Horse feeling under the weather?

[Murphs]

Any tips or suggestions? Can't put my finger on anything specific but my mare seems a little down recently. Not overly excited about working (ok that's fairly normal!) but more so recently. She's out 24/7 - rugged, has only a bib clip - she's a cob cross so has a nice thick coat- her ears feel warm so rug is keeping her warm. There is very little grass but she is having ad lib hay - she's carrying excess weight so she's not getting any hard feed. Apples & carrotts with her hilton herbs muliflex supplement to keep her joints in good working order (she's 11).

I wonder if she feels like i do when i start to get a cold and feel extra tired - i can take a hot lemon and start to feel a bit better. Is there a horsey equivalent?

[ponyvet]

Actually it sounds to me like she's got nothing wrong. If she's not clipped, and has a good coat and is a bit overweight she probably doesn't need to be wearing a rug at all! In fact if she doesn't have one on her metabolic rate will increase, due to keeping warm, and she'll lose weight faster and have more energy. She's probably feeling so warm and toasty that she's going into semi-hibernation!!!!!! :D (like me! I never want to do any work if I'm warm and cozy in my bed and it's cold out!)

Horses that aren't clipped don't need to be wrapped up just because we need to be wearing our coats. Remember that warm fluffy coat and that horses are designed to live outside in all weather. i would rug them up if they're thin skinned types, it's pouring with rain and freezing cold winds, or if they're well clipped but otherwise don't bother. :D

[skye]

My horse became very quiet and uninterested in work about a month ago.He is clipped right out and is well rugged but was very underweight.He was recieving 1kg of pasture mix and 2kg of conditioning mix and he was still very skinny and quiet.The vet checked him over and he seemed fine health wise other than the weight loss (which he put down to age he is 30yrs) and suggested it may be a nutrient problem he may not be able to digest the food like he used to ,so he said to try a mix for old horses or a feed balancer (basicly anything that could be digested easier and had a very high nutrient content)I was lucky enough to win a competition for 3months feed balancer,he has been on this just over 6wks and he has filled out his tempermant is back to normal and he is looking fantastic.As your horse needs to lose weight i wouldn't suggest a feed balancer but a vitamin and mineral supplement .This would top up anything that may be missing in her diet.If she is being worked and is sweating slightly she will lose nutrients.A vit/min supplement would help that.Also any extra weight may make her feel quiet.
good luck!;)

[lamprellsarah]

i think horses can go though unhappy patchs just like humans can, he may just feel slightly rough or maybe the herd aren't very stable at the moment this happens soemtimes if horse are put in or taken away, or maybe it is just the weather!!! :)

[claireh]

Hi Debbie,

Just wondered if Eb's has brightened up yet? Hope that there's nothing wrong. Pageant went through a 'not quite right' patch a while ago, and then seemed to snap out of it for no reason- maybe it's the weather or something!
I will e-mail properly very soon- everything is fairly manic at work and home at this time of year!

Hope you and Byron are both well,

[Murphs]

Hi Claire

I think it's probably her usual, "if i mump about a bit and look really hungry(!!!!!), Mum will give me some hard feed and lay off asking me to do nything i don't want to" wrong again Ebs (ish, i'm weakening on the feed front but trying just succulents and i'm going to get a vitimin supplement and see how we go).

Byron got home last night - weather a bit of a shock to the system! otherwise we are all fine.

look forward to your e mail

Debbie