Gator- partially blind horse

Question
Hi, I recently started working with a neighbors horse, Gator. He is a 16.3h palomino  Missouri Fox Trotter and has a blind spot in his left eye because of an injury when he was a colt. Now he is 15 years old.  They have only had him for a week so I figure that his insecurity and confidence issue is because of his new environment. I asked his new owners how he acted in his old place. They said he was the same way he is now, insecure and spooky. Now these people have only had horses for a few months and this is their second. Personally I didn't think this horse was a smart purchase for them because of how green they are as riders but I agreed to help. I have worked with a professional trainer for a couple of years now besides the experience I have had all my life. Basically I just wanted another professional's opinion on how to work with building this horse's confidence and making him a safe ride. Also ,would I go about desensitizibg him differently then any other normal horse? It's not that I have no idea what I'm doing its just I really would appreciate more knowledge from more seasoned trainers and I haven't delt with a partially blind horse so I don't want to go around this the wrong way.

  Thank you for your time,
       Tatum

Answer
Hello Tatum,

I have never worked with a partially blind horse, but if I had to I would stick to the regimen of classical training. I doubt if this horse has had any "formal" education, which is exactly what the classical system is. The four months of ground school, which consists of leading anywhere and everywhere, lunge work until he learns word commands and can obey these commands when loose in a round pen,(walk, trot, canter, reverse, halt) are the first basic steps I would take.

By the end of the four months, the horse will trust you and will have gained confidence in you and in himself.

The classical system is explained in my articles on ExpertBeacon.com/dorothykmorris/horse training.

Good luck with him,
Dorothy