Good-doer lacks ooomph?

noblesteed

noblesteed

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 August 2009
Messages
1,872
Location
Up North
Visit site
Hi all,
I have a 15hh connie x andalusian gelding. He's just moved from restricted grazing 24/7 to normal short grass by day and last year's hay at night. Good doer and lami risk, but fat scoring no more than 3 going into winter so happy with current weight. He did go up to around a 3.5 in September so has lost weight since then. He gets a token feed of 1/4 scoop mollichaff calmer with rosehip and mag ox for his feet, with equibites for vits and mins. Workwise I hack him 2-3 times a week and his sharer schools him 2-3 times a week.
He is very lazy in the school, but also sharp and can spook. It gets frustrating for his sharer that he's so lazy, though part of this is to do with my horse's personality - he isn't so keen on work (like his owner then)
He has always been fairly forward going when hacking out alone, but I am disappointed by his recent laziness out hacking. When faced with perfect stubble fields he will reluctantly break into canter but there's just nothing else there, no speed at all and no chance of a gallop. This is in contrast from the past where he's always enjoyed a good blast in the fields.
Any ideas of what feed could help without making him sharper or fatter? Or could it be a 'mechanical' issue? He's 14.
 
He isn't exactly getting much feed, plus with coat changes I always find even my TB goes flat this time of year, perhaps some H+P cubes?
Just have to make sure that he is worked to work those extra calories off!
 
He sounds very much like my horse. My Trainer told me to feed him Competition Mix, a scoop twice daily with his chop and his Top Spec Balancer. Have to say he's a lot better now,not any spookier than before but does have a bit extra petrol in the tank..
 
I am wondering about fitness, however he usually fancies a good blast regardless of whether or not he's very fit. He's not terribly fit at the moment but he's not unfit, he copes with our steep hills when hacking.
I was thinking maybe of adding in some cubes to his diet now the grass isn't so good.
I've never tried him on any mix, he's always had a fibre based diet. So could be an interesting experiment... though I may end up on the floor!
I shall google the feed you suggest 4x4.
Thanks for those ideas guys!
 
Fitness and clipping would spring to mind - it's been unseasonably warm lately and mine had a few sluggish days when it was hot before he was clipped.
 
Lethargy can be an early sign of Cushing's and he's at the right age for it to be more common (though it can happen at any age).

Reluctance to work can also be attributed to muscle damage, which can occur because of inadequate selenium and/or vitamin E in the diet. Selenium is reckoned to be deficient in about 70% of the UK. So giving a good vit/min supplement or balancer is really important.

When I asked D&H about equibites, they said they would only recommend them in a situation where it's not possible to give a balancer daily, but that the vit/min profile of them is not as good as in a balancer.

Personally, I would only give vits/mins or a balancer which contains around 1mg of selenium (as selenium yeast, aka organic selenium or Selplex), so my favourites are Blue Chip or Dengie Alfa A balancers.

In your position, I'd choose to have a comprehensive blood test to include muscle and liver enzymes, as well as have ACTH tested (for Cushings). That way, you can find out whether he is fighting an infection, whether he's early Cushing's or whether there is any muscle or liver damage that might be accounting for his reluctance.

Particularly if it's out of character for him, I'd opt for that.

Sarah
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top