# Depression/sluggishness, weight loss, muscle loss



## barrelracerchick (Feb 14, 2011)

I have a horse that is 10 years old, and over the past couple of months, he has just seemed to be going downhill. He has seemed depressed, he has lost some weight (enough to be quite noticeable), and alot of muscle loss, (backbone sticking up, topline sinking...) He isn't "my" horse, a family friend has let me take him and work with him to see if he would do barrels, hence the reason we haven't put alot of money into him for vet visits. Starting a couple months ago, he seemed to get worse and worse when I would ride him. He has always always been pretty good about picking up his corrects leads, awesome at doing flying lead changes, etc. He would no longer pick up the right lead, and flying lead changes were a thing of the past... and he would just seem to look a little more poor each day.... we would actually joke and say that he looked 30 instead of 10...  He gets fed on a regualr basis, and has a wondeful appetite. The pasture that he is in is full of some mean horses that do nothing but bully him, and treat him as an outcast. He has been at our barn for over a year, and he has never been accepted by them. We originally thought that might be where some of his depression was coming from.... but now that he has seemed to deteriorate so quickly, I don't think that's it anymore. I havent been riding him lately just because he wasnt riding well at all, and he just seemed to be depressed. I've been very worried and uneasy about his health, and would just really like to know if anyone has any idea what this could be? Thanks so much!


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

This post make me MAD.There is something wrong with this horse. if he is really 10 and going downhill so fast, it is medical and something is desperately wrong.
If you are keeping this horse to ride and possibly barrel race, and have had him a year and watched him go downhill during that time,but especially in the last two months, you need to at least be decent enough to spend the money and take this horse to the vet. Has the owner seen him since this drastic change in his physical appearance?WHY hasn't a vet seen him? Just because he is not your horse, YOU are riding him, or were riding him until he can't be ridden anymore, you have been seeing him everyday. I imagine you have not had his teeth floated in the year you have had him? WHY, if you are concerned enough that the weight loss and reluctance to change leads, etc to write to a forum, WHY haven't you been concerned enough to have him see a vet? Has the owner suggested a vet? Doesn't anyone care enough about this horse to spend the money for a vet?


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## dressagebelle (May 13, 2009)

I have to agree with Wyoming, that its pretty crappy that you've had this horse a year, and even though he may not be "yours", he's still under your care, and you should have seen to his needs at the latest when he really started to go downhill. You need to have a vet out, I'm thinking he could have ulcers, his teeth may need to be done, he may have worms, which would all cause him to lose weight, look depressed, not want to work under saddle. He could also have pulled a muscle, or ligament, or twisted something when out with the other horses. Have you watched him at feeding time, is he actually getting food. Maybe for the first 10 minutes he'll have his own pile, but can you guarantee that for the ENTIRE time food is out there, that he has access to it, and that the other horses aren't continually running him off his food. If he is still being treated as an "outcast", and the other horses are still picking on him excessively, you need to move him. You would be pretty depressed too if you had to spend the last year stuck with horses that didn't like you, that probably ran you off your food. I would also have him tested for whatever other diseases are common in your area, if it isn't ulcers, teeth, worms, or muscle, or skeletal issues. Bottom line though is that you need to have a vet out to figure out exactly what it is, before he ends up getting so sick that he dies.


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## barrelracerchick (Feb 14, 2011)

To wyoming grandma, there was absolutely no need fot you to be sooo ugly. You have no idea what my situation is. I am not able to spend hundreds of dollars on a horse that isnt mine, and my parents won't let me. If you would have actually read the post, he hasn't been going downhill since I got him a year ago, it's been in the last TWO MONTHS. And his onwer has seen him and thinks he looks great, because he looks better than he did when we got him from the guy. He came from horrible living conditions. He is not in such bad shape that anyone else would notice. Everyone out here at our barn still comments about how good he looks. I am just overly inspective of my horses. His weight loss is not bad... just enough to be a little noticeble, but you still can't see his ribs. It is mainly his sluggishness acting, and how he seems to have lost muscle mass. It is very disturbing how rude and ugly you were, and if that is how you are going to continue to post, them don't bother being apart of this please. I'm not here to have people treat me like crap. I am just a girl who wants the best for my or NOT my horse, and unfortuneatly, I don't have the funding to spend thousands of dollars. Because TRUST ME, if I did, my horses would see the vet for EVERYTHING!


