Broodmares & Athritus?

[Montyforever]

My mare is 13 and we think shes got athritus. As far as we know shes never done much riding wise, was driven for a bit and has had 4 + foals.

So a question, if a horse is overweight it can lead to athritus. Would having lots of foals have the same effect?

Have a cuppa if you understood that & sorry if im being thick!

 

[EPRider]

When near full term the mare will be carrying the weight of a rider 24/7 with the foal and membranes ect. She will also be having to lift the weight off the floor every time she gets down to either sleep or roll, so yes carrying foals does put stress on the body and joints.

However does the mare have a conformation that predisposes it to arthritis? and if so is it something that you should be breeding anyway? It does not sound like the mare has proven herself performance wise even doing happy hacking jobs, let alone something that would test her soundness to the full.

 

[Alexart]

Would agree with EPrider - why has she got arthritis at such a young age after doing nothing?
But yes being overweight and also carrying foals can hasten the onset of arthritis simply because the joints are under a lot of stress with the extra weight to carry around. I would expect to see arthritis in such a young horse either because it has been ridden too young, ridden too much and too much jumping, was morbidly obese as a growing youngster or has really poor conformation. Personally I wouldn't be breeding from her as the extra weight will cause even more damage and pain and greatly shorten her life.

 

[Montyforever]

Oops wasnt very clear, shes never had a foal with me, and probably never will!

She was used as a broodmare because her conformation is good, and shes got a fab temprement! No, shes never proven herself and shes just a pet with me and thats all shes ever going to be with me regardless of her "potential"
We think but cant be sure that she was driven in her younger days and was hammered up and down roads alot which would have contributed. Shes 13 now and to be ridden, driven and had 4 + foals i wouldnt say shes done nothing! lol.

And its quite possible she was broken too early, but she hasnt got any majorly bad effects from it! Just creaky back legs