Heave Lines ??????

H

Heather40

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Joined
7 February 2007
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34
Location
High Peak, UK
beehive.thisisthesentinel.co.uk
I would like your advice.

Last week, I noticed my showjumper had developed what looked like heave lines. He does not cough, works as well as he always has, no strained breathing, no runny nose or eyes just these 'lines'.

However he does not carry an awful lot of weight and is almost super fit at the moment.

Could these lines be muscle with being so fit?

I have asked my vet and without further investigation, which he seems reluctant to do as he appears completely normal both before and after exercise, he doesn't think it is copd or even seasonal disorder.

What do you think? He does not wind suck or crib either.

This horse has been winning open workers as well as showjumping so do not want heave or muscle lines if I can help it!!
 
If no other symptons I would have though that they would be muscle definition.
I had a horse with heave lines once and I knew they were'nt muscle because they stayed even when she was just tied up on the yard - added to that, we knew she had a minor heart defect.
If it is muscle as opposed to anything bad maybe you could reduce work a bit/increase weight?
 
My horse has these lines when working.

She's just sucking her tummy in! It's muscle definition.

DSC01270-1.jpg


Really noticeable in this picture of her throwing a paddy.
DSC01103.jpg
 
I couldn't describe it very well but heave lines stay visible when the horse isn't worked - don't they indicate a cardio/pulmonary problem? Often breathing problems occur + nosebleeds and this can be a sympton of heart problems.

Normal muscle definition shows when the horse is carrying himself properly (or throwing a paddy!
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Hmmm, interesting. Our older mare has these a bit, not massively but still noticeable. She does have COPD, mainly comes from dry hay, doesn't cough at all when not fed hay. So I suppose that is probably what caused them.
 
Thank you for all your comments. Since reading them I have been looking at the many (loads!) of photos taken of him over the last two weekends at shows. When he is warming up in a lovely outline, they are not visible, not as far as I can detect anyway.

When he is jumping or broncing in the field, they are visible.

I have seen that copd pic too and they are not like that. They are more like Patches lovely horse.

Moodimare, you have hit the nail on the head rather. We have decided to give the jumping a miss so he has weeks off between working hunter events. I started giving him baileys no1 meal 3 weeks ago but he seems to be getting fitter still with it!

Our grazing set up does not help either as he has to go up a steep track to get to the woods then traverse through the woods to get to the meadows. This they do several times a day.

The joy of owning horses!!

Thank you all so much.
 
I'm gald this ? has been asked as my mare had heave lines all through winter,now she's back in full work they are less prominent.She did have a lot off the winter off due to an injury and i was getting worried about them,she was quite tucked up and on the thinner side to normal which isn't her at all! She was fine in herself though and since she's been back in work she is better than ever.She doesn't have COPD or any health probs.I wondered why they were up when she was in ok health.She is now just right and going superb so i am dum founded as to why they were showing before??
 
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