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

A vet may also be alot cheaper than what it is now going to take to get the horse back where he should be.
It could even be something as easily treatable as worms, but why spend the money?


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## barrelracerchick (Feb 14, 2011)

Dressagebell, he has been wormed, and yes we have spent alot of time watching him at feeding, and we take the time to put him a pile of hay halfway across the pasture away from everybody, and that is where he eats and stays.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

barrelracerchick said:


> To wyoming grandma, there was absolutely no need fot you to be sooo ugly. You have no idea what my situation is. I am not able to spend hundreds of dollars on a horse that isnt mine, and my parents won't let me. If you would have actually read the post, he hasn't been going downhill since I got him a year ago, it's been in the last TWO MONTHS. And his onwer has seen him and thinks he looks great, because he looks better than he did when we got him from the guy. He came from horrible living conditions. He is not in such bad shape that anyone else would notice. Everyone out here at our barn still comments about how good he looks. I am just overly inspective of my horses. His weight loss is not bad... just enough to be a little noticeble, but you still can't see his ribs. It is mainly his sluggishness acting, and how he seems to have lost muscle mass. It is very disturbing how rude and ugly you were, and if that is how you are going to continue to post, them don't bother being apart of this please. I'm not here to have people treat me like crap. I am just a girl who wants the best for my or NOT my horse, and unfortuneatly, I don't have the funding to spend thousands of dollars. Because TRUST ME, if I did, my horses would see the vet for EVERYTHING!


No we do not know what your situation is, we just know what you tell us. Read your post from someone else's perspective and maybe you will see what we are reading


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## barrelracerchick (Feb 14, 2011)

Well, now you more know what my situation is. I have begged for this horse to have medical attention, TRUST ME. I went back and read my original post, and I made him sound a lot worse than he is. Like I said, I have asked people out at our barn, and they all say he still looks fine, and they don't really notice that he looks any different. I am very obsevant of my horses, so i notice it more. I wasnt saying that he isnt getting medical attention because he isnt mine. I'm not ALLOWED to spend that kind of money on him, with him not being mine. If I myself had the money to take him to the vet, PLEASE TRUST ME PEOPLE, I would in an instant. I am not some cruel person who doesnt give my animals proper medical care. Our horses are very well taken care of. I sooooo wish i could just up and take him to the vet and tell them to do whatever they have to to make him better. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE trust me on this. Like I said I have begged for this horse to be seen my a vet.


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

"He has seemed depressed, he has lost some weight (enough to be quite noticeable), and alot of muscle loss, (backbone sticking up, topline sinking...) He isn't "my" horse, a family friend has let me take him and work with him to see if he would do barrels, hence the reason we haven't put alot of money into him for vet visits"
Hmm, this is what you wrote, so I commented on what I read.Now you say 
He is not in such bad shape that anyone else would notice. Everyone out here at our barn still comments about how good he looks. I am just overly inspective of my horses. His weight loss is not bad... just enough to be a little noticeble, but you still can't see his ribs

Which is it? the first explanation or the second? And it doesn't cost thousands of dollars to have a vet come out, float teeth, do a general check up, maybe give some vitamin shots, etc. I am sorry if you think I am rude, but when someone write that the horse they are riding or using for free so they really don't own it, Starting a couple months ago, he seemed to get worse and worse when I would ride him. He has always always been pretty good about picking up his corrects leads, awesome at doing flying lead changes, etc. He would no longer pick up the right lead, and flying lead changes were a thing of the past... and he would just seem to look a little more poor each day.... we would actually joke and say that he looked 30 instead of 10... 
 then that person, being you and your parents have a responsibility to take care of the horse. Sounds as if the owner doesn't care enough to spend vet money either.,sad situation for the horse, he gives his best, starts going downhill and nobody, the owner or the girl using him for free is willing to take him to a vet.


