Old girl - too skinny?

kerrieberry2

kerrieberry2

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I know she's not that skinny but she is skinny for her! She's lost about 40kgs since the summer!

What do you guys think? am I worrying too much!

She's 28, hasn't been in work for a year, recently diagnosed with cushings. Since her meds have been upped to 3 tablets a day she has gone off her food, only eating about half of it, so I've cut it down and started giving her 2 feeds a day, which she's still not eating all of! She has adlib hay, which she is eating almost every time I get to the yard!! so she's not starving but I do worry about her! Oh and she's living out 24/7 at the moment as she hates coming in a night!

Can you have a look at the pics and just put my mind at ease? when she was grooming the boy earlier I could see her ribs, and she's always been an easy horse to keep, no/very little hard feed needed and she was always like the size of a hippo!!

Sorry the pics are just links, I don't know how to get them to show up on the post! THANKS everyone







 
Looks fine to me given age and time of year :)

Our 27yo is chubbier, but I'd be happy if he looked like this.

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She looks fine, but why is she fully clipped if she's not in hard work?
I know Cushings ponies grow thick coats (I have one) but I just adjust rugging or don't rug accordingly....
 
glamourpuss said:
She looks fine, but why is she fully clipped if she's not in hard work?
I know Cushings ponies grow thick coats (I have one) but I just adjust rugging or don't rug accordingly....
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She's had pretty bad ringworm, due to her low immune system from cushings, and I had to clip her out to find out where she needed to be treated! even on the insides of her back legs! because he coat was so long I couldn't see all of the areas until she was clipped! Its because of the ringworm and serious itching issues that we discovered the cushings!!!!
 
but thanks everyone, I guess its because I'm used to her being a lot fatter! just worry about her loads at the moment, she seems to have aged a lot recently!! bless her!
 
Ah I see! That's a pain at this time of year.
I have a fussy eater (not my Cushing pony she'll eat anything) I've found fenugreek seems to help him finish up.
If you are worried then up her hay or even look at some Haylage ( my pony does fine on the hi-fibre Haylage from Mole Farmers)
 
glamourpuss said:
Ah I see! That's a pain at this time of year.
I have a fussy eater (not my Cushing pony she'll eat anything) I've found fenugreek seems to help him finish up.
If you are worried then up her hay or even look at some Haylage ( my pony does fine on the hi-fibre Haylage from Mole Farmers)
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I know its been a right pain, trying to bath her and dry her legs off in the cold was very interesting, she wasn't too keen on having a blow dry either hehe! but seems to be clearing up now, though the patches seem to be going back with black hair? randomly!

I'll have a look into fenugreek, not used that before?

Do we not need to be careful with haylage and cushings? I assumed it would have too much sugar in it? if not, then I might grab some bales and leave her in for an hour a day to eat it!

She's always been a pig and eaten anything up until her meds were upped!!
 
When we had an oldie who was difficult to feed we didn't notice when she dropped weight, our farrier who had known her for years, pointed it out. It is useful to have someone who doesn't see them every day, but knows them, to cast an eye over them in the flesh, we do tend to weigh tape them every week these days. I always ind it quite difficult to tell weight from pictures.
 
starryeyed said:
Haylage-wise, the HorseHage "high fibre" (blue packet) would be safe for a lami/cushings pony and would be more tempting than soaked hay if she starts to turn her nose up at it - this is the one you would need: http://www.horsehageforage.co.uk/WP/?page_id=22
I think she looks a good weight at the moment, I'd just keep an eye on her. x
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Ah lovely, thank you, ill defo get some of the blue horsehage then, that also might help me to get her used to coming back in so she can start coming in at night again :)
 
I think she looks ok, I'd be happy for her age and time of year especially. I assume she's rugged? Can you add oil? I don't know much about cushings and weight gain tbh as my cushings horse is the other way!
 
kerrieberry2 said:
Ah lovely, thank you, ill defo get some of the blue horsehage then, that also might help me to get her used to coming back in so she can start coming in at night again :)
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The mole valley farmers Hi-fibre is the same as the blue horsehage...just cheaper ;)
My Pony loves the stuff!

There is also the Hi-spec I certainly wouldn't feed that to a Cushing pony.
 
i had the same with my cushings horse last winter but she was also not eating her hay so more of a problem. i changed all of her feed as she wouldnt touch it (she had been having the same for years with no problem) i now feed fast fibre,formula4feet and baileys light chaff(this is quite minty) and she has been finishing it completely. mine also looked a but like yours, she went very narrow in front ..have just checked and she went up to 3 tablets and shortly after stopped eating..may be a coincidence but maybe the medication makes their taste buds change... mine is now on 3 1/2 prascend daily and is still eating ok thank goodness.
yours looks very good for her age btw....
 
We have three on Cushings meds since October and they are only just starting eating their bucket feeds again properly since being on Prascend. If she's only recently been started on an increased dose of meds it might just be the Prascend veil affecting her eating and you may find that you need to drop the dose until she gets her appetite back and then increase it more slowly. Have a word with your vet about it.
 
Update,

weighed the old girl today, she's stayed the same weight but had the vet out for a re-test for her cushings and she said that she is really happy with her weight, and that she is looking good considering! however she has a bit of a nasty cough and a snooty nose, not green but on anti b's just to prevent it turning into a chest infections! Oh the joys of a low immune system! <3 her!!
 
I think she looks fine for a old lady too .
She's a lucky old horse settled in her home and watched over if only they where all so lucky.
 
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