Cushings - coat management

[Marnie]

Hello all,

This has probably been done lots of times but I just wanted to see what people tend to do. My old Welsh section A pony (estimated 20+) has just tested positive for Cushings following an ACTH test (her value is 206, over 90 considered to be Cushings according to my vet). Luckily her only symptoms at the moment are a very thick, dense coat and a few fat pads. She is getting quite warm at the moment and is sweating slightly just out in the field. She is a companion only and spends most of the year out, only coming in for the night in really bad weather. She is starting on pergolide tomorrow and will be retested in 6-8 weeks.

My question is - if people have ponies in similar circumstances, do you clip and then rug according to weather? I can't believe she is very comfortable at the moment especially as the weather is so changeable and her coat is really so long and thick. She didn't have a rug on last year but I have everything from no fill up to heavy weight rugs for her.

Any thoughts and experiences on what has worked well would be welcomed - thank you!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I clip my Arab all year round or he gets too hot but his still ridden so I do a hunter clip.

In your situation I would do a bib clip so you don't have to rug, the prascend will help with the coat it just takes a while I know Louis was much better this summer compared to last year when he had just started going on the medication.

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

I try to avoid clipping because I'm terrible at it and I try to avoid rugging where I can.

I've got one of these thinning rakes, that I think is meant for manes but the coarse blade works really well on his coat. I use it probably a couple of times a month and it it thins and shortens his coat really well.

 

[splashgirl45]

I kept my cushings horse clipped all year but just did an Irish clip and varied how much I took off, I always left half of the neck and all of the back even when I took more off. I did rug

 

[Ruftys mum]

I kept my cushings horse clipped all year but just did an Irish clip and varied how much I took off, I always left half of the neck and all of the back even when I took more off. I did rug

My oldie (30) with Cushings has a full clip in the winter and is rugged accordingly. This suits him very well as Cushings horses have poor temperatures control

 

[splashgirl45]

They are all different, mine would have been too cold if I clipped her right out as I only did quiet hacking mainly walk and trot in her later years and there would be no point clipping her back out and putting an exercise rug on

 

[meleeka]

I do a low Irish clip on my shetland, then I don’t need to rug him, but he doesn’t get too hot either.

 

[Nudibranch]

I used a smart rake for a while, they are good. But then gave in and clipped my old girl. She really appreciated it tbh. Her skin really improved from the clip as well. Once that very thick cushings coat comes they're best off without it if possible imo.

Once you get the pergolide dose right, there's nothing better than taking their rug off on a dry winter's day, watching them having a good canter about and then a nice roll!

 

[Pedantic]

I must be pretty lucky with my lad, 30 with Cushing's, he has just had his annual blood tests, vet phoned this morning to say put him back on one tablet a day, he has been on half all summer, he doesn't get the curly coat, well not up to now, so he doesn't get rugged, since I retired him I didn't clip him, so no rugging all last winter, he seemed healthier for it.

 

[Marnie]

Thanks all, really helpful to see what others do. I think I'll take a bib off to start and see how we get on.

 

[AdorableAlice]

I find caring for my old cushings horse far more difficult in the summer than in the winter. He really struggles to stay cool. I clip him all year round hunter clip and use shires rugs with the liner systems in the colder weather.

I find if I leave his back on he gets skin problems.