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## barrelracerchick (Feb 14, 2011)

I was really hoping that this forum would be filled with nice, genuine people, who wouldnt judge and be so hatefully rude.... but I can see I was very very wrong. I am just a girl who wants the very absolute best for my horses, and I was just asking a question, hoping to get nice, polite, helpful replies.


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## barrelracerchick (Feb 14, 2011)

Good lord, you people are freakin hateful. No wonder people told me to stear clear of this site. I should have listened.


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

Why are we hateful? Because you are not hearing what you want to hear? 
If you own a horse or ride a horse for free or use some elses horse and can't afford, or your parents won't pay for vet care, then maybe somebody should give the horse to a rescue so someone will care for him. 
You started the thread and as soon as you didn't hear what you wanted to hear, you started changing your story to sound not so bad. How do you expect someone to help or give advice, when you don't want to hear the truth? You are not being responsible for the horse. Period.... Whether yours or one you are riding, you are the one who posted how bad he was and how upset your were since he could not see a vet because nobody would pay for it. 
Now we are all saying the horse needs to see a vet and now we are mean rude people. Maybe you should show more respect to the adults you are asking for help from and not treat us so rude and have a tantrum.


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

You told the story and asked for help. Everyone here said "get the horse to a vet" every single reply. so, why is that rude?


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## barrelracerchick (Feb 14, 2011)

It wasn't at all rude that y'all said he needed to see a vet. I know he needs to see a vet, but just like you told me to go back and read what I wrote, go back and read what you wrote and how absolutely, and unnecessarily rude and hateful you were about it.


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

again, no rude, just truthful.


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## barrelracerchick (Feb 14, 2011)

Yes it is truthful he needs to be seen by a vet. Crazy how nasty you were. I'm sorry if I came across disrespecful, but it upset me how ugly some of y'all were. I posted on here hoping to get some leads on anything it might be, that way I knew what direction to go in, and wanted to see if anyone else had experienced anything like this. I was a bit contradicting. He isn't in horrible condition by any means, I promise. I went a little overboard on my original thread. I thought maybe if I made it sound a little worse, I might get a little more help. I was very wrong. He has never been a very "good" looking horse body wise. I was a bit shocked when we went to go pick him up from the guy. We fattened him up and he was being worked a lot, so he was in good shape, and muscled up well. If any of y'all have horses, and they stay out during the winter, you all know horses will look worse in the winter than they do in the summer... some horses are worse than others. Right now he honestly just looks like a very out of shape, old horse. and he isn't. So that is why I was a little concerned. He is looking a little sway backed, but this horse is crazily high withered... so much to where I wonder if it hurts him to be ridden. I used a csi saddle pad on him, and he seemed pretty comfortable with it. I have said many of times that I feel quite sure the reason he is acting depressed is because of the horses in his pasture... I could only imagine how I would feel if I was in a situation like that. We are working to figure out something better for him as far as a different pasture... we just haven't been able to move him bc all of our other pastures and paddocks are slap full of boarded horses, and horses in for training. Again, I am sorry all this caused such a fuss... and hopefully it can be put behind us... I'm sorry if my original post was misleading, and maybe didn't contain all the needed info it should have... like that I've asked that he be taken to the vet, because I DO realize something is going on and it would be helpful if he just had a check-up. It's out of my control if he won't be taken to the vet. Sooo please don't say that the girl who rides him doesn't care enough to get him medical attention, because that is so far from the truth.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

I would discuss this with the horses owner, and encourage her to have a vet come out and assess the poor horse to make sure there isn't something internal going on. 

Teeth
Digestion
etc, etc

This is the most important factor in this equation - a Veterinarian. Get the owner involved.

I would also pump more roughage in him. Put him in a paddock, put him in a smaller pasture with a buddy he gets along with, and let him eat a round bale - round bales do wonders. The more roughage, the better! UP, UP, UP his hay intake, dramatically.

