What should I do if my horse scratched its eye on fencing? | arlo.® Atlas
Share This Guide
Read time: 3 minutes
Overview
If your horse has scratched its eye on fencing, the safest first step is to treat it as an eye injury and check it carefully. It may be a minor surface scratch or irritation from dust, a twig, or the fence itself, but eye problems can change quickly, so it’s sensible to monitor closely and speak to your vet if anything looks off.
Things To Check
1. Watch whether your horse is squinting, keeping the eye partly closed, or blinking more than usual.
2. Look for redness, swelling, tearing, cloudy-looking areas, discharge, or a visible mark on the eye.
3. Check whether the eyelids or skin around the eye are grazed, swollen, or sore to touch.
4. Notice if your horse is rubbing the face on fencing, the stable door, or with a hind leg.
5. See whether the pupil looks the same size as the other eye and whether the eye is opening normally in light.
6. Check for anything obvious nearby, such as a loose eyelash, bedding, dust, hay, or a small piece of debris.
7. Think about when it started and whether it followed turnout, grooming, travel, or contact with the fence.
Common Causes
The most common possibility is a surface scratch to the eye or eyelid from fencing, branches, bedding, or another sharp or dusty object. Irritation from debris can look similar at first.
Sometimes the problem is more of a graze around the eye rather than the eye itself, which can still cause watering and squinting.
Less commonly, a foreign body, a deeper ulcer, or another eye condition may be involved, which is why eye injuries shouldn’t be brushed off if signs persist.
What To Do
Keep your horse in a calm, clean area where you can watch the eye easily. Reduce rubbing by removing anything obvious in the environment that could irritate the face, such as dusty bedding or sharp edges near the stable or field.
Do not poke around the eye or try to remove anything stuck to the surface. If there is visible dirt on the surrounding skin, you can gently rinse the area with clean saline if your vet has previously advised it, but avoid putting anything into the eye unless you’re sure it’s suitable.
Note the time the signs started, how the eye looks, and whether the problem is getting better, worse, or staying the same. If the eye is still sore, watery, or closed after a short period of observation, it’s best to contact your vet.
When To Contact A Vet
Contact your vet promptly if the eye is closed, very cloudy, obviously painful, bleeding, or if there is swelling, pus-like discharge, or a visible object in or on the eye. Eye injuries can worsen quickly, so it’s safer to get advice early rather than wait.
Products That May Help
Keeping the surrounding area clean and well managed can help support your routine care while you monitor the eye and reduce further irritation.
Related Questions
How do I tell if my horse has a scratch on the eye or just a bit of irritation?
Can I rinse my horse’s eye at home?
How long should a minor eye injury take to improve?
Atlas is here to support owners with practical, easy-to-understand guidance. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. If you're concerned about your animal's health, symptoms worsen, or something doesn't feel right, contact your vet.