Update on Tuesday: As most of you know, Tuesday is mostly blind. She is 100% blind in her left eye and an estimated (per, the vet) 90% blind in her right eye. The vet is absolutely amazed and confused as to how she can see anything at all- but Im telling you, this girl can see things sometimes. On her good days, she definitely sees anything white. She can see Sweeney (the dog) and she can see our white, plastic barrels. So I use those barrels to mark areas that I want for her to avoid when shes outside (patch of ice, etc) Tuesdays left eye is really beginning to atrophy, as you can see in the pictures. Especially noticeable at the top of her eye. That means that her eye disease (uveitis) is progressing. Tuesday will lose that eye before long- and the other one later. It will have to be removed so that it does not start making her sick with infections. The vet would do it now but I personally do not feel its necessary yet. And I need to wait until it is absolutely necessary. I have to. For me to feel ok about it. If her eye(s) start to give her problems with infections, then we will move to the next step- for her health. An interesting question was posed by a visitor this past week- is she pushy on the ground, in hand? I answered (while laughing)...the girl doesnt have a manner one, in hand. There is a legit reason for that. And in order for us to understand this big, bay beauty, we must first put ourselves in her shoes. How did she follow along with Keeper? How did Tuesday find her way before she found us? She leaned on her Keeper- literally. Tuesday does not understand respecting personal space...because she cant. As soon as I halter her to bring her back inside, she pressing against me...and if I allow it, she will go all the way to her stall like that. It is a learned behavior. A survival skill. You know how after being out in the sunlight, you walk into a dark building, and you can see nothing? Those of us that care for horses will stop at the door and hesitate to give the horses eyes a chance to adjust- just like we do for ourselves. But Tuesday cannot do that. If she is having a good day and can see shadows, she cannot see those when she is inside- her eyes dont adjust. So she moves into me as if to say please help me. take me. I trust you. And I feel her shift/snap into complete submission and trust, as though someone has flipped a switch on her. She cannot help it. This is how she has lived for nearly 20 years. I will not be changing this or training it out of her. It is simply part of who she is. We will allow her to keep that part of herself. I am now her keeper and her primary handler- and I dont mind. Kathy understands her and can handle her also. And Jeannie knows her and her ways as well as I do, so she can handle her in a pinch. I will continue to update as Tuesdays eye condition progresses, as it is progressing quickly now. But I would like to ask you all for a favor, please. And that is... Please, do not view her as the blind horse. View her, love her and appreciate her for the unbelievable soul that she is. She is so full of life. So full of spirit and fire. She is a survivor of the most impressive kind. She is 26 years old now and handles herself like a 5 year old horse. She feels fantastic now, physically. Tuesday is magnificent. She does not feel sorry for herself. She does not feel handicapped. She does not feel different than the other horses. Our goal is to help her continue to feel that way for as long as we possibly can. Like most of you, I would change this for her if I possibly could...in a heartbeat. But that being impossible, we must instead do what we can to allow her to keep as much independence and pride as we can. Welcome to your Ride of Pride, girl Tuesday. Where you will be treated like the royalty that you are, for the rest of your days. s.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 02:34:37 +0000
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