Lethargic horse - Help

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lucille

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Ok, a year ago my welsh cob x connie had a virus, which left him, lethargic, generally "down", lacking in red bloodcells, and with nazel discharge and a cough, the virus was treated with antibiotics and ventipullmin (sp?) and tests were done last november (blood tests) and the vet announced my cob fit to go again.

Ever since I dont really think he has been 100%

Its hard to describe, some days he's bouncing about allover, and others he's really lacking power and enthusiasm, This was never a problem before the virus, and he's only 11 so its not as if he's slowing down with old age

Tests are showing clear, and I dont really want to start pumping him with supliments incase im masking a real problem.

On days when hes lethargic, its not just been ridden, hes even less alert in the stable, been groomed etc.

There is no pattern between his energy levels and heat / weather / time of day ridden, or any of the obvious varying factors

After I ride him he sometimes has a white discharge of medium consistency, but no cough and his breathing seems fine.

If anything Id say he's his usual self after his day off, but as the week goes on, he fades. and becomes more tired towards the end of the week, but he's almost at full fitness now

Im really worried, but seen as blood tests are coming back clear, vets arnet really interested in anything else

Any suggestions


ETA... just a pic, of him, to demonstrate his type, when I say cob , im not talking happy hacker type

cobby2.jpg


xx
 
What do you do with him, just hacking? My horse was lethargic many years ago and he was sligghtly anaemic so, every since then he's been on Kossolian supplement so i knwo he's getting all he needs. He is fitter than he's been for years this year (he's now 17!) but he does have somedays still where i think he's being a bit lethargic.

I have actually put a lot of this down to him being bored! We used to compete most weekends, SJ, XC, ODEs etc but last year being a wash out we didn't do alot and then we had transport probs (broken wagon!) so didn't get him out as much as he should be out. We've had him 13 years so he knows every hack and I just believe he gets bored of them. I am now competing him more and he's a lot jollier and really quite full of himself for the days after an event. He loves going out and I think he feels important again!

Have you tried doing different things with yours? Maybe box up and hack somewhere else (maybe the beach, horses love that!) or take him to a show?? I do believe they can just get a bit stale and bored.
 
Hiya, what is he eating at the moment? Is he fed either the recommended ration of a hard feed OR a vitmain and mineral supplement to compensate if he doesn't require the recommended amount? If a horse is dificient in trace elements, this can make them sluggish and lethargic rather like ourselves? Alternatively try a supplement high in anti oxidants, Ventil-Ate is good for this although its a breathing supplement it is very high in anti oxidants and boosts the immune system.
 
Hmmmmm, makes you wonder if the virus left any kind of damage. But you say his breathing is fine, has the vet listened to his chest? If the bloods are ok but you are still worried, keep on at your vet to investigate! You know your horse better than the vet.
Good luck x
 
I compete him at least once a month

showjumping and XC

I vary his work at home aswell

Its totally out of character for him to be lethargic, usually hes bombing off been an idiot looking out for none existent monsters,

I wouldnt say he's "ill" again, just not right, and not 100% himself

It also worried me that he seems to tire more the more days i ride for, he's nearly at full fitness, and before this virus, never ever used to tire no matter what xx
 
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Hiya, what is he eating at the moment?

[/ QUOTE ]

He's only on mollychop and pasture mix, and I know it would be logical to try altering it

but what confuses me is he's always been fine on it before xx
 
I would then try some electrolytes or other type of supplement to be honest. The virus could have left him a bit down health wise and maybe he's just lacking in some nutrients. A supplement isn't going to do him harm after all. Personally if i had a welsh x connemara I wouldn't be feeding him hard feed at this time of year at all unless to mix a supplement in. Something if that breed type should really do fine on grass with possibly a vitamin & mineral lick put out on the amount of work you're doing.

Mine also seems 'tired' if he goes out every day but fine if he's had a day off. Remember it is quite warm now so they can just be inclined to be more 'laid back'. Mine starts to strugglelater on as he has a conneara coat so it is always quiet thick - i have to clip him later in the summer. He finds it hard work when it's warm/muggy.

I would try supplement see if it helps.
 
^^

he is stables in at night, and bangs the door down if hes not fed when the others are, so its more to shut him up than anything
smile.gif


As you can see he has his summer coat, and there is no link between heat / time of day etc and his behaivoir,

when i say he's a bit lethargic a few days after his day off, i mean day off from been ridden, not day off from turn out :S

I know what your saying is right in theory, but Iv had him 6 years now, and other summers hes had no probs with the heat

Ill speak to my vet later about a general suplement

was just wondering if you guys had any suggestions of what it could be that I could discuss with my vet xx
 
Well, i'll tell you one thing - he's got the same look in his eye as mine! Must be a connemara thing (mines TB x Connie)!
grin.gif
 
I did hear of a horse that had post viral fatigue similar to human ME. I'm not sure how it was diagnosed. I have heard some people recommend aloe vera for this kind of thing. I have no personal exprience of it though.

I had a horse years ago that had chronic fatigue and was found to have copper deficiency. It ddn't show up on a normal blood test, it had to be analysed at a diferent lab that normally dealt with cow blood (or maybe sheep, I cant remember). Vet only thought of it as I mentioned his coat had changed color , he was bay and he got a golden tinge especially around the eyes. It was easily fixd with a copper supplement.

Can you get your horse referred somewhere? Dont get fobbed off if you knw something's wrong. Good luck
 
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