Twitchy horse, deficiency or ?

little_critter

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My mare has started to sometimes twitch like she has a fly on her, she is also swishing her tail.
She is in a stable, in a rug, in the middle of winter so there are no flies on her. I’m just wondering if it could be some sort of vit / min deficiency or something else.
She is a TB fed speedibeet, grass chaff and a balancer. She has ad lib hay.
She is not doing it all the time, it’s just caught my eye as being a bit odd when I see her do it.
She is currently on box rest due to a cut leg but is being a perfect patient and doesn’t seem agitated. She has also done the twitching and swishing when not on box rest.
 

The Fuzzy Furry

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You've checked for sheep/deer keds? Usually found nr top of tail in coat, easily removed with tweezers, can cause twitching by those afflicted, this is the worst time of year through till April.
Often, removing rugs can make the keds move, thus making horse twitch more.

Worth checking to rule out x
 

little_critter

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Thank you, I’ll have a good check over. She has a fine coat so it’s hard for things like this to hide but I’ll check her thoroughly.
 

little_critter

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I checked her carefully for keds and couldn’t find any. Ive also given her udder and bottom a good clean. I’ll see if she is still twitching today.
For info the twitching didn’t seem to focus near the quarters, if anything it was more withers / shoulder / flanks.
 

Leo Walker

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Twitching can be a sign of magnesium deficiency and thats incredibly common in the UK. As magnesium almost certainly wont cause any issues and is cheap enough it would be well worth trying it for a few weeks. Add a large dose of salt as well. 10gms per 100kgs of body weight. Salt really is magic stuff for horses!
 

little_critter

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Thank you. I have some Magnitude somewhere. She has a salt lick but doesn’t seem to have used it recently, I’ll pop some salt in her feed too.
 

Myloubylou

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Interesting. My mare twitched in wither region last year about this time, worse when ridden. had physio to her in case was muscle pull, normal. I then started her on salt, normally feed in the warm weather and it went away. She has a salt lick but is recreational :) surprising how much salt is recommended & they can’t get from lick alone
 
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