Colour blind?????

Wally

Wally

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2000
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Every morning Hetja examines her new bandage.

Some days it's desert camouflage, some days it's arctic camouflage, today it is pink , but it's been red, green, orange and blue (and everyting in between!)

So, if horses really are totally colour blind, how come she holds out her leg, and closely examines the new dressing? I can understand why for the first few days she'd have a close inspection, but it's been a week now, you;d think she'd be accustomed to the dressing on her leg. But no. Every morning it has to pass muster!

BTW, for those interested and those who might have missed the blog. She had a really nasty cut, right on the fetlock joint, which the vet was certain compromised the joint capsule. Could not stitch it, 7 days antibiotics and SCRUPULOUS hygiene and wound care. Consulted the main specialist Equine hospital the vet was so concerned. (had me worried :( )

Without the use of box rest, and 24/7 turn out, so far so good, No swelling and no lameness, other then the same as day one. Manuka honey and sterile dressings for the first 5 days. Dry dressings now.
 
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I know they do say they don't see colours like we do - do they see them in a similar way that sheep do? I am sure Storm sees colours because she dislikes bright pink and is always very wary of pink buckets and nets. She can be a bit silly about new items, but I do think she recognises colours.
Hope she continues to heal btw. Sounded dire.
 
Oh Wally sorry to read. I had missed this. I think they must see colour either that or she is just making sure it's not some fashion faux pas. :)
 
She's being very nice about it. She HATES being in. Just getting her in to change her dressings and clean it up and jag her causes major stress. She's a very sensitive lady. The thought of box rest for her is not an option. Not nohow.
 
Hope she mends soon.

Years ago, we had a horse that ONLY spooked at yellow.

She clearly wasn't colour blind, so have never ben sure that they are really.
 
I must have missed this too. Very pleased to hear she is on the mend.:) I read something a good while back about exactly how they see colours, TBH I can't actually remember too much detail, but I do recall that red figured pretty highly on their awareness chart. I shall try and remember what the article was and try and track it down.
 
I think it was a red bandage she showed most interest in. I was at a trade fair a few years back and chap was selling automatic watering systems and he had dome research into animal eyesight, he'd made all the levers and paddles the animals had to put to make the water flow red, He said red is something they do perceive.
 
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