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| "OLD" horse questions (Long, sorry!); Anyone else with a senior citizen? | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: May 16 2007, 09:18 AM (337 Views) | |
| Trialbyfire | May 16 2007, 09:18 AM Post #1 |
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You're BANNED!
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I have an "at least 29" year old QH gelding who has recently *retired* to my backyard barn with my two mares. My mares are 12 and 15, so he's pretty old in comparison and I'm curious about a few things and whether they are age issues or nutrition. I know he's had a tough last year and the owner took him from the farm he was boarded at (my neighbor, who has animal control patrolling by every day) and built a little barn at her house for him. He was very underweight and his teeth were very bad. However, she doesn't have a tremendous amount of horse knowledge (as if I do, but less than me anyway)...and didn't worm him properly (never rotated, just used ivermectin), and also fed him a bran mash daily for about 6 weeks when she got him, and had him on a lower quality hay than I would like him on..... So the issues -- his coat is very long and dull and his hair won't stop shedding. He's got a ton of it, so he's not going bald by any means, but I'm amazed that he's still shedding considering how much stripping and currying I've done. And he has a ton of dandruff. I want to bathe him but thought it might be better to wait until most of the winter coat has come out (otherwise he might be a big mess), but maybe that's just what he needs. His mane is thin and dry looking. His summer coat looks much nicer and is much shorter, so Cushings has also come to mind but not sure he really has the right symptoms. What we've done: I power-packed him last week (after checking with the vet that this was ok) and he'll join my mare's worming schedule in July. The vet checked his teeth and said they are fine for now. He's getting about 6 lbs senior feed (two feedings of 3lbs) - just gradually finished switching him from Pennfields to Triple Crown, which is what I have my TB mare on and like it. I feed a nice soft 2nd cutting and also give him a small flake of alfalfa twice a day. He's up to date on vaccines, so I did not have the vet do anything else for him at the last visit (my mares were due for teeth floating). Is crappy hair and coat an "OLD" thing, or is it likely a nutrition thing? He's not underweight anymore, but does have a sway back so it's harder to really tell how healthy his weight is. Would you increase the senior feed or add oil? I'm not worried about him, but am hoping that he'll really blossom a bit more when the ugly coat comes out.....I hope! Here's a picture, although he's COVERED in mud (but does show his weight & swayback): http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7da0...26108QcuHDNyxaO Any advice from those with oldies would be appreciated! He's a great old guy and we'd like to keep him going for a lot longer! |
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| Lawndart | May 16 2007, 09:49 AM Post #2 |
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Slave to Horses, Beagles, and Kids
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Definately add oil. Especially oil over increase in grain. From the photo he has a cresty neck, so I'd be cautious with grain with that guy. In my experience (I have an equine retirement farm) the hair is the first to show stress on the oldsters. A dull, or overly long hair coat is your warning sign that the nutrition you are feeding is either all being burned up by another part of the body, or is whipping right thru him. He looks to be in good weight for his age, so its probably not whippping thru him. (Dull haircoat can also be a sign of chronic illness) Oil will help that, particularly Cocosoya oil. I find the Cocosoya more palatable to the oldsters than just plain corn or vegetable oil. You can get it from Uckele nutrition. Cocosoya oil link I order a 55 gallon drum every fall that I feed thru winter. I feed BOSS spring summer and fall, because its cheaper, and then the birds will scratch apart the manure piles to look for seeds, so I don't have to chain drag His swayback will improve some with exercise, a swayback is mostly from muscle loss when they quit riding (unless there is an injury to the area). As long as his teeth and basic body functions are OK, he should shed out fine. The older they are, the more haircoat most of them seem to get, and sometimes it takes weeks to get them shed out properly. That said, pulling blood to test for cushings is always a good idea. If caught early, I believe chasteberry herb has had good results for Cushings horses. Even if negative, it will give you a base to work against in the future if he gets ill. The old ones go downhill much faster then the young, so being on top of things is always good.
