Fat Horse - Been told it's too THIN!?!? **Pics**

I'm afraid she doesn't look great to me either. She looks like she needs worming and I would be getting her on a good allround supplement or feed balancer. I would also get her back/teeth etc all checked out as she just looks a bit "low" in general. A spring MOT is whats needed;)
 
Thanks for your comments everyone. It makes me sad to think that others think she so poor, but that is what I asked for. :( I just hate to think that people are thinking she is in such a state and that it's my fault. :(
She really is stood like a muppet which I don't think helps people's opinion, but yes I think she does need some help. Might pop up to the feed shop next and see what they have for her. And get some more balancer too.

Not sure Puppy means by the cushings idea:confused:. She certainly doesn't have a curly coat, any slight waves you see near the top of her legs are just sweaty bits, and her dipped back is a conformation fault, although I do think she's had her fair share of foals in the past.
 
Oi, now not too much :( please, we know you care for her :).


I think with known fatties we can get quite hung up on how they are weight wise as the main thing (and managing them to keep it down), even more so when they are not in proper work (Frank isn't either currently) that means that perhaps we then might be missing other indicators of good health/wellbeing

I am with puppy on that if she were mine I would consider a possible cushings test. I think that her back looks worse than in previous pictures you have posted and that in combination with the pot belly-look and hollows around her hips (in comparison to her butt! ;)) could indicate cushings in addition to the fact that her coat doesn't look great (to my knowledge they don't start to get curly until the latter stages of cushings).

It could equally be her confo/breeding history too but I think the above is worth consideration.
 
Don't feel bad, it's very easy not to notice changes in then when we see them everyday!I'm sure she'll pick up when the spring grass comes through.

Have to say I do agree with puppy and ester about the possibility of her having cushings, might be worth getting her tested just for peace of mind, I'm gussing it's something that the earlier it's diagnosed the better :)
 
Our horse had cushings and it was only the fact that he got lami that alerted us to there being a problem, appart from that he looked great, its not always obvious.
 
ester said:
Oi, now not too much :( please, we know you care for her :).


I think with known fatties we can get quite hung up on how they are weight wise as the main thing (and managing them to keep it down), even more so when they are not in proper work (Frank isn't either currently) that means that perhaps we then might be missing other indicators of good health/wellbeing

I am with puppy on that if she were mine I would consider a possible cushings test. I think that her back looks worse than in previous pictures you have posted and that in combination with the pot belly-look and hollows around her hips (in comparison to her butt! ;)) could indicate cushings in addition to the fact that her coat doesn't look great (to my knowledge they don't start to get curly until the latter stages of cushings).

It could equally be her confo/breeding history too but I think the above is worth consideration.
Click to expand...

THIS^^

My mare has been diagnosed with Cushings. She was 17 at the time of diagnosis, and her coat was beautiful, not in the slightest bit curly and with a rich sheen. Everyone had been saying how well she looked! And then suddenly she went lame and it was found to be laminitis. This was her ONLY symptom of cushings.
 
OK, so I took all your comments on board and I've been and got my mare some supplements and some balancer. Some Top Spec Lite, a NAF all round vit & min supp and a Global Herbs topline/muscle developer. Have also moved her to a field with little more grass. Will give these a few weeks to work their magic but will bear the cushings comments in mind.

Some pics from today (in the field she has moved out of) to prove she doesn't always look as sorry for herself as she did yesterday (the dentist had just left so that won't have helped :rolleyes:)

047-1.jpg


044-2.jpg


040-3.jpg


039-1.jpg
 
Now these pics she looks a different horse and she looks quite happy to me!! Good doers are blooming hard to judge. Mine blows up like an elephant and can equally deflate in a few days! He is wormed etc etc Is hairy hound and feathered too, very hard to see whats going on under polar bear coat, although I just know him so well after many years. In these she looks fine. But the earlier post it was too much rib being seen(it didnt go with the rest of her).

Her back is very dipped cant remember how old she is? was she ridden/ driven at all???young age etc???, but she is probably in full moult too and your grass looks fine for a good doer, it is growing.

Compared to the first pics your horse looks ok to me? Personally I would make sure she has her minerals etc in the form of a plain unmolassed block etc and if she is being worked some perhaps a very small feed ie half trug of low heat feed etc. Thats all.

Only if she was ill or you were really concerned ie curly coat/laminitis etc would I get a vet out to start testing etc. Try the other route first, worm ,work & feed etc and see if difference.
 
kibob said:
I'm afraid she doesn't look great to me either. She looks like she needs worming and I would be getting her on a good allround supplement or feed balancer. I would also get her back/teeth etc all checked out as she just looks a bit "low" in general. A spring MOT is whats needed;)
Click to expand...

pressess like button.

some vits and minerals look in order, she does look like a teddy bear left at the back of the cupboard with the stuffing coming out.
 
chickeninabun said:
OK, so I took all your comments on board and I've been and got my mare some supplements and some balancer. Some Top Spec Lite, a NAF all round vit & min supp and a Global Herbs topline/muscle developer. Have also moved her to a field with little more grass. Will give these a few weeks to work their magic but will bear the cushings comments in mind.

Some pics from today (in the field she has moved out of) to prove she doesn't always look as sorry for herself as she did yesterday (the dentist had just left so that won't have helped :rolleyes:)

047-1.jpg


044-2.jpg


040-3.jpg


039-1.jpg
Click to expand...

She does look better in these pictures.

You don't really need the vit/min supplement if you are feeding her a balancer! Ditto the Global Herbs thingy, you won't do too much harm (just check the selenium levels) but you would have been fine with the balancer and good quality fibre tbh.
 
Puppy said:
A dropped back like that, along with the wavy coat, are classic symptoms of cushings. I'd be having her tested, if I were you. She certainly doesn't look in great condition.
Click to expand...

That was my first thought on seeing the pictures. It would also account for the muscle loss and poor topline and, as someone else mentioned, the appearance of discomfort in her stance.

She is a typical age for Cushings and if you catch it early she can be treated and have many happy years to look forward to.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top