Horse tucked up?!

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lcharles

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Hello,

Anyone got experience on their horse tucking up? I took Billy hunting last Wednesday and he really enjoyed it. I noticed than when we stood still in between gallops, that he'd shake around his flanks but was happy. I put this down to adrenaline/stress/excitement?!

On Thursday he was quite tucked up but asked one of my best mates on the yard and she said her TB does it after team chasing and its from lots of galloping?

Last night, he was still quite tucked up so now i'm a bit worried as i thought he'd be fine after a couple of days?

I've turned him out 24/7 now, except he was in on Thursday night as i thought he may just need a good drink and some rest but it didnt seem to make much difference so put him back out x He has been having two scoops of pony nuts just for his supplements and 3/4 carrots x

What do i do?! x Ill see if i have photos on my phone to upload.

He still needs muscle building up because hes only been brought back into work properly but otherwise hes in good condition and is a happy horse.

Any ideas/sugggestions please? x
 
So do you think putting him in for a few days with loads of hay will do the trick? x i thought about him being dehydrated which is why i kept him in on the Thursday night and in his field where his tough is its a bit muddy around it so i have put a bucket full of water in the field too so he can have that if he doesnt like the muddy bit by the tough! x

Do i keep riding him through this? x He is quite fit but i guess its suprising how much hunting takes its toll x the huntsmasters and whipper-ins horses all looked tucked up too but obviously i dont know what they are like now after a few days! x

Rode him on Thurday evening just down the road and again on saturday so only done a bit of light work (cant leave him for more than 2days otherwise hes a psycho!lol) x
 
Don't keep him in - he needs to be out and moving around. Make sure he's kept warm (but not sweating). And nothing wrong with some gentle exercise.

Do the pinch test to check for dehydration (and feed electrolytes in his food as a course if you are going to hunt regularly).

Horses will looked (or can look) tucked up toward the end of the days hunting and perhaps the day after - but after 6 days I'd be rather concerned.

How long has he been back in work, and what have you been doing with him?
 
Hes been bought back into work since July but only properly since September cuz he was an arse for a couple of months and couldnt do much with him. Now he's ridden 5 times a week, usually compete at showjumping on the weekend but hes been doing bits of polocrosse, showjumping, got loads of hacking by us so hack out 3 times a week, sometimes gallop sometimes walk it...just depends. Also got lots of xc and go over that sometimes, hes also done a couple of team chases.

My friend took her cob and she only rides him twice a week on a hack but she was more controlled and calmer than my crazed horse! She didn't jump hers either but her cob is fine!!

Will do the pinch test tonight. If he is dehydrated, how do i get him to drink more?! i have put salt in his feed but think that has put him off it!! is it best to do this on his shoulder?

I cant put hay out in his field....im not allowed to (hay is included in our livery but not allowed it out in the fields cuz of waste) might be able to sneak a haynet out though!!
 
It's not about necessarily getting him to drink more - it's about replacing the lost salts - and you do this with electrolytes. I put them in the feed.

Sounds like he should be in tip top condition and fitness - perhaps look at your feeding regime (he's not getting much for the amount of work) and feed electrolytes daily.

As for hay in the field - very few yards allow that - so just make sure he's got plenty overnight when you bring him in.
 
I would think if he is out 24/7 with no hay he is not getting enough from the grass to regain what he lost out hunting, could he come in for a few hours during the day and have hay. They grass is starting to come through but not fast enough if the field is constantly grazed, most horses in hard work will need hay during the winter to supplement grazing as the quality will be less good than the rest of the tear even if the quantity is good.
 
Thank you.

He was on sugar beet but it sent him tapped so had to take him off it!! I'll bring him in tonight and see how he goes with that. How long would you give him now though?

Is it worth giving him some sugar beet though just for a couple of days, will that help?

I dont have any electrolytes but will see what i can get hold of from someone at the yard.

Would that fact that he's a stressy horse had anything to do with this do you think or is it just where his body is drained from hunting?

Not hunting until end of the year now but have got a couple of team chases so hopefully once hes fixed he'll be ok.
 
I suspect the hunting just sent him over the top a bit, given his nature. And I would go and buy some electrolytes (always a feed room essential imo).

I suspect he's a bit mentally and physically drained - but if there's no improvement by Friday I'd have the vet.

I've assumed that he's stabled overnight - because you have no grass in your fields and can't hay. But if he's not - it may be a simple case of not getting enough food. If he's doing as much as you say then he's probably not getting any where near the calories he needs, and a day's hunting will have absolutely buggered him.
 
My field has a good amount of grass and he nibbles all day but i dont know how good the grass quality is, its nice and green though. I havent had him in overnight, other than the Thursday cuz i thought he'd be best off out moving around. I'll put him in one of the pens as they are twice as big as a stable so he can move about but then can get plenty of hay.

If he just needed more food wouldnt he eat all his hard feed and all his hay when hes in?

Is there a make of electrolytes you'd recommend?
 
He wasnt particularly stiff but only walked him down the road and back across the field but he seemed ok in walk x Would he still be like this after 5days though?

Going to take him out tonight and see if he's any better. Hes fine in himself other than not finishing all of his hard feed but like i said i think thats cuz he doesnt like his supplements as he eats the grass fine x
 
Possibly yes if the toxins released due to tying up may not have passed through his system. As someone else suggested give him electrolytes and encourage him to drink. Equine America Apple lytes are very good for getting them to drink. Have you noticed if his wee is a darker colour than normal?
 
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