Can you guys help......not sure what next?

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YummyHorses

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I have a wonderful 16.2hh Dutch Warmblood, fab looks, enormous talent and a heart of gold - the sort you would never get rid of.

But I am lost as to why he is how he is? (Just to clear up - all the necessary done regularly -teeth, back, saddle, physio, feet etc. He has a varied life - hacks, schools, jumps, at grass, lunged etc etc. Very well looked after in a great, professionally run livery yard with plenty of interaction with other horses).

So he looks fine, seems happy - but his coat is dull, lacking energy, performance has dropped, top line has become poor and has little to no stamina. On some days he has a little spark but it soon runs out and he becomes very hard work. He has never been blessed with a great deal of gas so has spent a lot of his time on propell plus but that isnt making any difference now. He is on a complete food (chestnut horse feeds) and on the maximum amount of the stud and performance mix. Various oils etc on top.

I have consulted the vet - she could see the issue. Agreed on his condition and general muscle and top line and could see the issue with stamina. Put him on vi-sorbin and equitop myoplast and agreed to come back at the end of November to check again. This was about 6 weeks ago and to be honest I have seen a slight improvement but not a lot. She did bloods and they are all fine.

What next? What am I missing? What could it be?

Its so frustrating coz only 6 months ago he was jumping out of his shoes! And please I dont over-do it - I mean overjump my horses so it wasnt burn out or boredom etc.

Ideas, suggestions please.......
 
Sorry for being thick but would ulcers show up on bloods?

He is stabled and goes out to grass every other day for 4/5 hours. He isnt macho - loves his stable!
 
Sorry whats liver fluke - will look it up but thought I would ask. What are the symptons and how do you test? Bloods I presume? Where is it? Geographically or just everywhere?

Really appreciate your help everyone.
 
How old is he, we've noticed alot of early arthirtis with even young horses this year (youngest being an 8 year old tb) with the exceptionally long hard summer ground. Just a thought if his joints were a bit stiff it could result in him not engaging fully and therefore looking to be lacking in energy???
 
YummyHorses said:
Sorry whats liver fluke - will look it up but thought I would ask. What are the symptons and how do you test? Bloods I presume? Where is it? Geographically or just everywhere?

Really appreciate your help everyone.
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http://www.petergray.org.uk/news6.htm

its fairly hard to test for so its easier just to treat just in case. we've just done ours due to a suspect mare with problems but turned out to be something else. Was pretty cheap to treat tho!!!
 
I use a McTimoney practitioner who I really can't rate enough. Always good to have a second opinion on teeth too. I'm presuming that your horse was on the same feed when he was really well? It seems strange that your vet hasn't suggested anything else when your horse has had a pretty quick decline from being really well 6 months ago? Do you feel confident in your vet? I really feel for you as it is not easy to ask for someone else from the practice to come out and give an assessment but it is your money and your horse! Wishing you the very best of luck x
 
Thanks everyone - will check out this liver fluke?

What did the bowen technique achieve for you?

Am confident with my vet - really on the ball and I have seen a few to be able to compare. Cant really rush it - need to give him some time to rebuild condition I guess before we make any major steps.

Yep its not nice - I was wishing something would came back on the bloods coz I could then treat it - its when you dont know its awful. I sooooo wish they could talk or write it down!!
 
He is active in his stable, digs a lot, not sure for what maybe inspiration! (but has always done so), loves his haylage, food, kicks the door when you go past, that sort of thing. He does sleep a bit but no more than the others.

Thanks everyone.....its tough.
 
With regards to the liver fluke, it is possible but I dont think it is likely to see those symptoms at this time of year. Where abouts are you OP? It is also much more prevelant in the west (wet!) than east.

Fluke is tricky to test for but a serious parasite infestation should have shown up on bloods.

Dont discount it but... :)

Others may know better but I dont think ulcers would show up on bloods unless there is quite a lot of damage to the stomach wall, so maybe worth asking your vets opinion on that. The behaviour also sounds a bit like a horse I knew with suspected ulcers - he liked to dig! :D
 
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Have noticed that his back legs have filled a bit recently - but wondered whether that was coz the amount of food he was having. He is flashing his tail around a lot (but then has always done this) and fighting on the bit but I think thats coz I am having to get on at him a bit to get a decent level of performance from him.

Crikey I dont know - start to notice everything dont you.....
 
EPSM or similar? When they take bloods they don't test for everything (would cost ridiculous amounts of money to do that), they test for what they think is likely (like signs of a virus etc), so all will not have been done.

I would take feed back to basics (hay, grass) and give a rest from work for a little, then see how he is. If improved, keep working and slowly introduce feeds in case it's something there he's become sensitive to.

Check field for any funny plants he could be eating too.
 
I am hampshire based and whilst a bit wet not massively wet! Will check it out though.

Is there some sort of connection with the digging? Provide some form of relief or something????!!!!! He has been digging for a little while, never finds anything!

He is a dutch warmblood. Crikey just read up on EPSM and he does show many of the symptons - but its normally found in the heavier breeds and he is not a heavy sort!
 
If you put him on the lunge, (just on a headcollar or lunge cavesson, no tack) did he used to naturally track up behind? Does he now? My mare started this year to object to a contact, she was extremely hard to get to engage, all of this was very unlike her, it turned out she had some boney changes in her hocks, joint injections vastly improved this.
 
YummyHorses said:
I am hampshire based and whilst a bit wet not massively wet! Will check it out though.

Is there some sort of connection with the digging? Provide some form of relief or something????!!!!! He has been digging for a little while, never finds anything!

He is a dutch warmblood. Crikey just read up on EPSM and he does show many of the symptons - but its normally found in the heavier breeds and he is not a heavy sort!
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Sorry, I didnt mean to elicit so many exclamation points! :o I dont think the digging is a specific connection to ulcers, just an observation of mine.
 
To be honest he wouldnt track up now, no. And before probably yes. I havent lunged him that often in just a headcollar etc. So not a great judge I guess.

Could that affect his general condition though? I guess yes if in pain and uncomfortable. and bring about a reduction in top line.

I guess it could be so many things......
 
Nope sorry I was pleased to hear of another horse that digs....I have always found it very odd. He has never managed to get through the rubber! Well not yet anyway.
 
We had a horse some years ago who lacked energy and oomph - had no stamina and was generally quiet, having been a performer and a half previously.

It turned out that he had problems with his heart not beating correctly, so he wasn't getting enough oxygen to his brain and body to perform properly, as a result of a virus he'd had after a period of field rest

I'm not a vet so would hesitate to suggest any solution to your problem...... hopefully you find an answer soon :)
 
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