Delicia - not quite right in herself - advice please

My horse was a bit off yesterday, quite lethargic and although he did eat, not as enthusiastic as he normally does. He was checked by YO later on and was fine, today he seems himself again.
He did go off his bucket feed years ago and picked at his hay, vet at the time thought I was a nutter but you know your horse and I knew something wasnt right. He also had a nasal discharge and it turned out he had a fractured tooth.
Ive heard of very fit horses going off their feed and she has had some excitement this last week but it is odd how she gobbled the feed from the scoop. Also mares can be funny creatures, one on our yard often colics mildly when shes coming into season, she is very hormonal though.

Hope shes ok when you check her later.
 
Sorry to hear your mare is off her food and not quite right. She's your horse, you know her and if you think there's something wrong there probably is. If she was kicking her stmach it could be stomach ache which can sometime lead to colic (thankfully it didn't in your girl's case), the other possiblility could be gastric ulcers.

Hopefully, she was just feeling a bit off for a couple of days but, if your gut instinct tells you she's not quite right and she's still off her food then go with your instinct a and call your vet.

Hopes she's back to normal soon. :)
 
Keep an eye on her, it may well be nothing but you know when your horse isn't right, don't you?

I called the vet out to mine many years ago, all I had to go on was
1. He was waiting at the gate when I went out to the field
2. He called when he saw me (doesn't do this unless it's feed time)
3. Wouldn't eat the carrot I had brought for him (unheard of: dustbin horse)
4. Just didn't seem 'right' (tpr all normal)

He had eaten a thistle and it had cut the back of his throat badly. He needed IV antibiotics/anti-inflammatories and very nearly ended up going to Glasgow vet school to be scoped. If I had ignored it/not noticed it I would have left a horse in a lot of pain.
 
Sometimes horses drive you nuts don't they? About 8 weeks ago our Basil had 3 (thankfully mild) episodes of colic quite close together, it was a very worrying time and ever since then we watch for the slightest change and sometimes you can just end up in a vortex of worry but I do think it pays to be vigilant and know what is and isn't normal for your horse. Hope all is well for the beautiful Delicia!
 
@skint1 OMG how terrifying for you! glad he is ok
@rhino - poor neddy :(

Ive been speaking to katie (owner of colligone) and just purchased some in case it is due to inflated stress levels (a blood test would show this but hopeful wont come to that!)

I hope im just being unnecessarily ocd...poor pony
 
Black_Horse said:
@skint1 OMG how terrifying for you! glad he is ok
@rhino - poor neddy :(

Ive been speaking to katie (owner of colligone) and just purchased some in case it is due to inflated stress levels (a blood test would show this but hopeful wont come to that!)

I hope im just being unnecessarily ocd...poor pony
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Rach, how is D today?? Hen had this last Thursday and it took till the weekend to get back to near normal, temps and heart rate fine!! They did take bloods tho so will see what if anything they turn up. x
 
How is she today,

If it helps I am going through the same with my girl, she isn't right - but she isn't sick either and I can't quite put my finger on it either. My girl is also being picky with her bucket feed and the grass, but is eating her haylage
 
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PF isn't a greedy horse at all, but it worries me sick whens she doesn't want to eat as she's prone to occasional episodes of low grade colic and loss of appetite is the first sign. I'm sure you're monitoring closely and will notice any change for the worse, but from her history I think I'd be phoning the vet for a chat and calling him/her out if no improvement today. Hope she starts eating soon!
 
Have there been any changes in temperature? Alot of rain? Frost etc?

I say this because a friend of mine had a gelding who was very sensative to the point that if the grass was "cold" he would get an upset tummy!

Another friend of mine had a horse who appeared happy in himself but off his food a little bit and wasn't barging out of the stable (he was a serial barger!). Turns out he had a virus and was off work for 6 months, even though the vet said he was fine she demanded bloods and the vet was proven very wrong :eek:

I would leave it a day or two. Perhaps a bit of light schooling will get her appetite back?
If still no improvement I would be tempted to have bloods done.

You know your mare, you know something isn't right. :)
 
Magicmillbrook said:
I would normaly say see how it goes, but our mare seemed a little out of sorts yesterday and was put down at 5am this morning. If in doubt, get the vet out.
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What a shock for you. I'm so sorry.


As for Delicia, no doubt R will update when she's had a chance to phone her YO and find out. Here's hoping she's fine.
 
grumpyoldmare said:
I have to assume you are (in the nicest possible way of course) rather new to horse ownership?:rolleyes:

One of the commonest and very earliest warning signs of the onset of several worrying conditions in horses is a clued up owner's gut instinct that all is not as it should be. Often sometime before any more obvious symptoms manifest themselves.

I suggest you get a bit more experience under your belt before you post such rude and unhelpful posts that paint yourself in such a bad and ignorant light.:(
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Well said GOM

B_H I'd get the vet out to check her over, take a blood sample, best to make sure.
 
jalapeno said:
in the nicest terms possible - get a grip. Its been one day, Im sure shes fine!! You have off days dont u ?
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QR
How dare you! If you have nothing nice or constructive to say just b*gger off! Delica is a beautiful and well loved mare on the forum and even if you are not concerned for her the rest of us are. So take your opinions somewhere else.


Glad to hear she is better, it is always a worry when they go off colour. You imagine all sorts of things. We had it with Captain on Saturday, he was just feeling a bit tetchy. So please she is ok, she is one of my favs on here, such a beautiful mare!
FDC
 
jalapeno - when a horse that generally eats with gusto, suddenly goes off food it could be a sign that something is potentially seriously wrong.

Luckily, in this case it wasn't - its a sign of very good husbandry when you recognise signs of possible illness is it not?
K x
 
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