I would also have the owner put the horse on a digestive aid:

SmartDigest Ultra - Horse Digestive Supplements from SmartPak Equine


Fat-Cat - Horse Weight Gain Supplements from SmartPak Equine


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## apachiedragon (Apr 19, 2008)

Truthfully, we aren't going to be able to tell you anything you want to hear, because over the internet, not one of us can see what is going on. And even then, without an exam, it's still not something we'd be able to diagnose. It could be any of the things posted above, it could be that he has a pinched nerve in his back or shoulder, something could be out of alignment, it could be a thousand things. I definitely would get him out of the pasture full of horses that don't like him. Their running him and keeping him an outcast is certainly not good for his health. 

But typically speaking, a horse that has a sudden behavior change, loss of muscle, and sudden lack of energy, or refusal to do things he has always done in the past is in some kind of PAIN, which needs treatment. If you can't get a vet to look at him, is there at least maybe a knowledgeable horse person at your barn that could actually put their hands on him and see if he has any pain points? It might give you a place to start. 

I would also have a talk with your parents at this point, and explain that the horse acts like he is in pain, and that he needs at the very least, a quick once-over. I assume that the horse is up to date on shots and things, when will the vet make another scheduled visit to your barn? If he is going to be due for the basics soon, it wouldn't be a big thing to look at him a little more in depth then.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

> It could be any of the things posted above, it could be that he has a pinched nerve in his back or shoulder, something could be out of alignment, it could be a thousand things.
> 
> I definitely would get him out of the pasture full of horses that don't like him. Their running him and keeping him an outcast is certainly not good for his health.


Great points!!


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

You just have to remember that this is a forum and we can only go by what is written in your posts. Nobody was being rude, especially me. I work for a vet and have been involved with horses and dogs for way more years than you have been born, as have alot of us. So, when someone comes on the forum and tells about her horse and how bad a shape it is in, then most of us will immediately go into "protection" mode for the horse. 
It sounds like you care for the horse. Like I said in another post, you need to get a vet to see the horse immediately. If your parents won't pay the vet cost because it is not actually "your" horse, even though you have been caring for it for over year, then the owner needs to step in and spend the at least minimal amount of money to have a vet check this horse. If the owner still refuses to have a vet check the horse, then unless A/C steps in or the barn owner, it sounds like this horse might just be left to continue to get worse and worse, possibly die since nobody feels a vet is necessary. Is this your barn the horse is at? If not, does the BO have a vet that comes out? Maybe you can work something out with the vet and the BO to work off the vet call?
Please do not let this poor horse deteriorate until there is nothing left of him.


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## barrelracerchick (Feb 14, 2011)

Wyominggrandma, I want you to understand it is not an idea of that I don't want to get him medical care because he isn't my horse. "I" don't care that he isn't my horse. I just don't have a ton of money to spend on my own. I love this horse to death and I want more than what is best for him. He is UTD on his shots and worming. Yes, it is our barn that he is at. I'm taking him out of his pasture today, and putting him in a stall, and putting him on a better feed. He gets about half a bale to a bale of hay everynight (we feed round bales, but we roll them out so they last longer, but we try to give each horse the equivilance of half a square bale.) Like I said before, I had a very poor choice of wording in my original post. He is not deteriorating. He has just dropped a little weight, and isn't as muscled up as he was, but I also have not been riding him at all, so that is prob. Where a lot of the muscle loss has come from. Again, I just posted a thread here hoping to get some advice, before I tried to take action for him.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

Sounds like you are trying. I would suggest a teeth issue, if his teeth are bad, meaning points are cutting his mouth and gums, possibly a broken tooth, abcess, any number of things in his mouth can cause weight loss and also muscle loss, because the body will use body fat first, then start eating at the muscles to keep itself alive.
Putting him in a stall might help, he won't have to fight for food, but this horse MUST see a vet. If its your barn and you own other horses, doesn't a vet make ranch calls? Don't your parents use a vet when a horse is cut or hurt or sick?
Good luck.. Hope your parents or the horses actual owner finally sees the necessity of this horse seeing a vet and spend the money on him. He deserves that much.


