On a farm in Noreña (Asturias) lives a horse that has had to reinvent its way of being in the world. It is about “Twelfth”, although everyone knows him as “Twelve”. He is 26 years old, he is a Purebred Spanish Breed and he is blind. His story, far from being a story of defeat, has become a serene example of adaptation, memory and trust.
“Twelve” was not born without vision. He lost it over time, due to an ocular pathology whose exact cause has not been determined, although it could be related to common diseases in horses such as uveitis, glaucoma or cataracts. A veterinary examination confirmed total blindness, but also something essential: his health is good. His body ages with dignity and his character remains intact.
Last summer he arrived at Caballoastur Equestrian Associationbased in Noreña. His previous owner, an older man, could no longer take care of him due to health problems. Before his final reception, “Doce” spent a month on a farm in El Berrón. It was during this period when a capacity for guidance began to emerge that continues to surprise those who care for him.
They all agree on the description: “Twelve” is noble, patient, affectionate and sweet. It allows itself to be touched by adults and children, coexists without conflict with other animals and transmits an unusual calm. There is no trace of permanent fear or tension in him. He moves slowly, attentive to what is happening around him, trusting in the routines and the people who accompany him.
That confidence was evident during his transfer from El Berrón to Noreña. He walked several kilometers along the road guided by hand, orienting himself by voices, the sound of footsteps and the smells of the environment. For a good part of the journey, those carrying him did not notice that he could not see. “Twelve” had learned to move using other senses.
To understand the dimension of this adaptation, it is worth remembering what equine vision is like. The horse has the largest eyes of all land mammals and an almost circular visual field, between 340 and 350 degrees, thanks to the lateral position of the eyeballs. This characteristic allows it to detect movements around it and responds to its nature as a prey animal.
Their eyes also have sophisticated protection systems. The corpora nigra, small protuberances located on the edge of the iris, act as an internal visor against excess light. Dense eyelashes filter out dust and light, and a third eyelid, the nictitating membrane, protects the cornea and helps keep it clean and moist. Its vision combines a narrow frontal binocular field, essential for calculating distances, with a very wide lateral monocular vision specialized in detecting movement.
Horses do not perceive color like humans. They are dichromatic and mainly distinguish blue and yellow tones, while reds and greens transform into muted ranges. Their visual acuity is less than ours and their strength does not lie in detail, but in detecting sudden changes. For an animal like this, losing sight means a profound transformation of its relationship with the environment.
In “Twelve”, that loss has been compensated with a remarkable development of hearing and smell. It recognizes people by the cadence of their steps or their voice, memorizes the location of water and creates an accurate mental map of its space once it has had time to explore it safely. His spatial memory is extraordinary and is based on absolute trust both in whoever guides him and in his own references.
There is also a key element for your well-being: company. “Twelve” needs a stable companion, which can be another horse or even a donkey, goat or sheep. It is not just an emotional issue. This other animal acts as a constant reference, allowing it to anticipate movements and move more safely. It is a mechanism deeply rooted in the horse’s social behavior.
Due to his age and condition, “Twelve” not suitable for assembly. The association is looking for a permanent home for him in Asturias, where he can live as a pet, walk by hand and receive care and affection. It needs a safe meadow, without obstacles or dangerous slopes, a closed space that is not too large, and time to adapt. Once he does, his ease is surprising.
Caballoastur has processed the red card for him that prevents him from being destined for meat and carefully filters possible adopters through interviews and verification of the terrain.
