Who Turned Out the Light?

Who Turned Out the Light?

          Wow! Life is good! I'm a 4 year old Quarter Horse gelding who's havin' a blast! My people mom & dad are awesome, my trainers are great and I'm learning so much at school! They say I'll be a star in the show ring & have lots of potential! Life couldn't be any more exciting!

          But… wait! Things have changed! Everything's different right now. It all started when I was taken to a new boarding school in central California, a little further away from home. I remember it was a rainy day, the lights in my stall were shining above me, but I just don't remember what went wrong. Was I playing, jumping or what!?

          Ouch! Something hit me really hard in the right eye, causing a lot of pain! My new  people friends came over to check things out, looked into my eye, cleaned me up a bit, put a patch over my eye & put me to bed. But, in the morning, things had taken a turn for the worse. My eye, now very painful, teary and swollen, was kinda fuzzy. Things looked a little strange. What's happening to me?

          As they loaded me into a trailer, I heard them say, I needed to be checked out by a vet who was about an hour and a half away. A little later, I remember more people looking into my right eye, lights shining all over the place, some kind of a shot of something for the pain … the world around me was getting very, very cloudy. Was it a bad dream? I'm not sure what's happening!

          A little later, they put me back into the trailer for another one-hour ride to UC Davis. I was going to see an ophthalmologist, whatever, that means!? The pain's a lot worse and I wish my human mom were with me! She's on vacation, probably freaking out … right about now! I guess they didn't even call her until the day after all this stuff started happening to me! Hum, wonder why? That’s really weird!

          So, an hour later, more lights, more people, more medicine and a really big sock-like thing over my eye. Bummer! Things are totally dark now! I heard the word surgery… cornea, lens, iris, and a whole bunch of other words I wasn't familiar with.

          I'm awake now… but wait…Who Turned Out the Light? I can't see anything from my right eye. The surgeon told me everyone's really sorry, but I'm blind in my right eye. Wow… what's that mean? Things around me look so weird. I'm having a really hard time navigating the bumpy floor. I just hit my right shoulder on the door… what's happening? I'm thinking … "a really bad dream!" Please, wake me up!

          Gosh, just 3 days ago, I was really having fun with my people friends … riding me … teaching me new things; the jogging, loping around the arena, trail obstacles, lead changes… all the cool stuff. It was so much fun!

          I'm still trying to figure things out. I remember that bright fluorescent light hanging just above my head in the stall. Somehow, when it hit me, the broken fluorescent bulb put a half-inch hole in my cornea. Wow…  Who Turned Out the Light?

***

          Oh, by the way, my name is "Cody." My people mom got to take me home from UC Davis on January 11th, 2006, wearing an eye protector, medication tube running into my lower eyelid, lots of antibiotics and instructions on how to take care of me. I guess we'll be going back and forth to Davis for a few months, hoping infection won't set in and they'll have to remove what's left of my eye. And, I used to be so handsome … so flashy, such a pretty mover; they used to say … over and over again!

          I'm told I'll have to relearn everything I was taught, but in a different way; like starting all over again. Hum, one eye, pretty weird. It makes things look really strange and it's a little scary not knowing what's happening over there on my right side. I'm really hoping I can get back into that show ring, have some fun again and make my "mom" really proud … and happy again! She's taking this pretty hard, but I know she loves me and will take care of me … the best she can!

           I'm not sure how long I'll be here at my mom's house. She said it will take time to recover, but she's wondering if there's anyone out there who knows how to teach a one-eyed guy all things I wanna to be! My dad's name is "Invitation Only" and my mom's got a really awesome show record too. I've been told I had lots of potential… so; I really want the chance to prove it! I know I can!

          If anyone wants to talk to my mom, or me, we can be reached at SGR707@aol.com.

And now … A note from my mom …

This “accident” was due to negligence and was totally preventable! Be sure to check your barn or training/boarding facility for overhead lights, electrical cords or anything that horses can play with or rear up and hit when frightened. Also, if you are “caring” for a horse that’s not your own, be sure to call the owner immediately & get medical attention ASAP. Eye injuries are very serious and cannot be neglected! Several authorities agree that Cody’s sight may have been saved … IF he had been taken to an emergency clinic without delay. 

          I keep asking myself … had this been my child in school, would I have been called? Would my child have been taken to a medical facility? Horses are no different than our children. It’s our responsibility to take care of them too!

Pictures of Cody: