horse tiring very easily and puffing after light work??

[those-ears]

After my previous post regarding my 4yr old lacking energy and tiring easily am a little concerned.
She literally puffs and pants after 10 mins in the school trotting and walking, she lacks energy and tires very easily. We don't do alot - maybe 3 - 4 x hacking per week for 45 mins walking only and 1 x 20 min session in the school 1 x per week.
Shes been in work since febuary (beginning) and has been doing hacking etc including some light hill work, all mainly in walk, but she doesnt seem to be getting fitter and very puffy afterward having my vet check her out tomorrow.
Any ideas??

 

[jenz87]

Ive seen a horse that tired after a light trot turned out to be a sudden heart condition, id have your horse checked out but some horses take longer to get fit so i wouldnt worry id just talk to the vet and ask for a mot.
good luck

 

[Hobbitpony]

Unfortunately last horse I came across who appeared to be getting less fit the more work he did, actually had a heart condition. Fingers crossed your girl is ok.

 

[lyndsayberesford]

I would be tempted to say its just an age thing.

My 4 year old was really big and he used to tire very easily. I think it can be easy to forget how tired they can get as they are not developed muscularly and soon get out of puff

Guess a blood test wouldnt do any harm just to rule out low blood cell count or haemoglobin count

 

[those-ears]

Oh god i hope not shes only 4 and with one already retired at 6 with kissing spines i don't think i can take any more
I thought it maybe something to do with airways and lungs?

 

[Blondie1]

Sorry to hijack this post a little.

Vet saw my pony back in November and after diagnosing muscle damage he also said he noticed what he thought to be a slight heart murmur. But said not to worry as he thinks it could be due to the stress of his muscle damage. But to have him check again after his fitness was back to 100%

My pony has been getting more and more sluggish over the weeks even though i am slowly increasing his work load. He even puffs and blows when eating his breakfast and tea!!!

Should this be a sign that i should get the vet out to check his heart? I'm slightly worried now : (

Thanks and sorry again for hijacking xxx

 

[AdorableAlice]

After my previous post regarding my 4yr old lacking energy and tiring easily am a little concerned.
She literally puffs and pants after 10 mins in the school trotting and walking, she lacks energy and tires very easily. We don't do alot - maybe 3 - 4 x hacking per week for 45 mins walking only and 1 x 20 min session in the school 1 x per week.
Shes been in work since febuary (beginning) and has been doing hacking etc including some light hill work, all mainly in walk, but she doesnt seem to be getting fitter and very puffy afterward having my vet check her out tomorrow.
Any ideas??

How big is she, what breed and is she 4 this spring ?

 

[those-ears]

How big is she, what breed and is she 4 this spring ?

She's a LW cob, 15hh - she was 4 in april.

 

[those-ears]

bump?

 

[StarlightMagic]

my friends pony gets like this sometimes, always just been a simple respiratory virus. If its bad, antibiotics and rest, if its not so bad just 2 weeks rest and he's been fine. Get the vet out

 

[Toffee44]

We have a HW 15.2hh driving cob (think mini clyde) and I have had him from 3yo. He could literally do about 20minutes work and be tired when we got him. He was very unbalanced and generally lacking topline etc.


We turned him away for a year and slowly bought him back inot work. Lots of long reining, lots of in hand work, lots of light haulage (think a few wooden fence post weight) with a couple of sessions a week in harrows. I didnt really ride him, and a friend rode him, he hurt himself (horse) and now I have to restart backing him all over. Chiropractor felt he just is really immature in muscle etc.

Now at 5.5yo he has just filled out now almost over night, happily drives for one hour without panting etc and I feel confident at sitting back on him now, he has also learnt where his feet are

I would consider only light work for a while and just let babies be babies for a while, sometimes these heavier types just need to time to mature in their own time as we have learnt with Jake. I wouldnt be asking a cobby type youngster to be doing 20m circles they just dont have the balance unless already well built. Remember than cobby types dont tend to mature until they are 7yo.

 

[AmyMay]

Vet??

 

[charmeroo]

If your youngster is living in at night - possible COPD?

 

[LouS]

Just wait and see what the vet says, nobody can really advise you without knowing what is going on with your horse.

 

[only_me]

Sounds like a virus imo. Best get vet out to check heart/lungs & get a blood sample to be sure

 

[AdorableAlice]

Agree vet job, I would be tempted to have a little look at his larynx as well as a spot of blood.

 

[those-ears]

Vet??

If your youngster is living in at night - possible COPD?

She lives out 24/7 365 days per year

Just wait and see what the vet says, nobody can really advise you without knowing what is going on with your horse.

Sounds like a virus imo. Best get vet out to check heart/lungs & get a blood sample to be sure

Agree vet job, I would be tempted to have a little look at his larynx as well as a spot of blood.

The vet is due on Friday - had a brief word on the phone, vet is going to do a few checks - vet says poss heart but may just be a stamina/young horse issue.
Either way i hope it can be resolved even if it means she needs a year turned away till she matures.

 

[Tamba]

is she getting hay, and is it dusty, as my horse had a respiratory infection due to dust in his hay, now I can only feed haylage.
Plus, sounds like to me,that she is struggling with the workload you are giving her, if it were me, I would cut it down a notch

 

[mandyroberts]

My horse of a lifetime who sadly left me a couple of years ago, had absolutely no stamina when I got him at 5 years, and he ran out of energy after only light work and I was convinced something was wrong. I was talked out of getting the vet. By the time he was 7 he had developed into one of those horses who would go forever - it could be exhausting!
I would get some blood tests done, but hopefully yours is late maturing, as was mine.

 

[marlyclay]

My horse of a lifetime who sadly left me a couple of years ago, had absolutely no stamina when I got him at 5 years, and he ran out of energy after only light work and I was convinced something was wrong. I was talked out of getting the vet. By the time he was 7 he had developed into one of those horses who would go forever - it could be exhausting!
I would get some blood tests done, but hopefully yours is late maturing, as was mine.

I couldnt agree more with the above post. My young horse who will be 6 later this year was the same.He was a big awkward looking youngster at 4 and 5 and would tire very easily both mentally and physically.It is important to recognise if you have a late developer because i truly believe that alot of young horses are spoilt in their early years and develope bad habits by being pushed when their bodys and minds just arent ready to cope.Such horses often become sour and nappy.
But of course there are other youngsters who cope well with work ,are physically more mature earlier and thrive on learning new things.
Take a really good look at your girl,is she still growing?croup high,weak in muscle tone,does her head still look big for the rest of her body?If the answer is yes then she is slow maturing .Best advice would be short hacks to slowly build up muscle and get her enjoying work. Prehaps do some work with her inhand over poles in the school rather than riding round and round in circles.
Be patient and you will be rewarded later when she is ready.
Could you post a pic of her ,would love to see her?