More oomph?!

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0310Star

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My mare has gotten really lazy to ride since living out for the summer , to the point she is bl**dy hard work to ride!!
Even on a hack its so hard to even get an enthusiastic walk out of her, if I take my leg off she will literally stop!

Anybody have any ideas on what I could do to get her going? She is fed a small handful of Saracen livery nuts and chaff for her supplements to go in once a day.
Maybe she needs a bit more food to help fuel her better?
 
I think food is the issue, but she is also as heavy as I would like her to be at the moment so I don't want any weight added on either!
She has been back in work after some time off since about February but is being ridden 5/6 times a week so I wouldn't say she is unfit
 
I had really really good results with Topspec Turbo on my New Forest - never touched his weight but adds just the right amount of extra go go juice for him
 
Thanks for the replies. I am sure its food related as she just seems to have lost her sparkle and is very flat. She has a brand new saddle, not long had all other checks done so its nothing wrong with her as such.
I wonder if she just isn't getting the nutrients she needs. She is 18 now so could be that she just needs a little more help as she's getting older perhaps?
 
Stop feeding her, put a muzzle on her and work her harder! She's overweight which will make her lethargic. Slimmer and fitter will see her oomph returning.
 
I would just like to make clear.... my horse is NOT over weight, and where this has been stated I do not know?

She has ringbone so I have to be very careful what work I do, and also due to this I like to keep her weight down to avoid pressure on her joints. I also like to keep her out as much as possible to keep her moving, she also will not stay in her stable when everyone else is out.

She is perfect weight currently, hence not wanting to add more.

I have owned this horse 6 years and living out in the summer has never been an issue so I am almost certain she just lacking nutrients which is what I was asking for suggestions on.
 
If you are sure there's nothing wrong physically (ruling out low-grade lami was my first though, based on the brief description of a horse reluctant to move, and having recently gained access to proper turnout, but sounds like you've done health checks already) then my next thought was to make sure she gets adequate salt. Does she have a lick, and use it? Are you adding loose table salt to her feeds? A tablespoon per day won't hurt (so long as there's always access to fresh water) and might help. You don't specify what supplements she gets, but I might consider putting her on a good balancer (or vit&min supplement) if you think she may be lacking something.

IME with a slightly lazy good doer, no feed has ever changed his attitude to work. What helps is doing things he enjoys (out in company, keeping his work varied), keeping his weight in check, keeping him cool (clip) and regular lessons to make sure my riding remains effective.
Can you narrow down if she is reluctant only in particular situations? E.g. when schooling (boredom?), hacking away from home (but faster towards home)... Maybe that would give you further clues. For example, she may have bonded more strongly with herd mates now that she's turned out more. Maybe that is part of her reluctance, and hacking in company would get her going.
 
Thanks Supsup, she is on 99% glucosamine for her joints and Agnus Castus (summer only) for her seasons, both of these are things she cannot go without.
Its literally since she has gone out 24/7 she has gone a bit flat all round, going out/coming home is making no difference. Having lessons, varying between hacking out and school work. She's a funny sort and there is definitely nothing wrong physically, I think it is just generally tiredness to be honest! But she is always quite reluctant to sleep if I bring her in as she loves being out in summer so just wants to get back out as soon as she can. We don't have masses of grass in her field, but enough for them not to be wanting hay etc. She seems fine in herself, just being lazy. She is always a bit lazy in summer, she is most definitely a winter ride! But where she has had the time off and doesn't have as much fitness as usual I think its just effected her a bit more which is why I was womdering if adding something in to boost her nutriets would help.

I am going to give her a few days off and see if this helps at all and I will start adding in some salt and see if that helps. Ideally I don't want to give her anymore food as like I say I have to be quite wary of her weight.
 
0310Star said:
I think food is the issue, but she is also as heavy as I would like her to be at the moment so I don't want any weight added on either!
She has been back in work after some time off since about February but is being ridden 5/6 times a week so I wouldn't say she is unfit
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This is where the idea that she could lose some weight came from. It reads as she has put on weight compared to when she was not out 24/7.

Is she too warm?

I clipped out mine on Saturday and he definitely had a lot more oomph yesterday (also lethargic after being out for past couple of weeks and a good doer so muzzle will go on and his work will be increased further if possible despite being a relatively fit eventer.)
 
No same weight as when she was in, She is a good doer but I only really find her weight a problem if she goes from no grass to loads, but she is in the same field as she is in during the winter so no change really at all.

Nope not too warm, she is mostly naked/rain sheet if nights are cold and has almost completely changed to her summer coat now.

I think I will grab some salt on my way home tonight and give her a couple days off with the salt added and see how she is in a few days.

Thank you for all of the replies!
 
ester said:
Of course given her age and flat all round it is always wise to keep cushings in mind too.
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This. And also you say she has ringbone. Maybe she's feeling that a bit? I had one with it and if the ground suddenly charged from soft to hard, as it has done recently, he would feel it. Not enough to be lame but enough to know about it. I had to balance the need for 24/7 turnout for arthritis with his ringbone benefiting from some time on a soft bed to get a break from the hard ground. Worth thinking about.
 
0310Star said:
Thanks for the replies. I am sure its food related as she just seems to have lost her sparkle and is very flat. She has a brand new saddle, not long had all other checks done so its nothing wrong with her as such.
I wonder if she just isn't getting the nutrients she needs. She is 18 now so could be that she just needs a little more help as she's getting older perhaps?
Click to expand...

My 15 year old lost his sparkle and he has since been diagnosed with Cushings. Since being on Pracend he is like a new horse! Worth a blood test as a precaution?
 
Get her tested for cushings asap! This is exactly how my mare went. I however assumed it was to do with an operation she had had 10 weeks earlier and was still recovering from when I started working her again. There was no sparkle or energy at all. I tried oats, supplements, competition mix and nothing. Then I got her tested. She was 19 and no other symptoms of cushings. Her levels were high. Got her on medication and she was fine again within few months. Weirdly she went a bit flat again 2 months ago. Got blood tested and meds needed upping. Now she has her sparkle back again. She has had cushings nearly 3 years now. You wouldn't think it at all. She is 22 on Sunday!
 
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