Deaf Horses

Clinton Answers a Question from a No Worries Club Member

I have been enjoying the Titan series and I noticed you mentioned that he is deaf. Obviously that’s not a barrier to his progress! I am just curious—do you think it will be a barrier as a breeding animal? What caused it and can it be passed on? How will it limit his career (or not)? I am a big fan Clinton, so there is no implied criticism here! – Nanden

CLINTON: No, I don’t think it will be at all. Titan is by a reining sire named Colonels Smoking Gun, better known in the industry as Gunner. Gunner was born deaf, but his lack of hearing didn’t affect his career in the show pen or in the breeding shed. He won $177,000 and stood to a full book every year.

I knew when I bred my mare Princess In Diamonds to Gunner that there was a chance that the resulting foal could be deaf. That didn’t bother me in the slightest. I’ve worked with enough horses in my career to know that deaf horses are trained the same way as horses that hear properly. Plus, I’ve been around enough Gunner horses to know that they’re generally exceptional athletes with great minds, and I thought the cross of Gunner with Princess was too good an opportunity to pass up.

There are plenty of theories about what causes deafness in horses, a popular one being that Paint horses born with certain coat patterns and blue eyes will be deaf. However, there’s no scientific data to back that up and not all horses with splashed white or splashed white-frame blend coat patterns and blue eyes are deaf. While many of Gunner’s offspring, like Titan, are also deaf, just as many aren’t.

In my opinion, Titan’s deafness is a non-issue and is just one more trait that adds to his unique character.