What in heavens name could be happening with my horse

[ramirezframing]

You say you had your knee worked on, was you riding him before regularly? If so and you stopped due to the knee, he's probably depressed and might not be eating like he did. With lack of exercise, his back muscles have weakened a bit making him look sway back. Hope you get it figured out and he does better for you. Good luck

 

[Kelly G]

I know you trust these people who are there taking care of him....but....I'd be moving him.

If the vet sees nothing clinically that would be causing him to drop weight (full fecal, teeth RE- checked, scoped for ulcer(s), bloodwork, etc), then he'd be out of that place in a New York Minute!!!

The truth is (and it's hard) that you don't really know what's going on over there...you can't know if you're not there (which, of course, is the reason you're boarding this horse).

Also, be careful putting weight back on this horse...he didn't lose the weight over night and you can't put it on overnight (although that is the urge all of us have when we find a skinny horse). Your vet sounds very good...and he/she will help you safely put weight back on. I like the senior feed - easily digestible. I have also used beet pulp and corn-oil to pack on the pounds...but let your vet be your guide.

Good luck.

Keep us posted.

 

[Eggsoteric]

You say you had your knee worked on, was you riding him before regularly? If so and you stopped due to the knee, he's probably depressed and might not be eating like he did. With lack of exercise, his back muscles have weakened a bit making him look sway back. Hope you get it figured out and he does better for you. Good luck

I agree in part with the above. If he was in consistent work prior to your knee surgery and has since sat for a number of months, chances are he's lost his topline due to not being worked. Although I'd to think differently, I don't believe any of my horses' weight loss would be attributed to them missing me. As long as someone, anyone, feeds them, all is right with their world. I would ask the folks where you board what kind and how much hay they were feeding him thru the winter and how much hay is he getting now. Horses by nature are foragers; and, if all his tests are coming up empty and he's in otherwise good health, in lieu of continuing to up or change his grain, I'd look into getting him some good quality grass or timothy hay and feed it free choice. Best of luck.

 

[primalchick]

I agree in part with the above. If he was in consistent work prior to your knee surgery and has since sat for a number of months, chances are he's lost his topline due to not being worked. Although I'd to think differently, I don't believe any of my horses' weight loss would be attributed to them missing me. As long as someone, anyone, feeds them, all is right with their world. I would ask the folks where you board what kind and how much hay they were feeding him thru the winter and how much hay is he getting now. Horses by nature are foragers; and, if all his tests are coming up empty and he's in otherwise good health, in lieu of continuing to up or change his grain, I'd look into getting him some good quality grass or timothy hay and feed it free choice. Best of luck.

Definitely! If he's not being worked much, he will lose his top line. Combine that with losing so much weight, he could look somewhat like he's swaybacked even though he probably isn't. I also agree that horses won't go off their feed or get depressed from not being rode, I've never heard of that anyways. My boys get 3 months off every winter and they love it, lots of horses up here get time off due to the cold winters. However if that little girl is stressing him out, that could cause him to lose his appetite.

I would move him if possible, or be out there several times/day and handle the feeding yourself to make sure he is getting what he needs and so you can see his daily behavior yourself. Definitely get him on some free choice quality hay in addition to that senior feed. That will help him out the most. A mix with alfa alfa will offer some extra cals, but you want to be careful with that and make sure it's a lower percentage (I wouldn't go higher than 30% alfa alfa on a horse in his condition). I would suggest a timothy or brome mix, and definitely free choice.

 

[Iain Utah]

You have gotten very good responses from everyone (except I respectfully disagree about a horse being off feed because he is depressed from not being ridden/seen by human owner for a while). Horses with nice toplines that then go without exercise for a few months will appear to have a dropped back.

As for the weight loss, I would like to add that there is tremendous variation in hay quality from one place to another. I would have a nutritional analysis done on the current hay. X2 to the posters who also mentioned fecal tests and having teeth checked, both of which can cause weight loss. Another weight gain feed option is Nutrena Empower. It is a bit expensive, but works wonders. Finally, you may want to add probiotics to his feed, which can assist to maximize the benefit of his feed.

 

[eggcited2]

No, his back was fine and normal. It has actually dropped a bunch. He has always been sound for the four years I have had him and I had him checked out before purchasing him.

No alfalfa, since he just for personal riding, (no shows nor speed). Orchard grass mix, fescue, timothy, brome, etc. Half a bale in the morning and half at night. Plenty of hay and fresh, from this year, stored inside. He is eating all his senior feed (the vet has him eating six pounds total a day) and he ate all his oats when he was on them. He has been on oats and hay since I got him in 2008, and always been fine, never any weight loss.

Is he truly swaybacked or does he just have a scoopy/deep back? People sometimes think one of my geldings is swayed back but he isn't. He just has a scoopy back, a conformational issue not a health issue.

Is he sound? What type of hay do they have him on? Is it free choice? If not, how much are they giving him?

He is still young, 13 isn't old. However I agree the senior feed is good for putting weight on horses of any age. If that girl is bothering him, it could be stressing him out which can put a horse off his feed as well.

 

[eggcited2]

I have no other place to move him too. No other stables have openings (unless I go 100+ miles away).

I provide my own hay, so I know where it came from and quality of it. I also provided his grain (rolled/cracked oats) and now provide his Purina Senior. He has daily turn out in pasture (which of course has no grass due to winter).

The equine vet had him at their clinic to do the blood work, exam and she also did a scope to check esophogus, stomach, etc.

He was under these people's care last winter (of 2010-2011) and had none of this at all. He was completely fine.

BTW: the girl was not at the stable last winter, she came there mid summer. And my horse was here at home at that time.

 

[Beekissed]

If this were a human, I'd be thinking cancer and their isn't a blood test for that. Rapid and extensive weight loss for no reason though eating normally , muscle wasting on the topline, older horse that has checked out normally in all other areas...I'd be thinking cancer.

 

[Eggsoteric]

No, his back was fine and normal. It has actually dropped a bunch. He has always been sound for the four years I have had him and I had him checked out before purchasing him.

No alfalfa, since he just for personal riding, (no shows nor speed). Orchard grass mix, fescue, timothy, brome, etc. Half a bale in the morning and half at night. Plenty of hay and fresh, from this year, stored inside. He is eating all his senior feed (the vet has him eating six pounds total a day) and he ate all his oats when he was on them. He has been on oats and hay since I got him in 2008, and always been fine, never any weight loss.

How many pounds does your half a bale equal. Everyone's bales vary in size and weight. Is he fed his meals (both hay and grain) in a stall or in a field; any competition for his hay? During the winter months in particular, my horses have free access to hay 24/7. Hope you can get to the bottom of his weight loss.

 

[eggcited2]

A whole bale is 50-60 pounds, so half would be 25-30 pounds. All food is in his stall, and no other animal can get to it. There is enough hay that he has it to eat on all day if he wants.

How many pounds does your half a bale equal. Everyone's bales vary in size and weight. Is he fed his meals (both hay and grain) in a stall or in a field; any competition for his hay? During the winter months in particular, my horses have free access to hay 24/7. Hope you can get to the bottom of his weight loss.