Splash Gene and Partial Deafness???

[KLM]

OK, So yesterday I posted about my pinto gelding I was planning on showing this year and his wierd tenseness and ear issues. After discussion here and elsewhere the subject of him being a splash pinto came up and the possibility of deafness.

Last night when I got home from work, I "tested" him with various ring tones on my cell phone one at a time behind each ear. He has one solid black ear and one partially white ear. On the black ear, not even a flick of the ear to any of the rings, one the partial white ear however he looked like the ear was having spasms it was twitching so bad.

So my question, until I can make arrangements to get him up to UC Davis to have his hearing tested... Can he be partially deaf as a result of his color???

 

[targetsmom]

I will try testing our splash minis today, at least the ones with the ear "issues" and the blue eyes. I know our stallion hears well - no blue eyes but we think carries splash. I realize we have several - Toffee, Clyde, Cowboy, and Mira - all Rowdy bred and at least one blue eye, plus Dancer, blue eyes but no Rowdy blood. The first 3 all have "ear issues" to some extent, but how much of that is just Rowdy blood??? Buckshot, Sox, Bunny, Snappy, Rusty, and Taffy all have Rowdy blood, dark eyes and NO ear issues at all. And blue eyed Dancer, no Rowdy blood, has no ear issues either.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Rowdy was OLW I do not think he had Splash White, I actually think he was OLW only.

Look inside the ear- if there is whit inside the ear that is a clue to the deafness. I am not certain about being deaf in one ear only- I'll ask if you like??

 

[little lady]

This is just my personal experience...After years of raising and being around paint horses deafness has been noted in horses that usually have a white on their head/faces that goes up to their ears(a marking typical of splash gene). For an example look up the reining horse Gunner. The horses I knew were totally deaf in both ears and their ears were not white, on or in. They also carried their ears a bit different...not sure how to explain it but it is noticeable. Now I also saw and was around horses marked like this and they could hear. As far as blue eyes I don't think there is a correlation between that and deafness by itself but maybe in conjunction with the white facial markings but I am by far no expert and this is just what I have experienced in my life. This is all very interesting and a great learning tool so when you do find out the results or any additional information please share it.

 

[Riverrose28]

I'm speaking from my experience only with one I had. I once owned a splash white, sorrel, bald face two blue eyes. She was deaf. When I first bought her she was very wild, but once she learned to trust me she was a great horse. She excelled at halter, halter obstacle, and trail in hand. I taught her visually, and she relied on her eyesite to look at abstacles and was not distracted by noise. Sadly she passed in 2008 and I miss her every day. So in my opinion being deaf is not at all a bad thing, you can work around it.

 

[REO]

I don't think that every Splash or even every Splash with ear white is deaf. Mine are all fine!!!

I read it has to do with lack of pigment way down inside the ear. I don't have experience with deafness so I'm not much help.

 

[KLM]

I appreciate the replies. I am definately not giving up on this guy. One thing I have noticed going thru his pictures, He almost always has his head cocked to one side (like in the second picture)

I know I am grasping here... just trying to figutre things out. He is a really smart horse and learns everything really fast. He is also very willing to try for me, just freaks out now and then! (like thats a small thing! - NOT)

 

[Carolyn R]

I absolutely agree with the others. Splash white deafness has more to do with the lack of pigmentatn in the inner ear and the nerve receptors going dead as a direct link to the lack of pigmentation. Not all splash white or all splash white with white ears are deaf, just as not all australian shepherds with white ears are deaf, but it does make one extra cautious when considering a pup with white extending up into the eye and ear area.

 

[Lloydyne]

I thought my lil guy was deaf for a while. When I went into the barn he never came around. I would put his feed in and go outside till he could see me then he would wander in. Then one day I stood in the barn and shook the grain bucket....he came a runnung..lol