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## barrelracerchick (Feb 14, 2011)

It's not like he is fighting to stay alive... I can see maybe 3 ribs on him. Yes, we just took a horse to the vet last week that cut her leg (my horse actually) and I paid for the vet bill. Listen, my parents aren't bad people or anything. Our house burnt down 2 years ago, and we had to take money from our business (boarding and training stables) to be able to make it. We also have a couple boarders who don't pay their board, so we have pretty much been feeding and taking care of their horses out of our own pocket, because even though our contract states that we will sell the horse if the board isn't paid for a certain period of time, we just haven't had the heart to take the horses to a sale, knowing their probable outcome. We really are good people who don't neglect their horses. I promise.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

Your parents own a boarding and training stable, yet won't call the vet out for an obviously sick horse. You have excuse after excuse: the horse was literally wasting away in the first post, now he is not too bad and you take care of your animals, you promise. Yeah, right.
I give up. You just don't get it. You got the attention you wanted by starting this post, I have my doubts now that you even have horses, any horses and are just fabricating stories to get attention. Aren't you in school?


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## Kymbadina (Oct 29, 2010)

Maybe you should post pictures. That might clear a LOT of confusion. You are switching from very bad to not so bad, no ribs visible to 3 ribs visible. Just throw up some pictures of him maybe before and now?
If he was in a horrible living situation I think it's great that you were proactive in trying to help him.
What bothers me is that your parents won't allow you to call the vet, you have other horses, surely they have seen the vet and your parents know how important it is. Maybe try around different vets? My vet allows payments. Which is a Godsend when you have the habit of taking responsibility for other peoples horses. I completely understand the situation you are in. I'm working with an underweight tb who belongs to a fellow boarder. There is only so much you really can do. But if it's a noticeable weightloss or just poor condition and you haven't changed anything you really should have him looked at. My 10 year old has never had an issue with weight so I can't imagine any normal healthy 10 year old having an issue without something medically wrong.
Bottom line is you agreed to take responsibility for this horse. Nobody is trying to be mean on this forum there is no need to stay away. They are justing giving the advice you asked for, what anyone else would do if they were in your shoes. Call the vet. Do you have a job? If you REALLY want what's best for this horse you need to be proactive. My advice is find a vet who will do payments. Pay for it yourself. 
THAT would be making sure the horse has the best quality of life that you can provide. Also, I wouldn't expect it to cost you hundreds of dollars. My vet bill was 400 for everyshot known to man(I take no chnces because I board), coggins, sheath cleaning, teeth floated, bute tablets, coggins on a second horse and a wound check. It is better to spend 150 for a vet visit than 600 for major surgury or euthanisia..
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

Sluggishness, lack of performance & weight loss are warnings. Have you talked to the owners? Maybe instead of asking them, tell them you will be having a vet out & they will get the bill. Cheaper now than later.
I board horses too & would never keep a horse in a group it didn't like. It's not difficult to make a separate turnout.
It's good you stopped riding him. 
If you can't make your parents see things clearly, maybe point out that their clients will notice & will talk. I wouldn't keep my horse at or take my horse to a place that didn't have the best interest of all the horses there, no matter who owned them, as a top priority.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

barrelracerchick said:


> Our house burnt down 2 years ago, and we had to take money from our business (boarding and training stables) to be able to make it.


Nobody else noticed this little gem? Your parents didn't have homeowner's insurance? What about insurance on the boarding/training business?

I think maybe someone is playing Fantasy Island Stables with us. :?


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## MaggiStar (Mar 19, 2010)

I would throw another wormer get the vet out and ask can you make repayments he prb needs bloods drawn etc.
It is your responsibility everyone on this forum knows the feeling of being stone broke and your horse needing the vet you must find money somewhere or put a payment plan in place now not later. the earlier you treat something the cheaper it is trust me!


