My horse has shrunk! is this normal?

[LadyRascasse]

ok to explain my 16.1 tb gelding has shrunk in length he is 17yrs old and 2yrs ago i brought him 2 weatherbetta combo stable rug (1xLW 1xHW) which fitted him beautifully, but them on this season and they are both a good 3 inches to big. some of his others are a bit baggy round the tail end.

so is it normal for older horses to shrink in this way? i really can't afford to go and buy him a whole new wardrobe.

 

[Switchthehorse]

I dont know about shrinking sorry but all I can say is i wish mine would!! she is getting taller and more solid by the day!! Hope someone can help you!

 

[ForeverBroke_]

Could it be the rugs have stretched over the years instead?

 

[twisteddiamond]

has he not just lost condition over his rump? making his rugs look like they are too big

 

[LadyRascasse]

[ QUOTE ]
has he not just lost condition over his rump? making his rugs look like they are too big

[/ QUOTE ]

no chance, he has much more condition than last year. he lost a lot of weight last year as he was stressed from vet trips and lameness pain

last winter

today

 

[gails]

Mine has, he has always been 16hh 1, measured him a few weeks thinking he look smaler and is now 15hh 3

 

[miss_bird]

My old mare now 22yrs used to always take a 6'9"-7'0" rugs but now fits a 6'6" perfectly and used to be a full up 16'"2 now she is just about 16'

 

[Charmaine18]

With humans, as we get older our spinal fluid (can't remember what it's called) starts to leak away so our spine gets shorter and we therefore shrink in height. Maybe it works the same way with horses?

 

[Persephone]

I know of a 44y/o that started at 15.2 and ended up around 13hh. Absolute honest truth.

My mare was a full up 14.2 (height certificated) but was 13.3 when she died at 30. She had gone down by 6" in rugs too.

 

[samuelhorse]

Thank god for that. I thought I was deranged. My boy is about 20 and shrunk from 6 foot rugs to 5'9 ans some of them are generous!
Oh dear, a whole new wardrobe to buy - hehe!!!