My mare has lost her "gutter"!!!!

[pinkcatkin]

My mare is full ID, always been well covered and always had a "gutter" down her back which I thought she would always have no matter how much weight she lost.

Well, from 7 months of suckling her foal and living out without rugs she has now lost a lot of condition (which is normal). Foalie now being weaned so mare should start to pick up pretty soon. But she has now lost her "gutter" completely.

I am sure she is much healthier, even though she looks quite poor to me. Anybody else have gutters?

 

[Dizzykizzy]

We call it "applebum", but yes my rescue french mare had one (and never lost it while feeding foalie) and foalie looks like she is getting one too!!

 

[Hippona]

OH's mare has an applebum too.....gets bigger in summer!

 

[PapaFrita]

Antifaz has still got a bit of a gutter even though he's actually looking a tiny bit too lean for my liking. I think for some horses an apple bum is just natural. I'd be rather worried if he lost it!

 

[Lyndz]

My mare did! It's gone now she's lost the weight tho! Looks much better for it too!

 

[x_Sammie_x]

im sorry to sound dumb but what does "gutter" and "applebum" mean

 

[pinkcatkin]

[ QUOTE ]
im sorry to sound dumb but what does "gutter" and "applebum" mean

[/ QUOTE ]

It means that along the top of their spine there is an indentation between the fat cheeks of their bottom! Sometimes it is deep enough to collect water drops!!! Look at the shape of an apple where the stalk comes out - just like that!

 

[Paint it Lucky]

My cob used to have one, even though he was really fit and lean otherwise. I used to get annoyed when my nutrition teacher said applebums were the sign of fat horses and unnatural, he definately wasn't fat he'd just always had one.

 

[Faro]

I've heard somewhere, but can't say for sure if it's true or not, that it's a characteristic of Spanish (Andalusian) horses? Anyone else head that?