CorriegarthJ
Well-Known Member
I've got a cob gelding who I've had for 5 years. He is now fully retired due to collateral ligament damage (he is field sound) so exercise is not an option here.
Hes carefully managed anyway because hes naturally a good doer and because when he had MRI scans that diagnosed his soft tissue damage in 2016, he had very small signs of inflamed laminae, so the vets said its possible he has had lami in the past even if unnoticed but nothing to concern myself unnecessarily about.
Since hes been fully retired the past couple of years he has naturally put weight on, however after looking up EMS i think he may have it. He can be footy on uneven surfaces, hes really quite fat ( and the extra weight wont help his ligament damage) despite his management and he has a huge huge cresty neck, which has never really disappeared over the last year despite soaked hay etc and he has fat pads on shoulders. I clipped him at the beginning of the year (irish clip) in the hope it would help him lose some more weight before spring hit, but it didnt help at all.
I am going to ring the vets for advice anyway and see if they will do blood tests to check and know for sure (current situation dependent).
has anyone got any experience or advise of horses with EMS, is there anything more i can do to help weight loss in the mean time? or is it a case of bloods, medication, then management? he is a typical cob, always hungry, would eat anything in site. Also, not that this is going to make any difference but how much would the relevant blood tests etc cost? i just want to know for sure so i can manage him as best as possible.
Thanks.
Hes carefully managed anyway because hes naturally a good doer and because when he had MRI scans that diagnosed his soft tissue damage in 2016, he had very small signs of inflamed laminae, so the vets said its possible he has had lami in the past even if unnoticed but nothing to concern myself unnecessarily about.
Since hes been fully retired the past couple of years he has naturally put weight on, however after looking up EMS i think he may have it. He can be footy on uneven surfaces, hes really quite fat ( and the extra weight wont help his ligament damage) despite his management and he has a huge huge cresty neck, which has never really disappeared over the last year despite soaked hay etc and he has fat pads on shoulders. I clipped him at the beginning of the year (irish clip) in the hope it would help him lose some more weight before spring hit, but it didnt help at all.
I am going to ring the vets for advice anyway and see if they will do blood tests to check and know for sure (current situation dependent).
has anyone got any experience or advise of horses with EMS, is there anything more i can do to help weight loss in the mean time? or is it a case of bloods, medication, then management? he is a typical cob, always hungry, would eat anything in site. Also, not that this is going to make any difference but how much would the relevant blood tests etc cost? i just want to know for sure so i can manage him as best as possible.
Thanks.