Lethargy whilst changing coat

alexomahony

alexomahony

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As above really - one of my horses becomes quite lethargic during exercise when he's changing coat, whilst my other one doesn't become affected by it at all.

Does anyone else experience this?

Thanks x
 
There's another thread about this at the moment OP - created by poiuytrewq and called something like feeling flat in February :)
I couldn't work out why going into and coming out of winter mine would get so lethargic - my instructor pointed out she grows one heck of a winter coat and that coat changes use a lot of protein and can take quite alot out of them. As such mine gets a handful of Saracens re-leve twice a day over those periods and it seems to be enough to perk her up without causing her to be silly.
 
Militaire drops weight at coat change - a lot. I'm guessing a huge amount of energy goes into growing his enormous coat and shedding it again.

The Appy just gets itchy. I'd quite like her to drop weight instead....
 
Monty drops weight. He's fine most of the winter then it falls off him from mid-Feb to the end of March. He picks up again as soon as the spring grass is through properly.
I've not noticed lethargy though. In fact he was very lively this morning, beautifully forward. I should school him in half light and gale force winds more often!
 
This could be why horses seem to drop a lot of weight in February March and April although I have noticed the lethargy more in Autumn as they are growing such thick heavy coats.
 
Hi, yes it was me that did the other thread. Mine has gone from manic to ploddy and has done at this time of year for a few years. So weird but I’m very relieved to learn it’s a thing and fairly common.
 
Years ago Reiner Klimke wrote a biography of his Olympic champion horse Ahlerich - and he always had a break through the time of his coat change because it affected him.
 
Lindylouanne said:
I wish. Mine are behaving like lunatics so much so I have left them out tonight to see if it curtails their enthusiasm for cat leaping, bucking and galloping round the field. Needless to say until they settle down I shall be wearing a parachute when on board.
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My 2 are the same hacking is much fun at the moment with the cantering on the spot and jogging, we even had a mini rear last week:oops:
 
Our mini Shetland always goes very flat. We had him blood tested last year because he had been particularly bad, and he turned out to have liver damage - still trying to sort him out, poor little thing.
 
My WB always drops a bit of condition during Autumn. He grows a massive winter coat in a matter of weeks. Spring is fine because the grass comes through and he takes longer with that coat transition. Someone recommended I try a couple of VAM shots.
 
I’ve popped my mare on propell plus, generally seems to do the trick for the few weeks when she is feeling flat
 
windand rain said:
This could be why horses seem to drop a lot of weight in February March and April although I have noticed the lethargy more in Autumn as they are growing such thick heavy coats.
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My guys lethargy has just started about 10 days ago and he is putting up quite a coat. Gonna try some Propell plus or haem B or something pike that. Just heading to feed merchants 😀
 
Elliejolie said:
My guys lethargy has just started about 10 days ago and he is putting up quite a coat. Gonna try some Propell plus or haem B or something pike that. Just heading to feed merchants 😀
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I know this is an old thread (my horse in my post above is sadly no longer here) but try protein supplements - pea protein or a higher protein balancer
 
2 of my oldies last March/apr really dropped weight quickly after always being good doers. I introduced pink powder senior upped their linseed and after a few weeks looked great again

We put in down to coat change
 
swilliam said:
Our mini Shetland always goes very flat. We had him blood tested last year because he had been particularly bad, and he turned out to have liver damage - still trying to sort him out, poor little thing.
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Awh thats terrible. Hope you get him sorted. My guy had full bloods done a month ago when he was having a general MOT. Bloods were all good though.
swilliam said:
Our mini Shetland always goes very flat. We had him blood tested last year because he had been particularly bad, and he turned out to have liver damage - still trying to sort him out, poor little thing.
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Pleased I found this. My boy, who has suddenly grown a massive woolly coat has dropped 20kg in 6 weeks and has become very lethargic. Luckily he's a dieting cob, so it's not the end of the world, but I have been worrying about ulcers and stuff since he's on a diet. However he's showing no signs of them. Hopefully it's just the coat change. He is getting 1.5% of his bodyweight per day in dm forage and has been dieting forever. It was just a surprise how after a long plateu of no weight loss, it's suddenly dropped so fast and he's become really lazy. He's getting clipped next week, so hopefully it's just the uber thick coat making him feel flat.
 
Pink Gorilla said:
Pleased I found this. My boy, who has suddenly grown a massive woolly coat has dropped 20kg in 6 weeks and has become very lethargic. Luckily he's a dieting cob, so it's not the end of the world, but I have been worrying about ulcers and stuff since he's on a diet. However he's showing no signs of them. Hopefully it's just the coat change. He is getting 1.5% of his bodyweight per day in dm forage and has been dieting forever. It was just a surprise how after a long plateu of no weight loss, it's suddenly dropped so fast and he's become really lazy. He's getting clipped next week, so hopefully it's just the uber thick coat making him feel flat.
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How old is he?

I ask because growing a thick coat, losing weight and lethargy, were the first signs of cushings in the children's little welsh pony.
 
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