Best way to get rid of a cresty neck

[lottiepony]

Ideas please, is it possible as I'm struggling

 

[YasandCrystal]

What are you feeding? I am sure you probably know that the neck is the last fat store and if that goes solid the horse/pony is at risk of ailments such as laminitis. Are you feeding according to workload? Fibre feeds such as hay, chaff and unmollassed beet are good for maintaining a healthy gut and not too fattening and rich.

 

[putasocinit]

As above post and exercise

 

[lottiepony]

What are you feeding? I am sure you probably know that the neck is the last fat store and if that goes solid the horse/pony is at risk of ailments such as laminitis. Are you feeding accoring to workload? Fibre feeds such as hay, chaff and unmollassed beet are good for maintaining a healthy gut and not too fattening and rich.

She got laminitis for the first time last May see here for my post way back then http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...nions-needed-the-fat-to-thin-horse-starts-now
Since then we've had no more cases of laminitis and her weight has stayed the same since going on her diet. She currently is 504kg on the weight tape (just use it to monitor easily if she gains) She's worked roughly 5 times a week mixture of hacking and schooling. I changed her feed last week as felt her crest was feeling firmer, she was on 1/2 scoop of hifi lite & 1/2 speedi beet am and then 2 scoops of hifi lite in the evening now she's just on one scoop of hifi in the evening. Forage wise she's on hay (well it's not quite hay but not haylage either lol) and has been on it since October with no problems. She has basically 2 small nets 1 in the field and 1 when she first comes in, then another larger net at about 10pm.

 

[YasandCrystal]

Have you had her tested for EMS/Cushings? I have a cob mare who gets fat on a blade of grass. This time of the year is easy as there is little grass and I make sure she has a fibre feed and haylege. In summer exercise keeps her weight down.
If in doubt get a blood test would be my recommendation.

 

[Snat20]

How much hay are you giving weight wise? Could this be soaked to take out the goodness and reduce the sugar content?

Depending on what you currently do could you increase her workload to be 'harder'?

 

[Yertis]

Add cinnamon to feed, worked on mine

 

[lottiepony]

I had her tested for cushings but came back negative. And the vet recommended I treat her as an EMS case due to how she presented in terms of the fatty deposits etc so having her tested for that wouldn't change particularly how I manage her now. I can up her workload will do more poles/jumping and increase the length of time, currently school for 40mins a session and thats all paces with lateral work etc. Soaking hay is certainly an option. Its just a pain as she doesn't look fat anywhere else her ribs are easily felt and can be seen at times.

 

[touchstone]

Soaking hay is ideal, I'm currently not soaking for mine as it has to drain onto the field, but once the weather improves I will be.

Adding magnesium to the feed can help with fatty deposits too.

 

[twiggy2]

give no hard feed, if you feel you need to give a supplement give a very small handful of speedi beet with it and nothing else, soak hay for a least 12hrs and rinse before you feed it. increase work load, feed old hay rather than hay/haylage, all these things will reduce calorofoc intake and sugars too.

if she is rugged reduce them till she is wearing nothing or a no fill rain sheet all the time.

she should be losing weight this time of year or you will be fighting a losing battle come spring/summer.

 

[edenwood]

I have just had to battle with this problem on a little pony we have. She had the biggest crest I have ever seen. It was very worrying. Unfortunately I had to be cruel to be kind. She has been kept stabled and was let out onto the stable yard and literally all she had to eat was soaked hay she had nothing else. Her neck is now floppy and has gone down dramatically. She is now in a postage square paddock unrugged and has a handful of hay.

 

[HaffiesRock]

Do you have any photos OP?

I would cut all hard feed and just give the hay, either soaked or old last years hay if you can get it. Lots of exercise and see how you go.

Is your horse rugged? If it is, I would whip it off and let the cold weather help and let your horse get a little cold.

 

[ester]

I would agree with your vet that you treat as though EMS and would def be soaking your hay/haylage (and/or sourcing actual hay). Cutting her hard feed down was probably the right decision too.

 

[ktj1891]

Lots of exercise!

 

[lottiepony]

She's currently fully clipped and only wears one rug at a time turnout then stable one at night and would say these are both medium weights. She feels warm under them but not toasty warm if that makes sense! Should I put her in something lighter? The photo's below (if they work!) show her in December and one taken the other weekend that you can kind of see her neck in, just don't like how she looks to be honest

andee


photo

ps can someone explain what i need to do on flickr to get my photos to come up properly rather than the links!

 

[ester]

fwiw I think she looks pretty good and much better. You wouldn't suspect from that pic she was an EMS horse compared to the earlier ones.

 

[Jesstickle]

she looks good! Honestly, don't fixate on her neck. Condition score all her bits independently and then do an average. I bet she comes out just right!

 

[Pinkvboots]

Magnesium oxide really helped mine loose the fat deposits, along with hay soaking and no molasses and plenty of work.

 

[lottiepony]

thank you for your kind comments Ester and jesstickle!

 

[JillA]

Magnesium oxide really helped mine loose the fat deposits, along with hay soaking and no molasses and plenty of work.

It is well worth trying magnesium - hard muscles are a sign of a magnesium deficiency, and some magnesium oxide from ebay will only cost you a few £££. Also work on relaxing and going long and low when she is working?

 

[weebarney]

I agree not to worry too much about her neck as long as the rest of her is doing ok weight wise.