Shane Needs Glasses

For those of you who have empathized, sympathized, and strategized with me over Shane’s jumping issues over the past year and a half, I’d like to share what I learned today at the ophthalmologist. I had discussed the Early Takeoff Syndrome article in Clean Run with Dr. Van Winkle, who noticed an irregularity on Shane’s right cornea. She referred me to Dr. Yu-Speight, who in my opinion is amazing.

She said the irregularity is an injury and not inherited. She also noticed that he had dry spots on the center of each eye, which can affect him like astigmatism. The alarming discovery was that his retinas are those of a much older dog, which indicates an advanced retinal degeneration. She said that Shane will perform better in bright light, which explains why he does so badly in night classes and dimly-lit show barns. Oh to be back in Phoenix where the shows are outdoors in the bright hot sun.

So basically, he probably doesn’t have Early Takeoff Syndrome; he just needs glasses.