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

Oh yea, I noticed it. This is another girl playing attention getter and wasting folks time.
If parents ran a boarding and TRAINING stable, and didn't care enough to have a boarders FREE horse for their daughter taken care of, something is wrong. The house burnt down two years ago, thats why they can't afford vet bills? A couple of boarders are not paying their bills, so they can't afford vet bills? What kind of boarding training stable is this? A **** poor one from the sounds of it.
I think this little girl has a grandious story to fulfill her dreams and is trying to take us all with her. If this whole sceniero is indeed true, too bad we don't know where she lives and call animal control on the stable. Horses left in pastures for over a year when they are bullied? A pile of hay put aside for him to eat? Now, she is going to put him in a stall? A bit late for that, don't you think?Losing weight, cant take leads, muscle mass dropping off? Neither the owner of the horse or the parents who own a training/boarding stable will have a vet out? For a free horse for the daughter? 
Fantasy land....


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

And the OP has dropped from sight.


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## Kymbadina (Oct 29, 2010)

wyominggrandma said:


> Oh yea, I noticed it. This is another girl playing attention getter and wasting folks time.
> If parents ran a boarding and TRAINING stable, and didn't care enough to have a boarders FREE horse for their daughter taken care of, something is wrong. The house burnt down two years ago, thats why they can't afford vet bills? A couple of boarders are not paying their bills, so they can't afford vet bills? What kind of boarding training stable is this? A **** poor one from the sounds of it.
> I think this little girl has a grandious story to fulfill her dreams and is trying to take us all with her. If this whole sceniero is indeed true, too bad we don't know where she lives and call animal control on the stable. Horses left in pastures for over a year when they are bullied? A pile of hay put aside for him to eat? Now, she is going to put him in a stall? A bit late for that, don't you think?Losing weight, cant take leads, muscle mass dropping off? Neither the owner of the horse or the parents who own a training/boarding stable will have a vet out? For a free horse for the daughter?
> Fantasy land....


Wow...I think you are exactly right...who jokes about things like that?! What a crazy. People genuinly are trying to help and its possible its all a sham?! I NEVER thought someone would make up a story for attention. That's disgusting and I'm dumbfounded.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

She's still on the thread, watching it.

Kymbadina, people do it all the time. Once you've been around awhile, you'll be able to pick them out pretty easily.


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## Kymbadina (Oct 29, 2010)

Speed Racer said:


> She's still on the thread, watching it.
> 
> Kymbadina, people do it all the time. Once you've been around awhile, you'll be able to pick them out pretty easily.


I thought she was really sketchy...what a crazy.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

Nah, just children who don't have a life, are bored and like DRAMA. lol

Its sad, you read a post, feel like the OP is asking for genuine help and then realize its just a joke.


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## Jeni Hogue (Mar 27, 2011)

I actually felt sorry for her.


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## Katze (Feb 21, 2011)

I think we can all say that the crazy button has been pressed! Never have I seen someone who talks that much trash... Lying get's you no where barrelracerchick, the only thing it get's you is your own wee corner to glare at. Personally I was not amused at all by ANY of your posts, wyominggrandma was never hateful or cruel at any point in time.

You need a good hard talking to from your parents about real life....

Welcome to the real world, next time back up your statements with some cold hard REAL facts. 

Blech this thread made me feel wonky and gross, the way some people's minds work just blows my mind...:-x


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## getsaddled (Nov 12, 2010)

