Honest opinions needed, the fat to thin horse starts now...

lottiepony

lottiepony

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Yesterday I posted about my horse being diagnosed with her first bout of laminitis. (see link below)

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=612762

Thank you to everyone for your kind words and excellent advice. I went home last night after work to have a look at my horse with a fresh set of eyes in terms of her weight. She is carrying too much weight on her bum and is too cresty - bad mummy = fat pony! We should hopefully receive our diet plan from the vet today. Am pleased to report she seems much better already so I hope we got it nice and early although she is extremely cross about being in! I would really appreciate people's comments on her weight, I feel awful about the whole thing but feeling sorry for myself won't help her so I'm ready to hear the worst! Just a couple of details she is a 15.3hh mare, 15 years old, completes regularly in most disciplines and is exercised 5-6 times a week. The vet is coming out next week and I am going to have her bloods checked I want to check out every possible cause. Part of me is a bit scared to post this but here goes.... Have also started a fat photo diary to help me see any differences!

d by lottiepony, on Flickr

e by lottiepony, on Flickr

16.05.2013 b by lottiepony, on Flickr
this photo really shows the fat :(

16.03.2013 by lottiepony, on Flickr
 
From looking at where the fat is on her, I would definitely guess there is something hormonal going on. Although you can see her ribs, she has a definite crest and abnormal fat deposits above her tail head.

Hope she makes a speedy recovery x
 
Agree with cobs.

I manage my ems horsey by not rugging up too much, clipping in winter even if he doesn't need it. When my others are in heavys he is in a medium etc as long as there is warmth there he is fine and using his own body to keep warm which in turn keeps his metabolism working to burn off his fat.

Also soak hay, I use hi/fi molasses free and fast fibre to put his metformin in if yours turn out to have cushings or ems.

Hope that helps.
 
CobsGalore said:
From looking at where the fat is on her, I would definitely guess there is something hormonal going on. Although you can see her ribs, she has a definite crest and abnormal fat deposits above her tail head.

Hope she makes a speedy recovery x
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^^ Ditto this. She looks in 'good condition' but these definately look like abnormal fat pads to me.
 
amymay said:
What were you feeding?
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She was on cheap pony cubes, alfa a oil, unmolassed sugar beet and baileys stud balancer - this was all cut right back when grass started to appear. I wouldn't class her as a good doer as over winter she has ad-lib haylage and her feeds are split into 3. She has always done well off grass as a rule I don't feed any hard feed over spring/summer/autumn.

Very interested in peoples opinions on the fat pads - the bloods should give a definitive answer i hope if there is something else being a factor.
 
Apart from the guilt (which I totally understand), I think you're setting out on exactly the right track. Onwards and upwards (or thinwards maybe).

I am keeping my own weight gain diary for my KS horse, but don't have the bottle to share as I too feel so awful that she got all skinny. It's def good to keep track though and take those shots, as it's amazing what they show that you don't seem to notice !
 
lottiepony said:
She was on cheap pony cubes, alfa a oil, unmolassed sugar beet and baileys stud balancer - this was all cut right back when grass started to appear. I wouldn't class her as a good doer as over winter she has ad-lib haylage and her feeds are split into 3. She has always done well off grass as a rule I don't feed any hard feed over spring/summer/autumn.

Very interested in peoples opinions on the fat pads - the bloods should give a definitive answer i hope if there is something else being a factor.
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So she was getting a lot of conditioning grub. I suspect that is the only culprit here (but of course your vet may say different).

Good luck with the diet.
 
It does seem to be lots of fat pads rather than just fat everywhere. I have no experience of the metabolic/hormonal issues that may cause these types of fat pads, my boy was just obese all over when I got him.

One thing to be really honest with yourself about is the amount and intensity of the exercise you are doing with her. (once she can be exercised obviously) It is one of the things that I get a lot from people with fat, unfit horses - "I exercise him 6 days a week, so he gets as much exercise as Izzy (my horse)". Some people forget about WHAT they are doing and focus on the frequency or time they are exercised. A hack round the block for 30 minutes is not exercise, 20 minutes wandering around the school is not exercise, it's a leg stretch. A 2 hour hack where you are making them work is exercise, or a hard schooling session is exercise.

Not that I'm saying that you pootle about, but I think it is an easy trap to fall into - thinking that any exercise will shift the weight. They need to be worked hard to get rid of the lard. That is the only way I got my good doer from obese to super fit and lean.

