Orangina
Well-Known Member
Aw these ponies love to get themselves in a pickle don't they!! Could your other horse live out with a rug so she can have the stable? Even just for a couple of weeks?
depressed pony
- Thread starter lifewithflash
- Start date
lifewithflash
Well-Known Member
He's in mostly 24/7 (we have a walkway where horses can go while mucking out and I keep him in there every time I'm up for as long as possible), which is really annoying and I hate but the geldings field is even worse than the mares with mud. But I'm really hoping he can go out next week and if not I'm going to use some else's stable until I can use mine for her. Good weather just needs to hurry up
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meleeka
Well-Known Member
What are you feeding her? A bucket of chaff/Fibrebeet as a partial hay replacer will make a difference to her weight and doesn’t cost a lot. Even if they can eat hay, they don’t seem to be able to get the goodness from it as they age.
I’d see about upping her bute, add some more fibre feed, get her tested for cushings again and see what the drier weather brings. If none of that perks her up, then it’s probably time.
I’d see about upping her bute, add some more fibre feed, get her tested for cushings again and see what the drier weather brings. If none of that perks her up, then it’s probably time.
KatieDM
Well-Known Member
Did you say she’s on loan? Not sure if I read that right, apologies if not. But if so — what’s the owner saying? Are they aware of her poor condition?
Fransurrey
Well-Known Member
I sympathise with the rug situation. My mare has this talent, too. She was nearly pts in the Autumn as she was lame for so long after her last effort. When I rug her I have to wrap the straps so they're as tight as she can bear them, but like you I leave her unrugged as much as I can, because of the risk. We really need a new rug design to combat these contortionists!
Hope it goes ok for the vet visit. The grinding of joints would worry me, sadly, as would her lack of muscle. I would be making plans, as bute won't reverse any ossification (bone formation) of joints. That sounds pretty painful and would definitely explain why she's depressed, especially is she has to fight through mud. For now I would use a hay replacer ad lib as suggested (such as Readigrass), but really I'd just focus on keeping her comfortable until you have plans in place to let her go. Your call, though, of course. x
Hope it goes ok for the vet visit. The grinding of joints would worry me, sadly, as would her lack of muscle. I would be making plans, as bute won't reverse any ossification (bone formation) of joints. That sounds pretty painful and would definitely explain why she's depressed, especially is she has to fight through mud. For now I would use a hay replacer ad lib as suggested (such as Readigrass), but really I'd just focus on keeping her comfortable until you have plans in place to let her go. Your call, though, of course. x
lifewithflash
Well-Known Member
No she's mine and not on loan.
lifewithflash
Well-Known Member
I'm going to see what the vet thinks about her and what they suggest for her. Would grass pellets be any good for her? I was only meant to keep her on Bute for a couple of days (said by vet) but I'm scared to stop giving her it incase she starts been in pain. Definitely testing her for cushings but if it's not that then idk where to go from there. Im still only feeding her senior mix atm until my mam gets paid.
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lifewithflash
Well-Known Member
Im worried if the straps are to tight and she gets suck in them she'll hurt herself even worse and ill never forgive myself if that happens, she's doesn't seem to cold tho, her coat is dry underneath and quite warm. She was doing so well and I feel like everything is just going down hill for her drastically. putting her to sleep is definitely in my mind but I want to give her a last change to get better before hand as she use to be really skinny before but pulled through and got better. The mud isn't helping her, bless her. At the end of the day if she's not happy it's not fair to keep her alive. x
meleeka
Well-Known Member
Yes, grass nuts are good too, just make sure they are well soaked into a mash.
KittenInTheTree
Well-Known Member
I would want her stabled if it were me. Either way, I would be feeding her with the risk of refeeding syndrome in mind. I'd go with soaked alfalfa pellets and a plain alfalfa chaff for the first ten days, and then add in soaked grass nuts and soaked sugar beet, as well as a decent general purpose balancer and micronised linseed. I would eventually add in rolled oats too, but initially I'd stick with fibre based protein. I'd expect that for weight gain her daily amounts of bucket feed BEFORE adding any water for soaking purposes would need to equal around 3% of her normal healthy body weight. Ad lib hay or haylage too.
I would also ask the vet for an appropriate wormer, in case parasites are to blame.
