My horse is still looking poor

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squidsin

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Despite the spring grass, unlimited hay, and two feeds a day of one feeding scoop of speedibeet, one of Alfa-A and the recommended amount for a 15.1 horse of Blue Chip Original balancer, my 15.1 Irish cob mare is still looking too bony. I've had her for 3 months and been trying to get some condition of her as she's been too thin since I got her - was expecting to see a significant improvement by now and she does look better but still quite poor. She's been wormed and everything checked, there's no underlying health issue. She doesn't seem to get fizzy so I was thinking I might have to increase her hard feeds - ideally I'd feed 3 times a day but she's turned out all day (except when I ride) with a horse who is both greedy, dominant and lami-prone, so I couldn't feed her in the field, and I work, so it's not really practical anyway. Can I add conditioning nuts or something like that? Pasture mix maybe? Any recommendations?
 
I love Baileys top line conditioning cubes and really recommend these, my horse struggles this winter and adding these really helped. I also switched from Alpha A to Alpha A with oil as the nutritional value of this is higher and he's looking super now :)
 
Maybe a silly question but am I OK to feed the cubes as well as her balancer (which has definitely improved her in terms of making her calmer, even if it hasn't added much condition)?
 
I had bloods taken when she was vetted but AFAIK not tested for anything. I don't know much about blood testing - what might I want checked?
 
squidsin said:
I had bloods taken when she was vetted but AFAIK not tested for anything. I don't know much about blood testing - what might I want checked?
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Tapeworm, virus etc.

Generally anything that might be preventing the horse from putting on condition.

That would be my next port of call.
 
hmm with regards to feeding a balancer and cubes I would have no idea sorry! I just feed the recommended amounts by the feed companies and mine looks good so haven't felt the need to and a balancer or anything (yet anyway). Feed companies are normally really helpful and willing to give free advice over the phone. You could always look on the feed websites (Dengie, Baileys etc) and give them a call or email to discuss it? :)
 
amymay said:
Tapeworm, virus etc.

Generally anything that might be preventing the horse from putting on condition.

That would be my next port of call.
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Thanks, I think I'll get a faecal worm egg count done first and see if that throws anything up, then try the bloods. I had a 2 stage vetting done when I bought her - I thought they'd routinely check for viruses etc but perhaps not?
 
No, the bloods at the vetting are to run for dope testing.

A worm count is an excellent idea. However my first port of call would be bloods.
 
amymay said:
No, the bloods at the vetting are to run for dope testing.

A worm count is an excellent idea. However my first port of call would be bloods.
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I'll get her checked out.
Damn this horse ownership malarkey is expensive! Who knew eh! ;)
 
I had this with my cob, same size as yours, the winter before last. Had all bloods etc. done but nothing came back, wormer was up to date and teeth OK. Turned out she was in a bit of pain with a suspected spavin brewing, (low grade lameness) mixed with the cold was making her poor. I am now (again) trying to build her up after this horrible winter, we're back on the bute and over feeding to balance the exercise. Good luck. Maybe you could get someone to trot her up for you? Also my toothman, a livery yard round the corner and the few feed cos. I've phoned have all said the same thing - it's been a long, hard winter.
 
4x4 said:
I had this with my cob, same size as yours, the winter before last. Had all bloods etc. done but nothing came back, wormer was up to date and teeth OK. Turned out she was in a bit of pain with a suspected spavin brewing, (low grade lameness) mixed with the cold was making her poor. I am now (again) trying to build her up after this horrible winter, we're back on the bute and over feeding to balance the exercise. Good luck. Maybe you could get someone to trot her up for you? Also my toothman, a livery yard round the corner and the few feed cos. I've phoned have all said the same thing - it's been a long, hard winter.
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Thanks. Goodness I hope it's not a spavin! But she did seem lethargic and not quite right when I rode her just now. I've never tried to trot up a horse before so not sure what I'd be looking for, but hopefully the YO can help.
 
amymay said:
Even more reason to get some blood tests done.

Let us know how you get on.
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Will do. Feeling a bit anxious now that she didn't seem quite herself today but everyone has off-days and me and her are both stressy mares! Both capable of winding ourselves up for no good reason! So FC that it turns out to be nothing, and not something that means she's on box rest all summer aaarrrgh!
 
