The more researchers study equine physiology, the more evidence suggests that so-called bad behavior could be as much physical as training and behavioral. Back pain, for instance, might be the root cause of many under-saddle issues. Now, equine vision problems are emerging as the culprit behind some cases of spookiness and other undesirable behaviors.

In a lecture at the Dressage at Devon (Pa.) show in September, Chelsey Miller, DVM, a resident in veterinary ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, described some of the exciting advances in her field.

Cataracts

A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, giving the eye a clouded, milky-white appearance. Most people are familiar with the term because almost all humans develop cataracts as they age