Why does my horse look really skinny aroung the hips but fat tummy?

Could she have worms?

equibling~ Do you have an after of the second horse? I need to see that he/she is doing better. That image is just horrible!!!! Thank goodness you came along!!!!!!

Your did a remarkable job on the first horse. It's gorgeous!!!!

Equib - I rescued a horse very similar to the second one you have pictured, except the feet weren't so bad. Here is how he turned out. About 16hh after a year of good food.

Quote:
I agree with everyone on keeping her on a deworming schedule. However, at ages 2 to 4 or even 5 they loose their teeth. I infact have been battling weight on one of my three year olds. She is wormed regularly and is on free choice hay and pasture with feed. I felt up inside her mouth and she had massive loss of the baby teeth and new ones that had not decended. Her front four middle were growing in and not touching and yet her others in front were leaving her with a big gap and unable to bit off grass. Over all it has been a scary few months with her. She is a picky eater, so it was just a matter of keeping what we could down her and waiting for those teeth to finish growing in. She refused to eat any mash and only would eat (even if it was just swallowing whole) Omolene 200. When a horse swallows their feed like that the belly won't digest it nearly as well. So they are left with a bloated look as well. My other 3 yr old and our 4 yr old are fine and have lost teeth like most normal horses -- a few at a time.

So please have her teeth checked. There isn't a whole lot the dentist can do with no teeth like my situation.

I don't know how long you have had her but I can tell you this... I have done more than my share of rescues. I agree with what is on the post... Worms will also leave a poor hair coat and sunken eyes and lethargy... If it is poor digestion or feed overload.... Say she is new to you and your are "feeding her up"... trying to put the weight on... Be careful... It is easier when a horse is compromised nutritionally to do harm than it is to help. My recommendation is Free choice alfalfa and do not up the grain ration but by the smallest increments... this can cause bloat and gastric upset and can set off a bout of colic. If you have had the horse a while and this is a new thing... check all feed changes... Look at the color of the gums and make sure everything is moving as it should be (gut sounds) and by all means if you haven't wormed... do that. Every horse should be on a regular program for the area... taking into consideration the type of worms and cycle for the given area. Good luck and feel free to send me some photos etc if you need any additionals.

just wondering if your a first time horse owner?....if so..or not..i'd be on the phone with my vet....first off a 3 year old mare is way to young to be in foal ( still growing her self) ....i would go to the local farm store and pick up ivermactin gold (sp) x 2...worm her now and then again in 2 weeks (we call it shocking ) have you checked her teeth? horses at that age loose teeth (they look rotten) call you vet to have them pulled....is she out on grass? and what are your feeding her?(hay, grains, minruals ect), untill the vet comes to see her try soaking her feed a few minutes before feeding her, also try adding a cup of corn oil in to her feed, that will also help.

246 what you decribes is epm, very devistating to a horse

Quote:
Yes thats it EPM ! thanks....one of the neighbours boarding horses has it....full blown...I guess its getting better now...but very sad to see this huge majestic horse walking like its drunk....the owner is a vet tech so he has been well taken care of...
Our trainer had suspected our arab X may have it ...he showed us some boarding horses in his barn that have it at the beginning stages...where it was easy to handle and fix....a couple people have asked me if she has been checked out....makes me worry....

Also check her manure for sand.

Lots of two and three year olds look lanky when they are growing, but have a belly from worms or hay, as above mentioned. I would get a vet check, ASAP. Worth the money!!