A lady who loves horses never gave up on her blind horse. She helped the horse grow despite its disabilities. Since this resilient steed became a national champion, the duo has shocked the equestrian world and set three world records in the process.
At 37 years old, Morgan Wagner runs a stable in Eugene, Oregon. There, she nurtures a 23-year-old blind Appaloosa horse named “Endo the Blind,” along with other disabled animals.
Wagner chose Endo as a few-month-old foal from her grandmother’s stable when she was 13, and they have been inseparable ever since.
However, when Endo was 8 years old, his eyes developed issues. Wagner was surprised as neither of Endo’s parents nor grandparents had such problems.
“I was really heartbroken. He’s my best friend,” she told The Epoch Times. “His eyes were crying. The vet diagnosed him with recurrent uveitis in horses and said he’d eventually go blind. We had difficulties with medication because he wouldn’t let me put eye drops in, so he fought me… And the oral medication hurt his stomach. His favorite thing is eating, but he lost his appetite.”
Before Endo’s vision started declining, Wagner was diagnosed with lupus, and Endo became her emotional support. While working in the barn, Endo would lay down, allowing her to lean on him. He also learned to follow her voice cues and lower his head.
Therefore, when it was Endo’s turn to be cared for, Wagner was ready to go above and beyond. After one of Endo’s eyes was removed, Wagner gradually started training him to wear a blindfold in preparation for complete blindness. Her voice guidance and presence comforted Endo.
Six months later, his second eye was removed.
“He was scared of going completely blind,” Wagner said. “He struggled at first. He was just wobbling and didn’t want to move. So, I decided to take it slow, starting by walking around the barn, then the arena, then outside for a short time, then for longer walks.”
Endo’s surgery went smoothly, and his pain reduced after the eye removal. However, his confidence was shaken, so Wagner had to find ways to help him.
“I set up a lot of training scenarios at home. Because he was trained at home, he wouldn’t be disoriented when we encountered obstacles outside,” she said.
Endo feared running into the wall. “He can sense the corners… He worries about hitting the walls,” Wagner said.
As his other senses sharpened, so did his rider’s.
“We spent a lot of time. I must be very mindful of his steps… Do I need to adjust his step?… I’m more sensitive to sound, like just the sound of pedestrians walking outside; I can tell if it’s cold outside because I can hear the differences, the moisture in the dirt. It made me pay more attention to sounds, so I know what he hears.”
“Now, I can have him relax anywhere unfamiliar; he senses everything. He can tell if a door is open or closed, where the windows are, where the walls are, where the fences are.”
On October 29, 2022, Endo participated in the national championships and set three Guinness World Records, proving that his disability was no longer a hindrance. He achieved the titles of Highest Free Jump by a Blind Horse: 106 cm; Most Flying Changes in One Minute: 39; Fastest Time for a Blind Horse to Cross Five Poles: 6.93 seconds.
Wagner shared more about their championship journey, saying, “The first was jumping; I had to work with him to keep going before the jump. At home, he could feel the jumping obstacles, we trained… I let him touch the obstacle with his nose first so he would remember how high to jump.”
“The second was flying changes of lead… He changed every two steps. The last one was crossing five poles in the fastest time… We did one run, and then he was ready. He did it effortlessly!”
Since their first meeting, Wagner and Endo have come a long way. Endo was once a gangly colt, and Wagner was a teenager who didn’t even know how to put on a neck strap for a horse. They learned together. Trail riding and jumping became their favorite activities, but they only started performing after Endo went blind.
Endo was one of the toughest horses Wagner trained, but his resilience made their journey more meaningful.
“He always keeps trying until he gets the right result, and then I tell him ‘good boy,’ and he knows he did the right thing,” Wagner told The Epoch Times. “I like a challenge… I love figuring out how to do things together, how to cross a bridge or a hill or a big drop. I really enjoy solving problems with him.”
The blind Appaloosa horse has a substantial following on social media, with people admiring him living his best life. Now, Endo can do everything a sighted horse can do, and Wagner believes this “super slow and cautious” horse is her safest one.
“I can put a 4-year-old who doesn’t know how to ride on him, and within a few minutes, they can work together well,” she said. “He loves the attention, loves everyone petting him, giving him treats… Disabilities don’t mean the end of life.”
Watch the video:
(Provided by Endo the Blind)