EMS - Equine Metabolic Syndrome AND Grass Glands

[SpanishNeddy]

I would call the vet ,
It's all very us lot saying it might be this it might be that but if he's not been right for a few days and you can't see a clear reason I would have a vet vist.

Did you see his pictures? anything jump out at you at all and would you say he is mega obese or just fat?

He did perk up this morning from being kept in last night, so that is positive.

 

[Goldenstar]

He's clearly overwieght to me but do like my horses slim and He is very cresty but Spanish horses have bigger crests than look normal if you are not used to them and he was a stallion as an adult too .
If he where mine I would be dieting him and working him into the ground .
I got over 200 kilos off one of mine it took a long time and a lot of work .
I know he's at livery but a track round the outside of a field would be ideal for him so he walks round all night looking for stuff to forage.
I worked twice a day I know you don't ride him but could you long rien him daily and lunge him perhaps lead him from another horse and get him ridden as many days as possible.
It was exercise and a track grazing system and discovering plain chopped straw that finally cracked it with mine.
But I really would get the vet to look at him.

 

[Clodagh]

I wouldn't say he was obese, but know very little about Spanish neds. He is taking his weight on his hinds, IMO.
You may not wish to get the vet because of the expense but it will cost a lot more to put right if it all goes very wrong. Also it is very painful. Laminitis or lami like symptoms are as serious as colic, IMO.

 

[SpanishNeddy]

He's clearly overwieght to me but do like my horses slim and He is very cresty but Spanish horses have bigger crests than look normal if you are not used to them and he was a stallion as an adult too .
If he where mine I would be dieting him and working him into the ground .
I got over 200 kilos off one of mine it took a long time and a lot of work .
I know he's at livery but a track round the outside of a field would be ideal for him so he walks round all night looking for stuff to forage.
I worked twice a day I know you don't ride him but could you long rien him daily and lunge him perhaps lead him from another horse and get him ridden as many days as possible.
It was exercise and a track grazing system and discovering plain chopped straw that finally cracked it with mine.
But I really would get the vet to look at him.

Yes he was castrated as 5.5 year old so always had big neck.

He is already on a diet at the moment and is being worked by me. He is being ridden once a week and I am lunging / walking him on hack or long reining him 3 times a week so 4 in total. We have tracks around our fields already that is where I have hacked him sometimes. I can not do anymore, as have another horse and full time job and I am DIY! I can not lead him from my other one as he is a stallion. He is very fit although he is lethargic if that makes sense!

 

[SpanishNeddy]

I wouldn't say he was obese, but know very little about Spanish neds. He is taking his weight on his hinds, IMO.
You may not wish to get the vet because of the expense but it will cost a lot more to put right if it all goes very wrong. Also it is very painful. Laminitis or lami like symptoms are as serious as colic, IMO.

He was more over weight than this, but I have got some weight off him already. Vet actually saw him Monday to do his booster jabs and we did chat about his diet. He didn't seem concerned about him at that point, just said about his diet and how strict I need to be (which I am).

I am giving him 9lbs hay during the day and 10lbs at night. Other than this he just gets two handfulls of HiFi per day to enable me to get his supplements in him (magnitude, vits/mins and garlic).
This is a hell of a lot less than he is used to!!! he used to get adlib hay and would never put weight on.

 

[sitting_pretty]

Hi SpanishNeddy and everyone else,

I have literally just posted something in the Veterinary forum about my horse with EMS who has very swollen glands possibly grass glands: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=11799669#post11799669

I'm interested to see that you're in West Sussex as well as me, as I had been wondering whether this is linked to the weather/outdoor conditions at the moment as in the 10 years I have owned the horse this has never happened before.

Anyway, take a look at my post via the link and let me know what you all think!

 

[SpanishNeddy]

Hi SpanishNeddy and everyone else,

I have literally just posted something in the Veterinary forum about my horse with EMS who has very swollen glands possibly grass glands: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=11799669#post11799669

I'm interested to see that you're in West Sussex as well as me, as I had been wondering whether this is linked to the weather/outdoor conditions at the moment as in the 10 years I have owned the horse this has never happened before.

Anyway, take a look at my post via the link and let me know what you all think!

That is interesting about west sussex thing. I think it is and so do others I know. The weather has been so bad that our yard closed their fields throughout winter (they have never done that before but the fields were ruined!). My boy got mud feaver when he was going out and he has never got that before. But has always had grass glands though!

I will look at your thread now

 

[CBFan]

I Personally would continue to keep him in for a few days. You say he is much improved this morning. You know your horse. I wouldn't over-rug him... a light / medium weight should be ample for a stabled horse at this time of year (I know the temperature drops overnight but if you look at the weather forcast it doesn't actually drop that cold until about two hours before dawn and then it picks up again) he could do with having to work a bit harder to stay warm anyway and burning some of his fat reserves

He is standing very camped under behind. This could be due to low grade lami or it could be something as simple as Thrush. I would be covering all bases. Keep him in on a Deep, Clean, dry shavings bed, feed him 12 hour soaked hay at 1.5% of his bodyweight in dry weight per day, scrub his feet daily with dilute Milton Solution 1/3 milton to 2/3 water.

Maybe give your vet a call to have a chat with him about it, but again, you know your horse...

There is nothing screaming out at me from the pics with regards to his feet but he IS overweight. Do you have a weight-tape? How heavy is he? If you are finding it hard with two horses, have you considered a sharer?

 

[sitting_pretty]

Thank you, will look forward to hearing whether there are any similarities!

 

[SpanishNeddy]

I Personally would continue to keep him in for a few days. You say he is much improved this morning. You know your horse. I wouldn't over-rug him... a light / medium weight should be ample for a stabled horse at this time of year (I know the temperature drops overnight but if you look at the weather forcast it doesn't actually drop that cold until about two hours before dawn and then it picks up again) he could do with having to work a bit harder to stay warm anyway and burning some of his fat reserves

He is standing very camped under behind. This could be due to low grade lami or it could be something as simple as Thrush. I would be covering all bases. Keep him in on a Deep, Clean, dry shavings bed, feed him 12 hour soaked hay at 1.5% of his bodyweight in dry weight per day, scrub his feet daily with dilute Milton Solution 1/3 milton to 2/3 water.

Maybe give your vet a call to have a chat with him about it, but again, you know your horse...

There is nothing screaming out at me from the pics with regards to his feet but he IS overweight. Do you have a weight-tape? How heavy is he? If you are finding it hard with two horses, have you considered a sharer?

Yes I will defo keep him in few more days. Just not happy about him going out when he is like this. He loves his stable anyway so he is happier being in.

I put in more shavings last night to make him more comfy - so now it is huge

Yes I do have a weigh tape - I will check his weight later. He is usually about 520kg when fit. I would imagine he is about 550/560 at the moment though

I am already trying to find a sharer for him - have done many adverts! so if you know of anyone

 

[SpanishNeddy]

Thank you, will look forward to hearing whether there are any similarities!

Just posted on your thread - I would say yes there are indeed!

 

[Goldenstar]

A nice sharer is exactly want you need.

 

[SpanishNeddy]

A nice sharer is exactly want you need.

Tell me about it......I am really struggling as he is a difficult ride so finding someone suitable is challenging to say the least!