Good luck. Don't beat yourself up and what is done. Just move forward and make her sweat.:D
 
tiga71 said:
One thing to be really honest with yourself about is the amount and intensity of the exercise you are doing with her. (once she can be exercised obviously) It is one of the things that I get a lot from people with fat, unfit horses - "I exercise him 6 days a week, so he gets as much exercise as Izzy (my horse)". Some people forget about WHAT they are doing and focus on the frequency or time they are exercised. A hack round the block for 30 minutes is not exercise, 20 minutes wandering around the school is not exercise, it's a leg stretch. A 2 hour hack where you are making them work is exercise, or a hard schooling session is exercise.
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That's partly why I think I'm more bothered as I really do work her. When we school its min 45mins and I can honestly say she really is worked hard. Hacking I don't dawdle she's made to walk out properly - I hate idleness lol. Last month we did a hunter trial and 2 days later went out and did a showing show. She finished the hunter trial looking like she could go straight out again.
Also although we show it's easy to forget how fit they need to be after all your expected to go round the ring a far few times as well as the judge ride or perform a personal show.
 
She is a lovely horse and really reminds me of my mare, she also has fat pads last year in the summer I put her on magnesium oxide and it really helped the cresty neck and lumpy bum has gone now and I can feel her ribs, they are not to have it for ever but for a few months at a time does the trick.
 
She looks very similar to, if I remember correctly, wagtails on here whose horse had laminitis. Might be worth getting in touch with her on here for some advice? :) good luck with everything
 
Yikes, Eye opener for me as in the second photo I honestly didn't think she looked obese, carrying a little extra but not "show" condition. I was starting to look into this as my old mare is now fully retired and out in a field of good grass. No fat pads though and keeping her only very lightly rugged in the hailstorms and she has not blown up. While a big mare, she is TB x cob and a good doer.
 
Luci07 said:
Yikes, Eye opener for me as in the second photo I honestly didn't think she looked obese, carrying a little extra but not "show" condition. I was starting to look into this as my old mare is now fully retired and out in a field of good grass. No fat pads though and keeping her only very lightly rugged in the hailstorms and she has not blown up. While a big mare, she is TB x cob and a good doer.
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I don't think anyone has said this horse is obese, far from it. It's where she is storing the fat; tail head and crest, which could be a sign of EMS, IR or Cushings.
 
I think she looks lovely aswell. I am very interested in the comments about where the fat pads are though. My friends 23 year old got obese last year and although now looking good he has retained the cresty neck and the pads on his bum. I might point his loaners in this direction.
Good luck with your weight loss programn and I look forward to hearing the results of the tests
 
Very typically an EMS horse. Did you watch the TAL lecture?

It was very informative and it's all about insulin resistance with an EMS horse. If you want the link, I think it is still available so I can pop it on here.
 
tallyho! said:
Very typically an EMS horse. Did you watch the TAL lecture?

It was very informative and it's all about insulin resistance with an EMS horse. If you want the link, I think it is still available so I can pop it on here.
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Thanks that would good as didn't see it. Having looked at everyone's comments I'm very intrigued as to whether it is a metabolic thing as the underlying cause.
 
having seen these pics I think even more than before that a test for EMS and cushings is in order.

(it would be interesting if you could tell us the results in the future ;) )
 
ester said:
having seen these pics I think even more than before that a test for EMS and cushings is in order.

(it would be interesting if you could tell us the results in the future ;) )
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Will be sharing the results don't worry about that :), everyone's comments are so interesting to read and really appreciate the advice as this has thrown up lots of questions for me and how I should deal with certain situations from here on in.
 
She is rather plum but I agree the fat pads look like a metabolic condition. Our elderly sec A was diagnosed with cushings, she had a crest and pads on her rump, whereas her ribs could be readily felt.

We had a cob though who was so fat that she looked like she had a sumo suit on, she had ripples across her rump and at the base of her tail like yours, she didn't have any metabolic issue, she was just fat. All we fed her on was soaked hay cut with straw and restricted grazing, plus a token breakfast of fast fibre with a balancer - this was with quite a high work load.

I hope it isn't a metabolic condition, but best to know so you can deal with it accordingly. Keep us updated
BTW I think she is a stunner too!
 
I'd put money on that being hormonal. You can see my boy's ribs, but he still carries fat pads. Not as extreme as yours, but very similar pattern.
 
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