then horse, its lovely to think of having a horse with a few problems and you will love and give her/him all the tlc in world but in reality it can be very different and slot more hard work and heartbreak then anything!!! You only have to talk to people on here who have had horses with medical problems to tell you how hard it is!!! I knew a girl who had a pony who was blind in one eye and had slight vision loss in the other, she couldnt cope with him and his spooking (she didnt ride him this is just leading him in!!!!) and he was just a 11hh pony, he became unpredictable as he couldnt see well and would kick out at sudden movements. Just be very carefull what you choose to do but I think its woderfull you are thinking of giving this chap a good home with plenty of tlc as not many people would!!! even if you may not be able to ride him in the future and he may cost you three times the amount a normal horse would!!!!

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  • Posted 5 years ago (24 April 2009 12:21)
cmwilk

Joined:

May 08

Posts: 76

cmwilk says:

Re: Looking at buying a horse with a cataract in his eye.

My horse has cataracts in both eyes one worse than the other. But he is 23 now. He seems to be fine with it but i retired him because i didn't think it fair on him. He has trouble seeing from light to dark and loses his friend in the field.

I would steer clear of a 7 year old with it. It will get worse maybe slowly but it will, and as someone else said he is young to have such a thing. It does make my boy twitchy cause he doesn't see you coming and he is an old boy. I have looked into surgery but they only do the op in Liverpool, Glasgow and Cambridge and that is a good couple of hours by car let alone horse box!! I think it is alot to take on board and too much to go wrong. It would only break your heart and your wallet if you got him and then couldn't use him.

Good luck

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  • Posted 5 years ago (24 April 2009 14:34)

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