| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| jaj |
Posted - 03 Nov 2010 : 1:24:28 PM
K is beginning to look her age bless her  .
She will be 20 years old next April and has had 3 foals so yes she has that brood mare tummy and back but she just is looking a bit more motheaten than I would like.
She is stabled at night, turnout in nice field that still has plenty to nibble in, big thick straw bed and rubber matting, lovely ad lib hay, one feed at the moment but will increase to 2 as it gets colder. Feed consists of Bailey's conditioning mix, alpha a oil, generous amount of speedibeet and and extra slug of soya oil for good luck.
Vet saw her this morning to do her teeth which she always says are very good for her age which is great  . Had her jabs at the same time but I felt sad when the vet agreed that she is starting to show her age a bit now  .
She has a very good coat developing but refuses point blank to wear a rug in the field (panics and runs through fences etc, very seriously hates them). Strangely she will be rugged in the stable though but it does leave the problem of her really feeling the cold in the depths of winter if she is rugged up to the gunnels at night and then they all get taken off to go out during the day for a few hours. Last year I didn't rug her at all due to this problem and she did seem fine but obviously isn't good if all her energy is going on keeping warm rather than keeping the weight on.
Sorry am just pondering out loud as just don't want her to get older but no one can help with that sadly . Oh I also feed her on barley rings and cereal in depths of winter to help keep weight on but just wondered if there is anything I haven't thought of? Supplements or are they all a con? Vet did suggest glucosamine to help prevent onset of arthritis which fortunately she isn't showing any signs of.
Thank you for reading, any suggestions gratefully received . |
| 18 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| jaj |
Posted - 10 Nov 2010 : 9:23:50 PM
Could well be Lynda, that's a very interesting and plausible theory.
She doesn't run around so much as just bolts to the gate and then becomes extremely agitated if you don't rescue her. She weaves back and forth or if it's flimsy electric tape will just go through it. Once she's by or in her stable she completely calms down and falls asleep  ! She never gets over it on the same day even if you remove the rug it's as though a trigger has been switched over in her head and she needs a night to get over it  . Actually it's not funny at all but I know how to deal with it now. I did tell her tonight how much I loved her even if she is everso slightly bonkers  !
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| LYNDILOU |
Posted - 10 Nov 2010 : 6:08:43 PM
I am wondering jen , if she didnt have a wasp or spider bite under her rug and remembers it when she goes out??? , I once got some rugs out from storage and found Huge queen wasps in them  they hibernate through the winter months. it could be one was inside her rug and stung her? you said she was ok for 7 years and then it all changed , maybe that was the change? I make a point of checking all rugs now before putting them on.
also has your place got a round pen you could put her in with a rug on? she may run around to start with but then might calm down? just a thought |
| jackiedo |
Posted - 10 Nov 2010 : 4:00:56 PM
I give mine veteran mix and linseed (boiled) in a mash twice a week. I put an egg cup of Codliver Oil in her mix too. She came out of winter very well, having lived out rugged up with ad lib hay |
| Callisto |
Posted - 10 Nov 2010 : 3:30:38 PM
We leave the stable door open for our arthriticky 23 year old mare, on the advice of our vet, to stop her stiffening up at night. She can wander the (secure) yard and chat to the others. She wears a mediumweight turnout with neck, but you know if it's been a wet night because there are no droppings in the yard. She really doesn't like being out in bad weather - day or night. She gets two feeds a day, plus vegetable oil and her glucosamine and Chondroitin supplement, and a hay net at night. Turned out (whether she likes it or not - apart from dreadful days when they all stay in) daily. |
| marengo |
Posted - 10 Nov 2010 : 1:33:18 PM
Just a quick note to say that you can get vegetarian glucosamine (in contrast, you can't get vegetarian forms of chondroitin though; it only comes from animal collagen forms). Top Spec's joint supplement is made from the vegetarian version of glucosamine, for example. |
| jaj |
Posted - 10 Nov 2010 : 1:28:19 PM
She's having two warm feeds a day now and have increased amounts plus added soaked barley rings, badminton cereal and dose of Glucosamine.
