Blind mare...

[Gerry]

We've had blind mares going back to the 80's and the most important thing is to give the mare enough room for the first week or so to walk around the foal...you wil be amazed how that little thing figures out right away what "momma's walking pattern" is and will curl up with its legs tucked safely away while it sleeps.
We have a large 13 acre pasture for the blind mares and its cute watching the 3 blind mice follow each other around and when they have foals the foals walk in front and the mares follow their scents.

Its the same way when the mares do not have foals...they sniff the air and ground to find hay/water/grain ect.
When seperating from buddies, I always give them a few weeks to get used to their new surroundings but put them back out in the familiar as soon as I feel the mare and foal have bonded and become comfortable with each others habits. (about a week)

[wymanda]

There was a mare here in Western Australia some years ago who had been born blind. She lived on a large commercial farm and had an old gelding who lived in the paddock with her and all of her foals. She managed really well and produced a number of winners. The main concern came when the gelding died and she had to cope on her own, she had a couple more foals after this with no problems.

[BJ]

There was a mare here in Western Australia some years ago who had been born blind. She lived on a large commercial farm and had an old gelding who lived in the paddock with her and all of her foals. She managed really well and produced a number of winners. The main concern came when the gelding died and she had to cope on her own, she had a couple more foals after this with no problems.

Hi Wymanda,

I would imagine it is really different, and somewhat easier on a horse that is born blind vs one that suddenly goes blind. But then, that's probably a discussion that could go on and on from different perspectives.

What a bittersweet story. Do you recall the mare's name? Was she a TB?

Thanks,
BJ

[wymanda]

Yes she was thoroughbred. Her name was Gloryvine. Below is her breeding record

Gloryvine (AUS) 1980



Aust.Id.: 239140 brown mare Date of Birth: 27/10/1980

family 1C DNA Typed: N


by Indian Conquest (IRE) 1958 Contact: Fairfields Stud, WA

from Kuch Parwani (AUS) 1957 Died (01/07/1993)

bred by Mr JE Hayes, WA



Australian Breeding Record Printable Version


Season DOB Colour Sex Name or Last
Service Date Sire Comment
1993 Not served in 1992
1992 29/09 b filly Mix And Match The Fort (IRE)
1991 slipped 10/10/1990 The Fort (IRE)
1990 missed 23/12/1989 Beau Sovereign (NZ)
1989 30/09 b filly [chn] Vintage Glory Chanteclair (AUS)
1988 slipped 22/11/1987 Chanteclair (AUS)
1987 25/10 br filly Bask In Glory Karioi Star (AUS)
1986 22/10 b filly Topsana Ksar (GB)
1985 missed 21/12/1984 Jeroboam (GB)

[BJ]

Thank you Wymanda. Gloryvine is a very pretty name. Did any of her babies do well?

[mikec]

Very happy to report that my friend's blind mare is doing exceedingly well with her now 1 week old Iron Deputy colt.
Saw them ( him ) for the 1st. time yesterday and whoever it was that said Mother nature would take over was right on the money. That baby romps all over the place but there isn't any noticeable problem with Mom identifying her baby at all. It's really cool to watch !

[BJ]

Very happy to report that my friend's blind mare is doing exceedingly well with her now 1 week old Iron Deputy colt.
Saw them ( him ) for the 1st. time yesterday and whoever it was that said Mother nature would take over was right on the money. That baby romps all over the place but there isn't any noticeable problem with Mom identifying her baby at all. It's really cool to watch !

Aaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

[Regal13]

Just thought this was some interesting info, considering TB's are tied for 1st (or last I guess in this situation...)


EYE DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH SPECIFIC HORSE BREEDS

APPALOOSA
1. Congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB)
2. Congenital cataracts
3. Glaucoma
4. ERU
5. Optic disc colobomas

ARABIAN
1. Congenital cataracts

BELGIAN DRAFT HORSES
1. Aniridia and secondary cataracts
2. Cataracts

MORGAN
1. Cataracts - nuclear, bilateral, symmetrical, and non-progressive

QUARTER-HORSE
1. Congenital cataracts
2. Entropion

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HORSE
(chocolate coat color most often affected).
Collectively the cornea, iris and ciliary body lesions are termed anterior segment dysgenesis.
1. Congenital miosis, and corpora nigra and iris hypoplasia
2. Macrocornea
3. Ciliary Cysts
4. Cataract, Lens Luxation
5. Retinal Dysplasia, Retinal Detachment

THOROUGHBRED
1. Congenital cataracts
2. Microphthalmia associated with multiple ocular defects
3. Retinal dysplasia associated with retinal detachments in some cases
4. Entropion
5. Progressive retinal atrophy

COLOR DILUTE BREEDS
1. Iridal hypoplasia - photophobia

STANDARDBREDS
1. Retinal detachments
2. Congenital Stationary Night Blindness

PASO FINO
1. Congenital Stationary Night Blindness
2. Glaucoma

AMERICAN SADDLEBRED
1. Cataracts
2. Aggressive keratomycosis

WARM BLOODS
1. Glaucoma
2. ERU

MINIATURE HORSES
1. Cataracts

MULES
1. Aggressive sarcoids

[mikec]

Getting a bit ahead of myself here but now I'll be interested in seeing how the mare adjusts once the baby is weaned. For now though I'm really diggin' what I'm seein'. My wife was absolutely in tears just watching the interaction between mom & baby. The baby was laying down behind mom & it's like the mare had radar. She just backed up ever so slowly hardly even picking up her foot until she just nudged the baby &, once she realized the baby was there, just went right back to eating like all was well in the world. Awesome !!!

[BJ]

Getting a bit ahead of myself here but now I'll be interested in seeing how the mare adjusts once the baby is weaned. For now though I'm really diggin' what I'm seein'. My wife was absolutely in tears just watching the interaction between mom & baby. The baby was laying down behind mom & it's like the mare had radar. She just backed up ever so slowly hardly even picking up her foot until she just nudged the baby &, once she realized the baby was there, just went right back to eating like all was well in the world. Awesome !!!

What a good mama!