Yeah, no kidding. I have a gelding thats kind of the same way. He's only 8 y/o and is sort of the same way. He doesnt handle winter well it seems. I have taken the time to just put up a strand of hot wire through the field to keep him seperated from the other horses. Hes also the one that gets picked on constantly. 
It has helped alot. Hes a slow eater and I feed him free choice basically. We have a walk in stall and dont have any actual hay feeders. Those cheap hay nets do wonders I found out last week. I fill 1-2 as full as I can fill it and throw it over the side of the stall high enough that he wont get a hoof in it even if he tries to kick at it. He will spend all day grazing on it. 
Another question to ask could be has he normally been blanketed in teh winters? And is he now. I have 1 horse that can stand soaking wet in 20 degree weather and not bat an eye. Another can be dry on a 40 degree day and be shaking. That one stays blanketed most the winter.
Make sure he has a salt lick or even ad salt to his diet. Ive read so many articles about some horses drop weight due to not having enough salt in their diet. Salt is needed to help all the other nutrients do their job correctly. I think I read that you could feed a horse something like 30 salt licks either a day or a month(big difference I know) and it still wont give them enough actual salt. Of course most horses do fine without it. 
Theres alot of great articles of things you can discuss with a vet on your horses needs suppliment wise. You can have the hay and feed tested to figure out what its lacking and can fill in. I havent gone that far. 
I just started mine on a localish new supplement thing called POUNDS. It helps slow the digestive tract naturally so the horse can digest more of the food better. I've only had him on it 1-2 weeks so cant say how it works yet. 
Of course there could be a more serious thing going on so like the others said. I had my vet out and he had no clue what was going on. He had some kind of heart problem months ago that the vet couldnt even understand how he was still standing alive. He's been fine since. I could go on and on tonight with this so Ill cut it short. Im by no means an expert on any of this, just thought Id share some info.


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## horsecrazy84 (Mar 20, 2011)

Well I'm not here to judge anybody, it's not my place.
If the OP is still around, post pics of the horse so we can get a better idea of how he looks. If his spine is sticking up like you say, then he's probably pretty thin.
I know first hand how hard it can be to get a vet out when you're young and your parents pay for most of your stuff and you don't have your own money.
First, I would definitely always feed him seperate, and I think a good idea would be to put him in his own pen where he can get all the hay he wants and finish his grain without being bullied.
You said he was up to date on deworming, but if you use the same drug class of wormer every time, those worms build up a resistance to it. What brand did you use last time, and what did you use the time before that? If you haven't already, go ahead and use a wormer that includes tapeworms. Most don't, but I believe there are 2, maybe 3 that do.
What kind of grain does he get?
Does he act like his teeth hurt?
-Does he spit out wads of partially chewed food?
-Does he tilt his head when eating?
-Under saddle did he shake/toss his head?
Does he seem lame?
In bad weather does he have shelter? Cold horses actually lose weight when they shiver and if it was a particularly long stretch of cold weather, plus add in the fact that he gets pushed away from feed, then that could explain why he's lost weight recently.
Have you noticed any diarrhea?
Does he seem less energetic when you ride, or is it the same no matter what he's doing?

It could be something very serious, or it could be a heavy worm load. I would start by seperating him, and deworm him with the tapeworm dewormer if you haven't done that. If he's still being rode, I'd switch it up and take him down the road or do something different. Horses get bored just like we do and when they get bored with their work they tend to get lazy and shut down. If he's real thin I'd just give him time off.
Keep an eye out for lameness, diarrhea, teeth problems,etc.
You can add wheat germ oil, corn oil, or another fat supplement to his grain, and alfalfa hay is really good for adding weight. It is higher in protein than just grass hay.


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## Wrangler68 (May 29, 2011)

Hey girl, I have the same problem with a 10 year old horse of mine, I have taken him to the vet, and they don't know what"s wrong with him supposedly. He looks really bad, he has a great appetite and all that but everytime I kick him he tries to rare up like his stomach hurts or something?


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

Wrangler68 said:


> Hey girl, I have the same problem with a 10 year old horse of mine, I have taken him to the vet, and they don't know what"s wrong with him supposedly. He looks really bad, he has a great appetite and all that but everytime I kick him he tries to rare up like his stomach hurts or something?


 
Switch vets and go from there. Ulcers maybe? 

If a child has an unexplained illness- do you stop looking for a diagnoses? _No_ you find a different doctor. Same applies for horses IMO

ETA, I didn't realize this was an old thread. *Wrangler68, *You will get more feedback from starting your own thread.


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