Horse with a Dodgy Thermostat

[Natalie_H]

Anyone else have one?

My 11-y-o TB is very odd. He has always had a very thick/coarse mane & tail, and an insanely thick winter coat. He is only in light work, but sweats up a lot. Ideally a bib clip or low trace would solve this in the winter months for the amount of work we do, but due to his urticaria which breaks out every November for two to three months, we have started clipping him out except for legs, saddle patch, and half head before the rash starts - reason being that, for whatever reason, it really reduces the reaction from welts & wheals all over his body & face that then burst & ooze serum, to a few pimples here & there.

Since being clipped, he has been wearing a MW rhino turnout with no neck. The rug is 7 years old, so the filling is not what is was - it is more like a LW with 100g fill these days. Went up to ride today, and when I took the rug off, he has foam all round his shoulders where he has sweated. He had not been racing around as Mum had been up there all morning. He is now back in a LW with no fill.

It is so bizarre. This horse lives out all year round & is never stabled. The clip is pretty extreme for a horse who is only in light work & I accept this - but have my reasons as described above, and yet he is still sweaty in the rug described. Should add that he is in great condition, perfectly well in himself, and has no issues apart from his allergy. Just wondered if anyone else had a horse who has a similarly dodgy thermostat!

 

[Louby]

Meeeeeee
More similarities
Although maybe not to your boys extreme. I have done a high chaser clip, no neck, he is in light work but before I clipped him could not be rugged even in a lw as he was sweating. Jay is currently in a mw and has been warm, others on the yard are unclipped, in newer mw and are fine.

 

[Hels_Bells]

It's actually very warm at the moment - not much different to parts of spring and summer at times, and esp if the sun's been out and he has a rug on this could be why he sweated up maybe?

 

[Natalie_H]

I had a feeling I might be able to rely on you!!

There must be some genetic thing that is present in certain horses (i.e.Jay & Vizzy) that pre-disposes them to all their idiosyncrasies!

Ha Ha - That is so funny that you have responded to this in the affirmative. I think they need to meet one day! Have PM'd you about the lorry viewing BTW!

 

[Natalie_H]

It's actually very warm at the moment - not much different to parts of spring and summer at times, and esp if the sun's been out and he has a rug on this could be why he sweated up maybe?

It was marginally warmer today down here than usual, but I still find him the exception rather than the rule for a clipped out TB. When it was snowing last year, I had him in a HW rhino wug (the half neck) & nothing else (clipped out). He just really doesn't seem to get cold. Poor thing hates the hot weather & will stay in the field shelter all day on a hot summer day (rare thought they are!)

 

[Louby]

I had a feeling I might be able to rely on you!!

There must be some genetic thing that is present in certain horses (i.e.Jay & Vizzy) that pre-disposes them to all their idiosyncrasies!

Ha Ha - That is so funny that you have responded to this in the affirmative. I think they need to meet one day! Have PM'd you about the lorry viewing BTW!

Gosh, going to have to look up some of them words lol.
idiosyncrasies
Have pm'd you

 

[YorksG]

I do wonder if there is some link between horses who have problems with temperature control and allergies. We had a TBx Welsh D, who had a large number of intolerances and allergies, she was the only one out of four to get heat stroke, on a very hot day admittedly, and she was also the one who shivered when the weather was wet and cold, while the others were fine. So I do wonder if there is some link

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I do wonder if there is some link between horses who have problems with temperature control and allergies. We had a TBx Welsh D, who had a large number of intolerances and allergies, she was the only one out of four to get heat stroke, on a very hot day admittedly, and she was also the one who shivered when the weather was wet and cold, while the others were fine. So I do wonder if there is some link

YOu took the owrds right out of my mouth (or keyboard).

 

[foraday]

It was very warm today!

Quite a few of ours were put out naked!!!! Even the clipped ones only wore summer turnouts and still felt a little too warm!

 

[Natalie_H]

YOu took the owrds right out of my mouth (or keyboard).

That's very interesting from you (and YorksG). Louby who posted also has a horse with allergies, and I think you could be right that there is a link here. I was thinking it myself when Louby posted.Today was just an example of how he is typically. So whilst it was warm today - this is the norm for him throughout winter. Can't put a neck cover on him as he gets too hot. Thanks for your replies.

 

[Louby]

I think its probably a sure bet if Vizzy starts with his allergy this week that its the allergy to blame for his body temperature.
Im waiting for the hock itching to start

 

[Dizzydancer]

my TB x had this issue about 2weeks ago sweating in his MW even tho it was only 8degrees and he had worn it when it was 14degrees, however his was more the neck attachment we think as he has had the neck taken off the MW and is now not hot as he gets the breeze, so he has worn that for the last week even tho its been relatively warm and he has never been too hot. Yday he was given a bib/belly and legs off (mud fever issues) and he has the neck on mw now and was nice temp yday i think some thermometers play up occasionally!

 

[Dubsie]

It was marginally warmer today down here than usual, but I still find him the exception rather than the rule for a clipped out TB. When it was snowing last year, I had him in a HW rhino wug (the half neck) & nothing else (clipped out). He just really doesn't seem to get cold. Poor thing hates the hot weather & will stay in the field shelter all day on a hot summer day (rare thought they are!)

Are you sure it was just 'marginally warmer?' I think it's been very warm all weekend. We left to go play XC at just after 9am today and the car thermometer when we turned it on was 13! It rained while there and the temperature only went down to 11 when we went to leave to come home.

 

[Natalie_H]

Are you sure it was just 'marginally warmer?' I think it's been very warm all weekend. We left to go play XC at just after 9am today and the car thermometer when we turned it on was 13! It rained while there and the temperature only went down to 11 when we went to leave to come home.

Yes - similar temperature to what it has been down here all week. However, this was more an illustration of what he is like in general. For an almost fully clipped TB, he seems to require so very little in terms of rugging throughout winter. Can't put a full neck on him ever as he gets too hot. Even in the snow last year.