Ryley’s Story: Living with Moon Blindness ????

Are you familiar with Moon Blindness in a horse?

Cavallo Hoof Boots President Carole Herder shares her experience:

“Ryley was the first horse I’ve adopted from a rescue, mainly to be a companion for my retired champion mare, Dot—also known by her show name AsBadAsMyDad. Her sire, appropriately, was NoMoreMisterNiceGuy. When I brought Ryley home, I was told he had intermittent moon blindness, but that he seemed okay and was likely rideable. That didn’t matter much to me—he had a home here regardless.

What I’ve since learned, however, is that moon blindness is not something to take lightly. While Ryley is adorable and has a fundamentally kind nature, his vision problems make him anxious and unpredictable. He spooks easily and doesn’t always know what’s coming at him, which affects how he interacts with the world around him.

Ryley is a pasture horse, through and through. He’s not the kind of horse you’d want to take for a ride through the woods—his vision is just too unreliable. And as much as I would love to see him under saddle, his well-being and sense of safety come first.

What Is Moon Blindness? ????

Moon blindness—technically called Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU)—is the most common cause of blindness in horses. It involves repeated, painful inflammation of the uveal tract within the eye and can eventually lead to permanent damage or complete vision loss.

While any horse can develop ERU, Appaloosas are particularly at risk. In fact, research has shown that Appaloosas are up to eight times more likely to develop moon blindness than other breeds, due to genetic factors associated with their coat patterns and pigmentation.

Symptoms can come and go, and there is no known cure.

A Gentle Reminder ❤

Horses like Ryley remind us that not all disabilities are visible at first glance. His journey has taught me patience, empathy, and the importance of really listening to our horses—especially when they can’t see the world the way we do.”

-Carole