Mare too quiet this winter

S

Simbacat

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 March 2012
Messages
148
Visit site
My lovely mare is getting on a little bit older now, she is 16, and for the first time since I have owned her I am a little concerned about her being too quiet. All the rest of the time I have needed advice on how to deal with her being too hot, too sharp, too mad, too fast and now I am dismayed that she is being well behaved and a bit of a saint. I am worried that she is losing weight and losing enthusiasm, I miss the madness!Has anyone any advice on how to feed an older horse over winter. She lives out and the yard won't allow hay in the field so she has to come in to the yard to eat hay and hard food and only gets a couple of hours of haylidge a day and a big bowl of grain, pony nuts, and chaff. She gets agitated in the stable for too long as she has lived out all her live
 
No hay in The field !? What happens when there is no goodness in the grass, no wonder she is looking down, 16 is really hardly old, just middle aged. I would be concerned that she is coming down with something or is in pain somewhere . Allen and page do a soakable range of feeds, calm and conditioner is good. If she can tolerate alfalfa, alfa a oil is good for weight gain. However I would not want my horse out 24/7 without access to supplemental forage , over a sustained period when it's needed. Plus make sure you are having her teeth checked regularly .
 
one of the reasons I had my mare tested for cushings was exactly the same as yours. she has always been a lively mare and like you I had problems with her being too sharp etc, she tested positive for cushings and was put on medication and within about 4 weeks was back to her usual lively self...sometimes I miss the quieter mare as she was so much easier to manage but don't regret putting her on mediation. she did lose weight dramatically one winter and I started to feed fast fibre with her chaff and supplements and this seemed to help so each winter I now feed fast fibre before she loses too much. she is 24 so quite a bit older than yours and I make sure her teeth are done at least once a year to make sure she is getting the goodness from her food...
 
How much grass is she getting to eat? I'd not want my oldie out without grass or hay. I'm not haying yet but she has 2.5 acres pretty much time herself, so plenty to eat
 
i wouldn't be happy having a horse out without access to hay, unless the fields are huge and still have a load of grass in them. Even then It's a strange rule.

If its cold at night she might be struggling without having forage to keep her engine going and keep her warm. if she's being brought in for a large meal, maybe she's getting too much at once in the bucket and not getting the nutrients from it either, as her stomach can only process a smaller amount. A few smaller feeds might suit her better.

If she was mine i'd get bloods run to see if anything was off with her at all.
 
I too have been on yards where hay wasn't allowed in fields, people take the mic and leave it uneaten all over the field

As someone else mentioned it could be cushings. Also it's the time of year some pick up low grade viruses. I use aloe vera juice from Holland and Barratt. 2 1lt bottles at 200ml a day usually do the trick
 
Thank you all for your help and advice, today my friend who also rides her came over and we went out for a hack (me on my OH's horse) we think she is actually lame - so vet on Monday :( :(
 
soulfull said:
I too have been on yards where hay wasn't allowed in fields, people take the mic and leave it uneaten all over the field

As someone else mentioned it could be cushings. Also it's the time of year some pick up low grade viruses. I use aloe vera juice from Holland and Barratt. 2 1lt bottles at 200ml a day usually do the trick
Click to expand...

This is what happened at my yard so now we aren't allowed hay in the fields.

It could also be because this winter has been so warm so far and it's just mucking up her system.
 
Oh dear! Sorry to hear that she may be lame... hope you get to bottom of it. 16 is not old by any stretch of the imagination so it seems odd.
 
Our mare had a virus 2 winters ago and it totally knocked her for six for about 4 months...

Good luck with the vet on Monday. No harm in getting him to take some routine bloods while he is out..

Fiona
 
Hi there, yesterday the lovely lady who cares for her and is much more experienced than I am checked her over, she says her coronet is warm on that hoof and the problem may be a bruised foot, or abscess forming. I have decided to wait until the farrier comes tomorrow and takes her shoe off so we can see what is going on. If its something straightforward we can treat it without the vet. Her insurance has now moved to veteran insurance so now more or less nothing is covered :( so I'm trying to avoid any unnecessary bills
 
Simbacat said:
Hi there, yesterday the lovely lady who cares for her and is much more experienced than I am checked her over, she says her coronet is warm on that hoof and the problem may be a bruised foot, or abscess forming. I have decided to wait until the farrier comes tomorrow and takes her shoe off so we can see what is going on. If its something straightforward we can treat it without the vet. Her insurance has now moved to veteran insurance so now more or less nothing is covered :( so I'm trying to avoid any unnecessary bills
Click to expand...

any feet issues, I'd always get my farrier first! I've had the vet out twice for abscesses and they've never dug it out enough, so the farriers always ended up back out to do it properly! and doesn't change £150 for the privilage! so you are doing the right thing! he will let you know if its anything more serious and if you should call the vet :D
 
I would still suspect laminitis/cushings as it very often presents in one foot only and your mare is at the prime age for it, and also this is the time of year it most often presents for the first time. Personally, I would still get a vet first.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top