So soxs recent Blood Tests came back as fine and we are to continue in the same Dose of meds. His body weight is good, 5-6 i would say. However he has recently started to get a Bit of a cresty neck? Ans thoughts as to why?
cresty neck
- Thread starter lauren123
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He's PPID, does he have EMS too? I'd take it as a big warning either way, try to reduce the sugars and calories in his diet and get him doing more work somehow. His blood tests may be ok but don't let that fool you, all that shows is that he's on the right dose of Prascend it doesn't mean he can't get laminitis.
And have a good look at his diet too Lauren, if I'm honest a condition score of 5/6 is on the high side for a horse with metabolic issues to go into spring. Can you soak his hay, and if he's on any hard feed I'd cut that down. Keep a very close eye on him, check for digital pulses daily and also watch around his eyes for any puffiness or the hollows above his eyes filling.
A cresty neck send shivers down my spine, I’d echo everything @carthorse has said.
I am cutting down his Feed from tomorrow and increasing his work from thursday
Hmmmm depends on the size and state of the crest, Faran developed a crest and he still has one but it’s more in tune with his shape and breed and it’s soft so I’m not worrying about it as much.
I found magnesium had a positive effect on his fat deposits wasn’t expensive either
I found magnesium had a positive effect on his fat deposits wasn’t expensive either
A crest is fat plain and simple (the are no muscles above the nuchal ligament so don’t let anyone try to fob you off saying it’s muscle), they should be on the lean side (bcs 4/9) this time of year so they can afford to gain a bit when the grass comes in. Cut feed and increase exercise.
I haven’t heard of anyone saying a crest is muscle however, Some competition horses have crests, especially dressage horses and competing stallions, some geldings have more testosterone despite being gelded, I’ve seen some geldings I thought were stallions due to the crest that weren’t late cut. This cannot just be fat deposits surely
. I’m not disputing what you have said by the way I just think there is more to it than crest means lami ems etc. I’ve always gone by how a neck feels.if a crest is massive and rock solid then it’s time to worry, if it’s small and soft I don’t find it worth freaking out over.
Stallions especially tend to have bigger necks, and dressage/highly schooled horses but it isn’t above the nuchal ligament, it’s below it where there is muscle, so it’s not the same thing. When most people say their horse has developed a crest it’s fat because they don’t get the big neck muscle without serious work (or stallion neck arching building muscles). Sadly I’ve heard many people say it’s muscle when it isn’t, the nuchal ligament is a really clear guide.
Not all cresty horses get lami for sure, but if they are carrying excess fat they are more susceptible. Not all without a crest won’t get it, Jess fits into that bracket, if she gets an inch of crest that’s a lot for her, and she’s had low grade lami with none.
The soft/hard thing definitely seems to play true, if the crest suddenly goes hard it’s definitely a red flag!
But on a tb who’s never been cresty and has generally struggled for weight like Sox, who also has PPID and is now a BCS of 6, I would cut back.
Not all cresty horses get lami for sure, but if they are carrying excess fat they are more susceptible. Not all without a crest won’t get it, Jess fits into that bracket, if she gets an inch of crest that’s a lot for her, and she’s had low grade lami with none.
The soft/hard thing definitely seems to play true, if the crest suddenly goes hard it’s definitely a red flag!
But on a tb who’s never been cresty and has generally struggled for weight like Sox, who also has PPID and is now a BCS of 6, I would cut back.
I think it is great that you noticed and are doing something about it. Hopefully by altering the feed/exercise balance the crest will quickly go back down.
1. Going by the Henneke Scale, Sox is overweight.
2. “—recently started to get a bit of a cresty neck-“.
The word “recently” Indicates he is not a breed with a naturally ARCHED neck. It’s time to worry and get his weight down to get rid of that developing crest.
As someone else commented, cement block hard and also funky stale jello wobbly are both indicators of possible insulin issues.
Cutting his feed back may not help if he is eating the wrong kind of feed. He needs completely off simple sugars and anything that uses soy as the protein source. That means no grains and a ration balance that uses alfalfa for the protein source.
If you board or can’t store a lot of hay, getting the hay tested is probably a waste of money but testing hay when possible is an invaluable resource for feeding metabolic or borderline metabolic horses.
I have had two Metabolic horses. I almost lost the second one to serious founder. His precious self lived ten more years before I lost him to colic. He had developed Cushings two years before his passing.
IR and Cushings don’t have to go hand-in-hand but it is fairly common that they do, I’m afraid
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