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| tbtrailrider | May 16 2007, 09:53 AM Post #3 |
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Shunnnnn the unbeliever. Shunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
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a good worming will often make a horse shed like mad, IME. |
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| CanadianStarz | May 16 2007, 11:22 AM Post #4 |
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Magical Leopluridon
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A good worming, plus a couple baths with Iodine and Aloe Shampoo, will help to bring his coat up and encourage it to shed somewhat. The elders here, are also longer in the shedding department than their counterparts. Keep an eye on his teeth, and give him lots of easy to digest foods designed for Seniors. We have about 4 Golden Oldies here to retire from Faithful Service Duties, that are upwards in their 3o's, and sadly had to part with our eldest ever last season at 47 yrs. young.
Your fella looks like he is in pretty good shape considering his age. Throw a saddle on him occasionally, if only for a short walk around the field.
We found that they really picked up, when they had some attention and involvement, other than being "just an ornament."
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| twhrider13 | May 16 2007, 11:44 AM Post #5 |
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We're on a bridge, Chaaaaaaaaarlie!
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Sounds stupid, but my farrier told me that a handful of cottonseed meal over a horse's feed will help them to shed out more quickly. I thought he was nuts, but tried it anyway. Now all my horses are slick as a button. (The stuff is super-cheap, too.) |
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| Trialbyfire | May 16 2007, 11:55 AM Post #6 |
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You're BANNED!
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Thanks everyone! I feel much better already! To say that his last year was stressed is an understatement, so hopefully he'll be a handsome devil before you know it! He was a lesson horse and has a fantastic temperment, but was being neglected among with a whole bunch of other horses (including my TB mare). The owner never really wanted him at her home (doesn't really have a farm), but when she saw how thin he had gotten and then he had an accident (tied to a tree while grazing and fell down a hill and couldn't get up because of the lunge line....:no:) she got him out of there. She got a little companion pony for her daughter but after about 6 months the girl had no interest anymore so she had him trained and sold him. This old guy was home alone for about 3 months before we figured out a retirement plan for him. His owner said he was sort of "on guard" most of the time....now he looks like this (he's the sleeping chestnut one): http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7da1...26108QcuHDNyxaO Anyway.....sounds like he's old but not too far gone! I'll definitely get him bathed and keep working at the shedding hair....will keep an eye on his teeth and get some oil/fat into his feed (have never heard of cottonseed meal, though!) He is definitely rideable and the owner is bringing his tack over here so we'll be able to hop on and my kids can't wait. The owner didn't have any place to ride him, so I think he's only been ridden 2-3 times in this last year, just short rides on the road. We've just had a riding arena put in so they've been confined to a relatively small turnout area, but once the fences are up they'll have a lot more room and some nice grass, too! They are out 24/7 which he seems to like, as well. Thanks for your insight! Just want to make sure we are doing all the right things!
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| Fish Cheeks | May 16 2007, 06:57 PM Post #7 |
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You're BANNED!
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My Old Man passed away this winter in his early 30s (our best guess at his age), but between when I got him and when he passed away, he was in good health. When we got him (he came with the house), he was moderately thin and not in good coat. I fed him good grass hay (according to weight, or what I wanted him to weigh), alfalfa pellets, and a custom vitamin/mineral blend. I now have another old guy who came to me with an awful coat, skinny, and with terrible teeth - he can't eat hay. I feed him a (soaked) bucket of alfalfa pellets and rice bran 4x/day and also give him the custom vitamin/mineral blend. I did notice that with both old guys that they did take longer to shed out, but with dilligent use of my shedding blade, they eventually got a wonderful bloom! Both my old timers were lame when I got them but seemed to enjoy their life and always had a nicker for me, even though they weren't "useable". Their job is to babysit and they are/were pros! Good luck with him - he's lucky to have found you! |
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| DairyQueen2049 | May 17 2007, 05:31 AM Post #8 |
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DRAGON BREATH. DRAGGIN' BUTT
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I just love these old horse stories... hmmm, I smell a new thread..... |
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and sadly had to part with our eldest ever last season at 47 yrs. young.
Your fella looks like he is in pretty good shape considering his age. Throw a saddle on him occasionally, if only for a short walk around the field.
We found that they really picked up, when they had some attention and involvement, other than being "just an ornament."

6:00 PM Jul 10