Another procedure Auburn veterinarians said Darya
needed was photodynamic therapy, where they would inject a dye then treat her eye with a laser of UV light. Unfortunately she developed an ulcer afterwards. “I brought Darya home from Auburn with three different eye drops that I had to administer three times a day. It was a rough time as Darya was acting irritable with everything that had happened. I actually learned to use clicker training to get those nine daily doses in her eye,” Christy recalls. “But I was determined to not lose her eye! Even if she lost her sight in it, I wanted to save the eye.” When she brought Darya
back to Auburn for a checkup in November, it was evident Darya was blind in her left eye. The color of that eye hasn’t returned to normal, and the pupil has separated and doesn’t move. The veterinar- ians confirmed their diagnosis, that Darya suffered from a rare form of uveitis called Pigmen- tary Keratouveitis, where the eye has recurrent bouts of inflammation (uveitis) in addi- tion to pigment changes in the eye. This disease tends to be progressive over time, causing pain, inflammation and eventu- ally loss of vision. The rate of progression
varies among individual patients and it is believed to be an immune-mediated disease (i.e., one where the immune system overreacts). The most aggressive form of the disease tends to be progressive despite medical treatment and, as previ- ously noted, there is no cure available. In fact, Christy is allow- ing Auburn to use Darya in a study they are starting in order to try to learn more about the disease, its causes and preventions, in hopes of saving other horses from suffering from its devastating impacts.
“I was determined to not lose her eye! Even if she
her back in work last fall. I decided to participate in the Hanoverian inspection that was taking place where she was currently boarded and do her Mare Performance Test, earning a final score of 7.53 which, combined with her 2014 Hanoverian inspection score of 8.16, earned her the coveted Hanoverian Premium Mare status,” Christy says. “But my goal this past winter
lost her sight in it, I wanted to save the eye.”
was to start showing her Prix St. Georges, and so I decided to try it at a schooling show in March since I wasn’t sure how she would behave at a busy recog- nized show with just one seeing eye,” she continues. “I was very happy with the outcome—at times I could feel her get a little anxious, but she wasn’t too bad. Fortunately, we have a very close, trusting relationship.” Christy plans to continue
with Darya up to Grand Prix and hopefully compete successfully at CDIs. Schleese Saddlery just offered Christy a sponsorship, and she is excited about part- nering with them to improve education on equine biodynam- ics, rider biodynamics and how saddle fit affects both. Currently, the uveitis is
Darya and Christy debuted at Prix St. Georges at a schooling show held at Full Circle Horse Park in Pell City, Alabama last March.
dormant in Darya’s left eye, as far as the veterinarians can tell, and the mare is getting weekly treatments of Bromfenac as a preventative. Everyone is hope- ful the disease will remain dormant and the mare will keep her left eye. Darya’s right eye has not been affected, as this disease is not something that commonly shows up in both eyes. As they continue to moni- tor the right eye, Christy and her team of veterinarians are
cautiously optimistic it will remain healthy. Christy is thankful that Darya is still very young, fit and
Back in Competition When Darya was young, she and Christy had a success-
ful competitive career as Christy brought the mare up the dressage levels, scoring well in the high 60s and low 70s. Early in 2018 they had showed Fourth Level Test 1, scoring as high as 72 percent. “After the surgeries I put
healthy in every other way, and that she is adapting well. “Losing Darya’s sight was a huge blow,” she adds. “But I know we will overcome it along with the other obstacles life has thrown at us, and I am hopeful for a long, pros- perous dressage career for Darya. I am also confident that our relationship will continue to grow in trust and confidence in each other because of what we have been through together.”
Warmbloods Today 49
Christina Prince
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