She really didn't want to go out yesterday and just stood looking miserable by the gate all day. Ok this morning as sunny - she's the best barometer on earth! I think I'm going to clear the little yard and just let her wander around in there on her 'bad' days, she can potter in and out of her little house at will then and the boy will be in the field next to her so hopefully they will both be happy with that arrangement bless 'em  .
Edited to remove the name of glucosamine brand using just in case  ! |
| gossy |
Posted - 10 Nov 2010 : 1:18:06 PM
most rugs these days are breathable i have a 22 year old and she wears a turnout rug 24/7 as do the other 3 they have 24hour access to stable and field though,and they have 2 feeds a day in the winter and adlib hay. |
| sandstorm |
Posted - 03 Nov 2010 : 7:51:17 PM
We have a few oldies here up to 33 yold we have found ready fibre mash works really well as some have lost a few teeth and find haylage difficult to chew , they have 3 feeds a day now . We noticed a big difference as a couple were dropping a bit of weight . They are nice and covered now and really enjoy it i soak it with my sugarbeet and a herb type mix .
My vet said we start our lives on baby food and end it on babyfood lol . |
| Vera |
Posted - 03 Nov 2010 : 6:21:45 PM
Originally posted by Misshana
Regarding glucosomine, there is a letter in the latest BHS mag from an owner who had problems resulting from this as it is made from crushed shellfish, therefore can get fish allergy and her older horse was pretty poorly before she realised why? She was feeding a well know supplement which she obviously did not name
This is very misleading!!
Glucosamine is a compound found naturally in the body, made from glucose and the amino acid glutamine - nothing to do with shell fish!
I think they must be referring to a joint supplement made from green lipped mussel or containing green lipped mussel.
Glucosamine is an excellent supplement to give older horses. I've been giving it to Dennis for the last 4 years. I use Newmarket Joint Supplement - its £80 a tub but don't let that put you off as a tub lasts 4 months but there are simply loads on the market to choose from.
I'd recommend Brewers Yeast too, a great pick me up and cheap as chips!
Pink Powder is a very good pick me up too.
Or I used to give Perissa a supplement called Equisup- its a high iron vit/min green liquid supplement. She absolutely loved it and would lick it off a spoon.
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| jaj |
Posted - 03 Nov 2010 : 5:58:12 PM
Thank you for all your kind replies!
Mrs V, yes she does have ad lib hay in the field and stable and I will be resting half of the paddock very soon so that it has maximum growth time for next year. You are right in thinking that she is a ridden mare (well of a fashion !), funnily enough she was fine with the turnout rugs for first 7 or so years it's only the last few years that she's become so particular! Tahir who posts on here occasionally has a mare who suddenly started behaving in the same way a few years back - most peculiar  .
Offira and Pashon, we've tried to leave a rug on and pretend it's not there in the morning but she ain't having none of it ! It's honestly as though somebody has dropped a lion on her back - so strange. I might do a short 'test run' though this year as it has been a year or so since I last tried. Oh yes you have reminded me that I was feeding linseed too last winter and will have the packet somewhere buried in the feed room.
Missharia that is scary re the supplement ! Riff raff I will pm you re the glucosamine and msm. My little chap is having msm for his joints so maybe same thing? Orange and white tub beginning with CL per chance???!
Kate, I hate calling her a veteran , funny I'm really struggling with the thought of her getting older although my last Arab was whizzing about until she was 27 and never seemed 'old'. Guess they all age differently like us. I will try the veteran chaff as well although must say that her teeth are fine and she doesn't have any trouble with hay etc.
Pasha she is really spoilt rotten as is the boy, bless them  |
| Mrs Vlacq |
Posted - 03 Nov 2010 : 5:34:59 PM
the rug thing is a strange one as I think this is a ridden mare, correct? If you felt so inclined you could try her in a waterproof exercise sheet and roller, or take the scissors to a shallow turnout so it's as minimal as possible.
