Veteran a bit off.

Roasted Chestnuts

Roasted Chestnuts

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 July 2008
Messages
8,744
Location
Scotland
Visit site
My veteran gelding (nearly 22) has been out 24/7 since he came back in august, hes got the run of 4 acres of rough but decent grazing and ponies on the other side of the fence so hes been as happy as larry and his usual bouncy self.

The last three days though hes not been eating his hard feed and not drinking very much and im getting a bit concerned, Ive spoken to the vet who has advised me to bring him in for a day and feed and water and hay as normal, im tempted to give him a warm feed (mostly fibre being VV and alfalfa) and take the edge off the cold in his water by adding a bit of hot water to encourage him to drink.

He normally drinks from the stream in the field but its frozen and onl a trickle so I have been supping it with a big tubtrug of water but it hasnt went down other than what i have taken in ice out it for the last two days and I thought that he was getting from stream but not so

He NEVER leaves a feed, he can be unpredictable drinking wise ie lots one day then next to none the next so just a bit worried anyone had anything similar? Vet thinks hes just maybe feeling a bit off colour and will come out if he doesnt eat, drink or poop in the next 48 hours, Ive seen fresh poops in the field so He seems to be pooping fine, but hes just been standing about roughly the same place where as normally I have to shout and wait for him to appear with the field being so big.

Hes rugged and warm to the touch underneath, no snot or any other signs as yet and doesnt seem pale in the gums when I checked, just a bit perplexed as this wee horse is rarely ill hes had a few knocks over the years but hes generally a very healthy wee horse.

Ideas please, hes insured for injury but not for illness due to his age, worming etc up to date, teeth are due in jan and booked with dentist.
 
You don't mention Cushings at all. Statistically, your lad will be approximately 60% or so likely to have it. The symptoms that Cushings causes are much, much wider than just a curly coat. Worth getting his ACTH levels checked through a blood test as a start x
 
L had a day like this. I paniced. Turned out she was cold. The oldies are here to worry us. No help but didn't want to read and run as I know how stressful it can be.
 
Probably no help, but i would say its likely due to this cold weather we have been happening. Im with the vet- bring in and feed i would warm feed and water- did this for my oldie in winter really helped encourage him to drink.
He may just be having an off time as he is walking on hard ground and also having to lie on hard ground.
 
My oldie (26) also looked a bit off in the field so I've brought her in at night for a couple of days so she can eat her tea in peace and have some hay to herself. She seems ok now. Think they just get a bit run down from time to time
 
Agree with vet and the others it could just be the freezing weather, the ground has been solid so he maynot be lying down, bring him in for a rest and a pamper and see if he perks up, mine love drinking warm water from a bucket when its really cold.
 
Thanks guys

Ive discussed cushings with the vet who doesnt think he has it, I had a few oither cncernes when he came back from loan and had things checked and hes not by the vets exams a likely cushings case although for the sake of blood test (which is stress ful to my boy he hates needles of any description )if I or the vet thought there was a remote chance I would have him tested, if he doesnt pick up bloos is the first thing I ask for anyway, thank you though I will requested it tested if he doesnt pick up :)

Right well in and warm food and chill taken off water andd i will see how we go over the next 48 hours.
 
Ive had to syringe water and electrolytes into him as when I went up he was still in the same place and water was still as full as yesterday and feed and hay (which i popped out) was untouched. So hes had 4x200mls syringes of lukewarm water into him and was nibbling on a warm sloppy feed of VV with mint cordial in it (he eats anything in this) so at home at the minute to refill the water drums and get myself some food then back up to check hes eaten what I gave him and see if hes started eating.

Also sprayed the hay with cordial before it went in the haynet so hopefully this tempts him a bit more. If he has eaten the feed and started on the hay Ill take his temp and if fine il leave him in over night and see how he is tomorrow as vet said. Hopefully this will perk him up.
 
Well he has eaten half the haynet and all of the sloppy feed water wtill wasn't touched so I added a little more hot water to warm it up and added some cordial to that as well and he took a good mouthful or two then went back to his haynet. Also a fresh poo and he has pee'd as well so everything seems to be working. Peee smelled stronger than usual and there was a bit more colour but nothing I haven't smelt from him before in the past.

My dad is going up with straw later and I've left a feed sitting for him to add hot water to and stirr to see if he will eat more slopppy VV. If he hasn't drank anymore or finished the hay by then The vet will be out for bloods.
 
Hope your boy ok , I struggle
With one of mine in cold
Wheather not wanting to
Drink ect he has to have warm feeds and warm water with juice in to encourage him to drink , this might help
, keep us updated x x
 
Well as of late last night my boy has drank a full tubtrug of water, eaten most of his hay and has three sloppy feeds of VV :)

My friend checked him this am at 9am and Im heading up to feed and hay in the afternoon, she said he was tucking into his breakfast when she left, again sloppy VV and had eaten all his hay :)

Hoping that when i go up hes eten everything and drank more so I can feel a bit more at ease that hes ok :)
 
Sounds like you may need to take precautions now if weather goes very frozen again. I would keep in when frozen ground or forecast cold. Just to be safe. My old lad was same only used to go out in bad weather while mucked out.
Except fresh snow he loved a good few hours digging!
Glad he is happy now he is warm and able to lie down. A lot of older horses don't lie on frozen ground. You could put a straw bed in field for him too that may help.
 
My boy is 14 so not as old as your OAP by any means but he do's hunt twice a week since he was 5 he has been out 24/7 for as long as I can think but last week I actually bought him in at night and he loves it, it has been so wet and I do have good old pasture but they do like to have a lie down and a nice warm stable my stable is very big so he can wonder about then in the morning he go's out, I do feel very happy now knowing he is in when its Peeing it down or is chilly at night now .
 
My 19 year old Mare wasn't her usual sparkly self recently and I got her bloods tested. Her red cell count was slightly low and white cell count low too. Vet said she probably had been fighting a virus and to give her an iron tonic. She has been on it a few weeks so far and is noticeably improved.
 
In this last cold snap, our sodden fields turned to sheet ice so the 3 boys , aged 13,14 and 22, came in. As soon as the stable doors closed, all 3 lay down for a good kip. They get tired and stiff standing on frozen mud for days at a time. In the wild, the herd would look for shelter that they can't find stuck in a bleak icy field
 
elduende said:
In this last cold snap, our sodden fields turned to sheet ice so the 3 boys , aged 13,14 and 22, came in. As soon as the stable doors closed, all 3 lay down for a good kip. They get tired and stiff standing on frozen mud for days at a time. In the wild, the herd would look for shelter that they can't find stuck in a bleak icy field
Click to expand...

elduende this is exactly what I mean , also I started giving my boy Propell plus as a tonic.
 
Just a note, I was feeding my 27yr old VV but I seem to remember the advise from Alan and page said not to feed it if your horse has Cushings! its been suggested that my old lady might have cushings so I have swapped her to Fast fibre, just in case! and will get her tested next time the vet is out!

but vet did say to me at a horse of her age has about 90% chance of having cushings!

also watched a really good video on www.thehorse.com the other day about caring for the vetran horse! and a lot of what you said is what they said in their video about a horse that might have cushings!

so it might be worth considering?
 
Well the old bampot wouldn't come in last night :rolleyes: and trying to catch a horse in four acres that don't wanna be caught is an effort in futility :rolleyes:

Ill apprehend the monster this afternoon, its thawed up here a bit so hopefully he will be better :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top