Lost his spark!

georg1e

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Can any one help?

My 16hh TB has lost his spark, he's very lathargic and unwilling to work, he's even started to refuse to leave the yard to go out hacking! Once out hacking he seams ok. He hasn't been doing much work so was having a token feed after working and grass (which is not very good!) I have started to give him Top spec feed balancer, alfa a and Red cell, he improved for about 2 days and is going downhill again. He has had back, teeth, saddle etc all checked and fine.
I have considered giving him some high energy feed but don't want him to turn into a nutter. Previously he has been fed on conditioning cubes, alfa a and speedi beet. he now refuses to eat his food if contains the speedi beet.

Thought i'd see if any one has any ideas before i feed energy feed.

Thanks
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He has kepy his weight very well this year for the first time. He has no lumps or bumps and eyes seam fine. I'm really flumouxed by this as it's just not right!
 
consult your vet mate....don't wish to scare you but the symptoms your saying were idendtical to what my boy had before he was admitted...i thought it must be not enough feed, so I upped it and still nothing...went very quite? don't know if your's is unusually quite?
Please please chat to the vet sooner rather than later.....
Like I said don't want to scare you but I lost my boy eventually with symptoms like this.
Keep us informed.....and fingers crossed!!!
xx
 
Thanks, I will call them. He's never been a mad TB but always had a great fun character and willing to work. I tacked him up today and he's falling asleep i had to keep kicking him to get him to trot and canter and i don't like to have to do that as usually you'd put your leg on and he'd go, show him a jump and he'd be bouncing on the spot but not anymore! Been getting gradually worse.
 
Sorry to hear about your horse, what was his diagnosis, if you don't mind saying? I'll let you know what happens, thanks for advice, you've confirmed what i thought needed doing but didn't know if i was just overreacting xx
 
you can never over react when it comes to our horses....cricky!!
All we put it down to was severe colitis....he was always up for fun leg on and he would go, buck, but gradually he went to being like a riding school horse....he was never like this ever...so i knew something wasn't right....he would not want to leave stable either or being tacked up....again out of ordinary for him, he got very dehydrated - was fed soaked hay as was laminitic and had copd so can't see how he was so dehyrdated?.....he went out on hack - slow plod down road and back...just wasn't his normal self he'd usually be on his toes and being a total dinn he was part cleveland bay so had total attitude....he then went down hill by showing colic signs and terrible diaorrea (sp)..and thats when I called vet.....i feel angry with myself now cos I should've acted sooner...and maybe he'd still be here, but can't think like that....
I really can't stress enough to call vet...get bloods taken they will show anything...he maybe lacking something in diet or whatever....without the vital tests you'll never know and i'd rather all the neccesary was done before it was too late.....like i said before I really don't want to alarm you but those were the signs my boy showed at first leading onto the colitis....and I hope and pray for you both that you can get your boy sorted and everything will be fine!!!

Please keep us informed about what happens....i'd be interested to know
xxx
 
I would get bloods done - its prob something really simple like aneameia (sp?) or a mild virus. It is prob worth testing for tape worm as well. Approx £30 on blood test. My horse, on 8 acres with one other horse and cows had mild tape worm and very similar symptons. Good luck
 
Everything else is normal!! Have called vet who is taking bloods tomorrow. I'll let you know results. I read an article about another horse that had same problem, all normal but very lathargic and it turned out to be a thyroid problem so if it is this then bloods should tell. Thanks for every ones advice.
 
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