After reading the True Tale article about Tuffie,  I was curious if the author has ever thought about riding her since her accident.  I also had a horse that had a head injury and was totally blind as a result.  He was 12 at the time, but within just a few weeks I tried mounting him to see how he reacted.  I was surprised when his attitude was, "Let's Go!"  We had a short walk on a flat surface.  Within another month I was riding him anywhere that I would have ridden him before: rough trails and all.  Also he would trot, canter or gallop whenever I suggested it.  In fact, he preferred being ridden when the going was rough.  One time it was unusually hard going and I dismounted to make it easier on him, but he froze until I got back on.  He was more confident having all my aids to guide him.  A year later I also taught him to drive, which he also seemed to enjoy.

 So my point for the author is:  Don't limit your horse.  As long as she can get used to the idea of riding in a ring with strange horses, I see no reason why she still can't be a wonderful show horse, assuming there is no rule to prevent it.  Once she learns to trust you under saddle, and you learn how to communicate to her everything she needs to know, no one will ever be able to tell she is blind by watching you ride her.  I would be glad to share more of my blind horse experiences with you.

Dawn Leach

Years ago I boarded with a woman whose horse had uveitis.  He was blind in one eye when I met them and lost the sight in the other soon after.  I'd never been around blind horses and was surprised to see how well he did in turnout with another horse.  A casual observer would never have pegged him as blind as he found his way in and out of his shed stall without a hitch and grazed happily with his buddy.  But the real shock came the first time I happened by just as he and his owner were returning from a long solo trail ride.  I suppose my jaw hanging open gave me away as she felt the need to explain to me that he trusted her completely, so they were continuing their life together without interruption.  And so they did until he had to be euthanized for the pain of the disease, not because he was in any way unable to lead a useful life. 

My helmet is off to riders who have a strong relationship with their horses and don't let minor bobbles like blindness stand in their way.

 I have a woman who boars her half blind TB. He use to be a dressage horse. She keeps him as a lawn ornament because she does't want to ride him half blind.

I think its awsome to have that kind of trust with the horse where you can still ride him even if they are blind. 

That's too bad!  I've got Pinky the One-Eyed Wonder App as a boarder.  He's been here 11 years.  I haven't seen his owner in 10.  She just sends me a check.  But she gave us permission to ride him, and he was a GREAT beginner/intermediate lesson horse.  He's a former barrel racer who was doing hunter paces till his owner decided she was afraid of him (he kind of has to go with his head turned to the side b/c of the missing eye, and he'll spin around if he can't see where a scary noise is coming from--something you have to get used to).  He's 26 and losing the sight in his other eye--has major cataracts--but still LOVES to be ridden.  I had to give him a year off while his hocks fused, but he's done with that and back to standing in line when I'm looking for a horse to ride.  LOL 

 Yeah the woman who boards him, her foundered little mini and her goat comes by once a month to drop off check and leaves. She doesn't even go to pet them or say hi to them. 

He would be a great riding horse still. He's a gorgeous man and wants to work. I would put my saddle on the fence to ride my horse, she will walk away and he will come to the fence and just stare at me, like he wants to work. I wish I could get the okay to ride him. He will be quite spunky since she hasn't rode him in at least 6 months. That's how long he's been here. I feel like its a waste of a good horse. 

Well, each to her own.  She's lucky she found someone great to take care of them!   

 Aww, thanks. I love horses so much that I can't see them neglected. It hurts to much. Horses are my passion and I will do my best to take care of them.