Britestar
Well-Known Member
I look after a friends horse sometimes.
He never really looks like he's carrying enough weight. He's a 17.2 warmblood, but his hip bones are always visible, and he runs light in his barrel. His coat is healthy and shiney, and his ribs are covered, but he just is not thrifty. He's happy and lively, but looks as if he is racing fit, that kind of lightweight.
She is aware he could do with more weight, but we're at a bit of a loss why. He's had a full blood count done in last 2 weeks, everything perfectly normal, not even remotely near any of the max/min values. WEC is less than 30, and Elisa test was negative. Checked for liver fluke too as there are sometimes sheep kept in the field. Field is poo picked regularly and harrowed to keep fresh.
He's kept on 3 acres of good grazing, with his little chum. Out for 10-12 hours a day, and when in has plenty of really good quality hay, and is never without food. He probably gets about 10-12kg of hay at night, but never finishes it (something my lot would never do, leave food). He's currently being fed Alfa-Oil, Spillers conditioning mix and nuts, plus soya oil, unmolassed speedibeet and farriers formula. He's also getting Egusin at the moment, but no real change in him. He's getting almost as much hard feed now as he was in the middle of winter! And TBH, he's not looking any better than he did then. He gets ridden 4/5 times a week, never that hard and a mixture of hacking (slowly, with his 11.2hh friend) or schooling. He goes to the occasional show to do dressage, and has a lesson every other week at home.
He has a happy easy life, kept at home no stress. Brought in if its too hot/wet/too many flies. Friend has owned him 8 yrs, last 6 of which kept at home. Its only in last couple of years we have noticed him not being so thrifty.
We have spoken about scoping for EGU, though he does not show any real signs other than inappetance. The biggest problem is there in no-one nearby who can scope, so would involve either a 2.5 or 3.5hr journey each way. That in itself is not a problem but obviously is a whole day thing, bearing in mind he is not showing any real signs.
The Vet is a bit puzzled too, and agrees that he should be better covered at this time of year, but nothing in any tests is suggesting that there is something wrong.
He was started on the Egusin as he had a couple of episodes of colic recently, neither of which appeared to have any kind of trigger. Both times he was out in the field and his owner noticed him lying down and went to check on him. Neither time was he rolling or trashing, just uncomfortable, and he was given Buscopan and within couple of hours had passed droppings and back to normal.
We have wondered about a course of GG to see if that will help.
Any other suggestions?
He never really looks like he's carrying enough weight. He's a 17.2 warmblood, but his hip bones are always visible, and he runs light in his barrel. His coat is healthy and shiney, and his ribs are covered, but he just is not thrifty. He's happy and lively, but looks as if he is racing fit, that kind of lightweight.
She is aware he could do with more weight, but we're at a bit of a loss why. He's had a full blood count done in last 2 weeks, everything perfectly normal, not even remotely near any of the max/min values. WEC is less than 30, and Elisa test was negative. Checked for liver fluke too as there are sometimes sheep kept in the field. Field is poo picked regularly and harrowed to keep fresh.
He's kept on 3 acres of good grazing, with his little chum. Out for 10-12 hours a day, and when in has plenty of really good quality hay, and is never without food. He probably gets about 10-12kg of hay at night, but never finishes it (something my lot would never do, leave food). He's currently being fed Alfa-Oil, Spillers conditioning mix and nuts, plus soya oil, unmolassed speedibeet and farriers formula. He's also getting Egusin at the moment, but no real change in him. He's getting almost as much hard feed now as he was in the middle of winter! And TBH, he's not looking any better than he did then. He gets ridden 4/5 times a week, never that hard and a mixture of hacking (slowly, with his 11.2hh friend) or schooling. He goes to the occasional show to do dressage, and has a lesson every other week at home.
He has a happy easy life, kept at home no stress. Brought in if its too hot/wet/too many flies. Friend has owned him 8 yrs, last 6 of which kept at home. Its only in last couple of years we have noticed him not being so thrifty.
We have spoken about scoping for EGU, though he does not show any real signs other than inappetance. The biggest problem is there in no-one nearby who can scope, so would involve either a 2.5 or 3.5hr journey each way. That in itself is not a problem but obviously is a whole day thing, bearing in mind he is not showing any real signs.
The Vet is a bit puzzled too, and agrees that he should be better covered at this time of year, but nothing in any tests is suggesting that there is something wrong.
He was started on the Egusin as he had a couple of episodes of colic recently, neither of which appeared to have any kind of trigger. Both times he was out in the field and his owner noticed him lying down and went to check on him. Neither time was he rolling or trashing, just uncomfortable, and he was given Buscopan and within couple of hours had passed droppings and back to normal.
We have wondered about a course of GG to see if that will help.
Any other suggestions?
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