Horse with one blue eye...Questions

Hinking bout buying a horse I saw today for sale. It is a nice Paint mare and the people seem ginuwine when talking to them. They said that someone said to them when they got the horse that it might have been blind in that eye but she said nah that's an old wise tail in the case of that horse. I didnt ask her how she knew but when I go back to ride the horse next wk I will ask her how she knows for sure. My question to you guys is how can I tell for sure if it is or not blind in that eye?

Horse seems nice and calm and along the lines of what I am looking for. Lady told me a few things about her and they don't seem to be a red flag or anything and things I think I can work with. She said one of their other horses kind of kicked em a lil bit and put a few lil marks on her but I know I can get her home and feed her good and get that coat all nice and shiny and slick but overall it looks like a good horse. So what you guys think bout the eye? And any other opinions?

Blue eyes do not necessarily indicate blindness, and there is a clear visual difference between "blind blue" eyes and blue pigment. Especially in a Paint, I wouldn't be immediately concerned, since some Paint genes present with blue eyes. Splash pattern is the main culprit in my understanding, and even a minimal presentation (i.e. Breeding Stock paint or non-Paint otherwise "normally" colored horses) can include either one or two blue eyes.

The simplest (quick and dirty) way to get an idea of the horse's visual acuity is to test it by making a flicking motion with your hand near his eye. Be careful not to actually flick him, though, lol. If the horse blinks and generally acts like he's saying "cut it out," he can see what you're doing. If he ignores it totally, not even blinking, time to think about having a vet take a look-see. That kind of "test" won't tell you anything specific, just a basic ok/not idea. Ideally, you should be having a pre-purchase exam performed anyway, just to verify that everything else about the horse is hunky-dory.

so pretty much take the horse to the vet is the pre exam? And about how much might that cost?

Blue eye is pretty common in paits my bro owns one, I would say check of his ere reacks if he blinks to movement an easy thing like that if he does I don't think he has any sort of problem, not all the blue eyes horses are blind.

Will this be your first purchase of a horse? Do you currently have/know a large animal vet?

For large animals, vets typically come to you, although I have trailered horses to the vet's office before. The vet will charge for the farm call, and that cost depends on your area and how far he/she had to come. My last farm call, about a month ago for annual shots/coggins test draw, was ~$30 US. IME, most horse vets do have a rate for pre-purchase exams that varies with the depth of the exam. It can range from something simple (lameness evaluation, pulse/respiratory check, eye/ear check) to x-rays and blood tests. It all depends on how sure you want to be about the horse's physical condition and how much you're willing to spend. A more expensive animal, or one intended for more intense work or competition, should have a more exhaustive PPE. A less expensive horse, or one intended for lighter use, may only need a simple evaluation to rule out major issues, like visual problems or hidden lameness issues. $1-200 for a simple PPE would be my estimate for my area, and is a small price to pay if it saves you from several thousand dollars worth of vet bills and sunk costs.

If you don't have a large animal vet already, you'll need to have one soon anyway if you're buying any horse. Start calling around and ask who is taking new clients, and inquire about pre-purchase exams and fees. Ask any trusted horsey friends or neighbors who they recommend. Do use your own vet for the PPE, DO NOT assume that the seller's vet is above board, or simply accept the seller's word that the horse is totally sound. It isn't fun to expect the worst of people, but a horse is a huge cash outlay, and you need to cover all of your bases to avoid getting stuck with something you don't want or can't afford to deal with.

The vet will not tell you whether to buy or not. All he/she can do is tell you what the horse's medical condition is. You need to have an idea of what you can and can't live with in terms of the results of the PPE, and use that exam as a tool to further inform your decision.

Sorry for the novel on that, but there's a lot to buying a horse to keep in mind.

nah no problem, I appreciate you taking the time to give me tips. Don't have anyone in mind yet but those are questions I will be asking alot of horse owners around here and see who they use. Yes first purchase