Did you get a full service history when you bought her? It could also be a 'in season' thing. Thinking on the bright side here (!) I did once have a horse with similar symptoms which had come over from Ireland, we bought it as it was very quiet - turned out it had liver fluke, had to treat it with cattle wormer and 4 weeks of very good grass to back up the iron - my goodness, did that ever make a difference - it was virtually unrideable after that!!! Good luck and keep us informed.
 
4x4 said:
Did you get a full service history when you bought her? It could also be a 'in season' thing. Thinking on the bright side here (!) I did once have a horse with similar symptoms which had come over from Ireland, we bought it as it was very quiet - turned out it had liver fluke, had to treat it with cattle wormer and 4 weeks of very good grass to back up the iron - my goodness, did that ever make a difference - it was virtually unrideable after that!!! Good luck and keep us informed.
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Eeeek! Don't tell me that - she came over from Ireland last year and I don't have any of her history before that! I know she had a foal, that's about it though. I've restarted all her vaccinations etc as have no idea if they were ever done. She's a lovely, lovely horse though and so nice to ride! FC it turns out to be an 'in season' thing...!
 
If you want to add weight micronised linseed is good and doesn't heat them up.

If she is stressy could she be stressing weight off? Mine drops condition if her routine is changed or if she has to move boxes. To help with stressy behaviour I feed low sugar and low starch and make sure she always had enough haylage. I also make sure she gets yea saac in her feed to support her digestion and magnesium for calmness.

She is better but I do have to watch her.
 
Kat said:
If you want to add weight micronised linseed is good and doesn't heat them up.

If she is stressy could she be stressing weight off? Mine drops condition if her routine is changed or if she has to move boxes. To help with stressy behaviour I feed low sugar and low starch and make sure she always had enough haylage. I also make sure she gets yea saac in her feed to support her digestion and magnesium for calmness.

She is better but I do have to watch her.
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She definitely can and does stress weight off, but it's more that she hasn't put weight on in the 3 months since I bought her, despite concerted efforts to feed her up! She's on Blue Chip Original (with speedibeet and Alfa A) which has definitely had a calming effect but hasn't filled her out as I'd hoped. I've booked blood tests for Monday. Can't really afford it this month - hello credit card! And I won't be telling the husband!
 
Another one voting for having her blood tested, having a poo egg count done and perhaps having her checked out for some underlying pain issue. Failing that, micronised linseed all day long . . . it works wonders and it's non-heating.

Do keep us posted.

P
 
PolarSkye said:
Another one voting for having her blood tested, having a poo egg count done and perhaps having her checked out for some underlying pain issue. Failing that, micronised linseed all day long . . . it works wonders and it's non-heating.

Do keep us posted.

P
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Blood test booked for Monday at 3pm. Will keep you all posted.
 
squidsin said:
Maybe a silly question but am I OK to feed the cubes as well as her balancer (which has definitely improved her in terms of making her calmer, even if it hasn't added much condition)?
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I'd be careful of feeding two different types of foods that both contain vitamins and minerals as you may find yourself doubling up on some.

Have you considered grass cubes, boiling barley, sugarbeet or adding oil to the feed.
 
Had the results back from the vet today and Poppy has presented with an abnormal liver function, possibly caused by long term exposure to ragwort. (I've had her 3 months, obviously I check her fields, but her history prior to me getting her is something of a mystery). The vet says it's not too serious and should hopefully be sorted by a course of steroids and antibiotics. Has anyone else experienced this?

She's also looking a bit better since I upped her hard feed and started adding some veg oil.
 
Only just seen this and Im glad the bloods have shown something up for your mare to let you help treat her.

What did the vet say about feed for her? As my mare 2 years ago showed abnormal liver enzymes and she had to be put on a low protein diet but best quality i can afford to help support the liver. And as far as I was aware feeding oils is also a no no.
It may be worthwhile phoning around some feed suppliers and see what they recommend.
 
Milk Thistle is superb for supporting the Liver and cleansing, cheapest is Dodson & Horrell, the ponies seem to love it as well. I'm surprised your vet didn't mention it as mine sing it's praises for anything to do with the Liver.

I use it twice a yr as i have Acorn trees surrounding my field and like to ensure that if they have ingested some that I am supporting and regenerating the Liver.
 
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