12/08/2026
Horses don’t cry over sadness or frustration, but I’m sure they would if they could!
The lacrimal duct generates extra tears as needed.
A lot of us have had horses that seem to have a constantly weeping eye.
The eye generates extra fluids in the case of a foreign body or irritation.
If the horse appears to be fine and behaving as normal, it could indicate that the nasolacrimal duct is blocked.
Often the vet will insert a thin length of soft plastic tubing straight up the nasal passage and gently pump a saline flush up the tube.
When it meets resistance, the pressure of the saline builds up and “pops” the blockage out. ( I have had a couple land on me over the years so stand to the side! )
Other possible causes are flies, infection and dust/ pollen particles.
Some horses tear up only in spring or summer and are fine in the cooler months when it’s not so dry or dusty.
If you have a horse that’s susceptible to eye irritation, you can help by dampening feeds and soaking bay to limit the dust exposure.
Fly masks that cover the whole face rather than the dangly string ones are more effective for keeping foreign bodies and insects away.
I like to hook over the ears then wipe my hands all around the face to ensure no flies get trapped inside the mask before I do it up.