I would also ask the vet for an appropriate wormer, in case parasites are to blame.
Fransurrey
Well-Known Member
I hear you on this. We can't win. The other option if you can get someone to do it is velcro where the strap attaches to the rug. Come to think of it, there's no reason not to do this instead of surcingles!! Hmmmm. I might have a go with an old rug!!
meleeka
Well-Known Member
I had an old pony that got his leg stuck. I cut the belly straps off all his rugs that day and just used an elastic circingle and a fillet string instead of leg straps.
Indieanna6
Well-Known Member
how is your pony doing @lifewithflash? I'm hoping that tomorrow your vet just says she needs good feed and to be kept warm and there is nothing that isn't easily fixed going on behind the scenes with her 
lifewithflash
Well-Known Member
she's still loving eating food which is good at least but other than that I'm not too sure. I see her everyday so I kinda hard to see difference in the way she acts and stuff.how is your pony doing @lifewithflash? I'm hoping that tomorrow your vet just says she needs good feed and to be kept warm and there is nothing that isn't easily fixed going on behind the scenes with her
maya2008
Well-Known Member
How did the vet go?
slimjim86
Well-Known Member
Any updates? Mine dropped far too much weight this winter, I messaged a friend 3rd week of Feb saying how poor she was looking, just checked message thread and by 22nd march she was in a reasonable winter condition and is now borderline fat. She lives out 24/7, gets haylage (swapped from hay) twice a day and a feed of Allen and page care and gain, 16 plus, senior balancer and linseed oil (had to stop that now lol). Hope the vet visit went well x
KittenInTheTree
Well-Known Member
I've asked admin to edit this, but in the meantime I'll flag it myself. Where it says "...around 3% of her normal healthy body weight...", it SHOULD say "...around 2% of her normal healthy body weight..." with regards to the bucket feed (beet, grass nuts, chaff, etc.). Apologies for the typo.
lifewithflash
Well-Known Member
good... I think? we didn't get her bloods tested cos we didn't know how much it was but vet didn't seems too bothered about it. She said she can recommend feeds and supplements for her and I cant really remember what else she said because my mam was talking to her x
lifewithflash
Well-Known Member
Ive kept her in tonight and gave her loads of hay to see how see goes for a bit. She seems fairly happy being in and out of the wind and wet and mud tho.
AmyMay
Situation normal
I think that that’s going to be the key to getting her back in shape. Out in the day and in at night with plentiful hay.
SkylarkAscending
Well-Known Member
I’d probably say bloods are a good idea - but I’m a paranoid owner! I’d have been taking notes myself, but I reckon that’s a generational thing - I’m genuinely not judging or criticising you
SO1
Well-Known Member
If you can only go once a day which doesn't seem enough if your other horse is in 24/7 then may be one of the other liveries can help in terms of giving a second feed.
Are the fields poo picked and has she been wormed with a wormer that treats encysted red worm and tape worm recently. Older horses can be more susceptible to worms. It is very easy for horses to get reinfested with tapeworm if the fields are not poo picked and they are eating grass where the horses have pooed. I had a pony that lost a lot of weight one winter and he had loads of expensive tests and being hospitalised and scans etc and it turned out he had tapeworm despite being on a worming program. Once the tapeworm was treated he quickly put on weight again with hay, fast fibre and vegetable oil.
I would get her tested for Cushings you can get a voucher so the lab fees will be taken care of for free Care about Cushings is the website. What you don't want to do is feed something starchy and sugary to a horse with Cushings due to the laminitis risk so you want to rule that out before starting any of the traditional weight gain feeds which are normally high starch and sugar.
She looks like a good doer type and if her teeth are fine and she doesn't have worms and she doesn't have untreated Cushings then hopefully more food and some respite from the rain and she will put weight back on.
Are the fields poo picked and has she been wormed with a wormer that treats encysted red worm and tape worm recently. Older horses can be more susceptible to worms. It is very easy for horses to get reinfested with tapeworm if the fields are not poo picked and they are eating grass where the horses have pooed. I had a pony that lost a lot of weight one winter and he had loads of expensive tests and being hospitalised and scans etc and it turned out he had tapeworm despite being on a worming program. Once the tapeworm was treated he quickly put on weight again with hay, fast fibre and vegetable oil.