But you knwo her best of course! one of our mares would just remove rugs - not panic, just go up the field and return naked! She was well into her teens before she thought it wise to keep a rug on - a very snowy winter helped her decide! |
| Pasha |
Posted - 03 Nov 2010 : 4:26:03 PM
Bless her she sounds spoilt rotten and righfully so
We gave Pasha (23) a bottle of Global Herbs Restore and he seemed to loose about 10 years over night bless him... highly recommend it!!! You can give it as a topical tonic at season change or every day at a reduced rate, whatever works for you... it claims to aid digestion and increase suppleness... just seems to perk them up and make them look fantastic
If she struggles with her weight you could add something like Brewers Yeast to her feed, but she seems to be getting pretty nice stuff - my boys would kill for a handful of mix ha ha... they are only allowed Happy Hoof and the odd fibre nut :( |
| Pashon2001 |
Posted - 03 Nov 2010 : 4:14:50 PM
I have a 37yr + pony who lives on fast fibre (plus 'old faithful') as can't eat hay at all, and although he has is ups and downs is in remarkable condition for his age. I use outdoor rugs in or out so maybe try the earlier suggestion of putting it on in stable and leaving on as you take her out so maybe she doesnt notice? Do you have a small area you could test run her in? |
| kate b |
Posted - 03 Nov 2010 : 2:57:31 PM
We give our veteran a big manger full of Veteran chaff overnight as he cant cope with hay or haylege due to lack of teeth (he is about 30 years old!) Very tasty (apparently!) and full of goodness. We have just had a visit from Allen & Page so will be trying Fast Fibre and Veteran Vitality with him as he is starting to have trouble with Mix etc, but we will stick with his veteran chaff as a hay replacer.
We have two mares aged 18 who are both a bit overweight at the moment, but it wont be long until they are 'old' and we will have to start classing them as 'veterans'!!
It sounds like she has everything she could possibly wish for. Perhaps you could give her some veteran chaff or fast fibre overnight along with her haylage to see if it helps at all.
Kate
xx |
| RiffRaff |
Posted - 03 Nov 2010 : 2:55:37 PM
I recently swapped my horses from soya oil to linseed oil and have seen a big difference. My 27 year old anglo is on a product that is pure glucosamine and msm (can pm the name to you if you would like) its natural as the body produces this but as they get older it helps to give them an extra boost. |
| Misshana |
Posted - 03 Nov 2010 : 2:50:10 PM
Regarding glucosomine, there is a letter in the latest BHS mag from an owner who had problems resulting from this as it is made from crushed shellfish, therefore can get fish allergy and her older horse was pretty poorly before she realised why? She was feeding a well know supplement which she obviously did not name |
| Offira |
Posted - 03 Nov 2010 : 2:12:38 PM
Could you use something like a Rambo turnout that she could wear outside and then keep on in the stable. That way she might not notice she has a rug when she goes outside (wishful thinking here  ).
I use cooked flaked linseed (winter glow/summer shine) and also give a liver tonic like Restore now and then again in the Spring to help the oldies. Sounds like you are giving her the right things anyway though.
I have found my horses tend to creak a bit as they turn the decades over, then go on looking very well and perky until they reach the next 0 year! |
| Mrs Vlacq |
Posted - 03 Nov 2010 : 1:54:40 PM
So tricky, you're doing all you can short of stabling her well rugged the vast majority of the time and putting her out to play naked for short spells, but then oldies need their fibre so grazing is important too.
Does she have adlib haylage when in the field too? We have found Fast Fibre good for those with poor dentition - make a bucket up for overnight snacking. And the oils you use will be a great help to her too.
And making sure you have a rested paddock that you can give her the moment the grass begins to grow again (soil temp over 10degrees as a guide). Grass solves so many problems!
If she's perky then she must be feeling well - you clearly take good care of her  |
