Assess my horse please

[PaulineW]

Please can someone point out if my Connemara x mare would be viewed as a EMS candidate? Obvious crest, which I’m very aware of and dealing with. Feet were overdue a trim at time of photos. She is not been in active work for months, for various reasons, and has just come off box rest after a bout of laminitis. She’s now on hay and a dirt paddock for the foreseeable. She’s a good doer but gets very anxious and aggressive to other horses when hungry. She’s 21, low mileage.

Would you say she has fat pads? I noticed the indents above her eyes are slightly puffed out, but is that always an indicator? She may always have had them.
All comments appreciated.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I really think the best person to ask is your vet. If she hadn't been recovering from laminitis, I would say that she looks ok but it is hard to tell from photos.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I would test for ems and cushings especially as she has had laminitis and she looks crest for a horse that is on a dirt paddock, I wouldn't expect a normal healthy horse to look like that on minimal grass.

 

[PaulineW]

She has just gone into a dirt paddock, photos were about a week ago. I don’t have stables so had to box her to another yard when she was kept in. Dirt paddock has tall trees for shade, water and hay. No grass. I just can’t get the crest smaller but it’s not hard any more. I’m weighing all hay.

 

[[153312]]

The crest makes me want to say yes but really ditto others re asking vet

 

[brighteyes]

Ask about Cushing's tests. If she has PPID, that will be 'feeding' the crest no matter how much you restrict feed.

 

[skint1]

I definitely think it's worth consulting your vet about EMS/PPID. There's a good facebook group Equine PPID where you could also have a read to prepare yourself with some questions to ask and what to expect.

 

[PaulineW]

Thanks everyone.