I would get her tested for Cushings you can get a voucher so the lab fees will be taken care of for free Care about Cushings is the website. What you don't want to do is feed something starchy and sugary to a horse with Cushings due to the laminitis risk so you want to rule that out before starting any of the traditional weight gain feeds which are normally high starch and sugar.
She looks like a good doer type and if her teeth are fine and she doesn't have worms and she doesn't have untreated Cushings then hopefully more food and some respite from the rain and she will put weight back on.
lifewithflash
Well-Known Member
we going to worm her soon. shes not a good doer tho, back 4 years ago when she dropped weight we where feeding her 3 feeds a day and was not gaining weight at all despite being on a worming program and all sorts. I'm pretty sure she has laminitis but i’m not sure, farrier has said before shes had it but hasn’t had it the 6 years we had her
Fraggle bells rock
Well-Known Member
Did you get a cushings test done yesterday?
Icedance
Well-Known Member
Due to her weight loss, I would worm count her before worming, it’s very easy to order and do online (I use westgate) why do you think she has laminitis? Are there any pulses or heat? Did the vet pull bloods? Hopefully some answers this week if so
lifewithflash
Well-Known Member
I'm honestly not 100% sure about laminitis and I'm not sure how to explain it. I'm going to post a picture of what her leg looked like a day or 2 after the rug accident, it's not as bad now but still very similar. but will get her worm count, and no didn't get bloods tested but think we will be doing it soon as when the vet came we asked about how much it was and she didn't know and we've had both my ponies had there jabs with the emergency vet visit rn we couldn't afford it but my mams getting paid soon so ill see then. hope that makes sense x
lifewithflash
Well-Known Member
AmyMay
Situation normal
It’s really difficult to tell to be honest. It’s possible that she hurt her leg when she got tangled in the rug.
I feel very sorry for your whole situation. Money is obviously tight, and horses are an expensive hobby.
I’m not sure there’s much more advice anyone can give you really. Your horse needs nutritional support and probably medical support , and I wish you well in obtaining both.
Crazy_cat_lady
Well-Known Member
I'd certainly see if your funds will stretch to a Cushing's test - if you sign up to care about Cushing's they do a voucher
It may just be the angle but her face in one of your photos looks like the hollows are filled above her eyes which happened with mine, if you can't afford the prascend should she have cushings, you could try her on cush care - you soak it and add to her food, mine was on it towards the end, he was also not keeping weight on despite being on prascend. I think with the voucher you just need to pay lab fees, have a look at care about Cushing's as it's worth seeing what's covered and what isn't - you could also drop them an email/give them a ring, they're very helpful I once had to email them as my yearly voucher hadn't come through/I'd lost it
It's hard to tell in the photo as she's very hairy, but her underside tummy looks pale and I can remember an RS pony who had Cushing's and her belly went really pale on the longer hairs - is she keeping her coat longer or drinking a lot/ weeing lots?
I'm no expert and she's very hairy but the leg nearest the camera - the fetlock looks a bit swollen, can someone watch you trot her up?
It may just be the angle but her face in one of your photos looks like the hollows are filled above her eyes which happened with mine, if you can't afford the prascend should she have cushings, you could try her on cush care - you soak it and add to her food, mine was on it towards the end, he was also not keeping weight on despite being on prascend. I think with the voucher you just need to pay lab fees, have a look at care about Cushing's as it's worth seeing what's covered and what isn't - you could also drop them an email/give them a ring, they're very helpful I once had to email them as my yearly voucher hadn't come through/I'd lost it
It's hard to tell in the photo as she's very hairy, but her underside tummy looks pale and I can remember an RS pony who had Cushing's and her belly went really pale on the longer hairs - is she keeping her coat longer or drinking a lot/ weeing lots?
I'm no expert and she's very hairy but the leg nearest the camera - the fetlock looks a bit swollen, can someone watch you trot her up?
lifewithflash
Well-Known Member
thank you for advice you've given me. I don't have a job and my mam is pay for 2 horses and it gets expensive as is, add on an old underweight pony, its difficult.
I want to do what's best for her and help her as much as possible but I can only do so much with out money.
We going to get her feed she needs, try get her tested for Cushings and get her worm count and try rule out possible medical issues. Vets said they can recommend feed for her and supplements that can help her.