# My horse hasn't shed his winter coat, possible shillings?



## SoCalCowgirl (Nov 22, 2011)

So as the title states I think my horse might have shillings. He hasn't shed his 3" winter coat, which in all the years I've owned him has been his longest coat, as he usually gets just a little fuzz but nothing like this. It is now June and getting really warm out, all of the other horses at the stables have shed their coat. During the beginning of winter I moved him from a 12x24 half covered pipe stall breezway to a 24x24 half covered pipe stall. I am worried that he might somehow have shillings, I've had quite a few people ask at the stables if he has it but with the expensive vet bill, I haven't had him tested but I think it's getting to the point where I might need to. He is shedding a little bit but nothing like he should be with the coat that he has. He sweats really easily when I ride or work him in the turn out but he still doesn't shed like he shold. Other people have suggested that he looks like he could possibly have cushings though he's too young at 12, and someone else also brought up thyroid issues. I don't have any pics of him yet but I'll take some next time I go to the barn. Do any of you have experience with shillings and or possibly pics of a horse with shillings so I can compare to see if it looks like what my horse has. And do you know what kind of treatment the vets use for shillings disease?


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Are you trying to say you think he has_ shingles_? Shillings are British coins. 

I'm not sure horses can even get shingles, and they sure as heck wouldn't cause him to not shed his winter coat. He sounds Cushingoid to me. 12 is definitely_ not_ too young for him to have Cushings. 

Your best bet is to have a vet out and test him for insulin resistance and Cushings.


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## horseandme (Jun 4, 2012)

my horse still hasnt shed his ears off yet. Best of lcuk! Hope everything is okay


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## SoCalCowgirl (Nov 22, 2011)

Speed Racer said:


> Are you trying to say you think he has_ shingles_? Shillings are British coins.
> 
> I'm not sure horses can even get shingles, and they sure as heck wouldn't cause him to not shed his winter coat. He sounds Cushingoid to me. 12 is definitely_ not_ too young for him to have Cushings.
> 
> Your best bet is to have a vet out and test him for insulin resistance and Cushings.


lol oops! I didn't catch the typo yes shingles.

I really hope it's not cushings but I think I'll see if I can get the vet to come out and test him next week. I've been postponing the vet call as long as possible giving him ample time to shed but he's not and with more and more people asking at the barn I think I've given him long enough. I 'm just dreading to hear back the test results and the bill. I was hoping it was just the move to a different stall and being more out in the open but now I don't think so. I think I should also add he was blanketed with a heavy winter blanket at night so he shouldn't of got this long of coat, I really hope it's not cushings, this is the last thing he needs


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## SoCalCowgirl (Nov 22, 2011)

horseandme said:


> my horse still hasnt shed his ears off yet. Best of lcuk! Hope everything is okay


thanks! good luck to yours as well.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

I'm very sorry, but not shedding and extreme sweating are signs of Cushings.

I knew someone who's horse got Cushings at 10 y/o, so it's not really an old horse disease. Just depends on the luck of the draw, unfortunately.

If he is Cushingoid, it's not a death sentence for him, but both of your lives will change dramatically.


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## SoCalCowgirl (Nov 22, 2011)

Speed Racer said:


> I'm very sorry, but not shedding and extreme sweating are signs of Cushings.
> 
> I knew someone who's horse got Cushings at 10 y/o, so it's not really an old horse disease. Just depends on the luck of the draw, unfortunately.
> 
> If he is Cushingoid, it's not a death sentence for him, but both of your lives will change dramatically.


I'll have to do some research on cushings. Our lives have already changed forever once due ot navicular, and he has just become sound again and getting back to being sound and riding, and now comes this issue. I've been keeping his riding light partly due to coming back from 2 months layup with his navicular and his long coat as it's getting warmer and any real amount of work I do on him he gets lathered up in white foam around the saddle area and in between his legs. Man, I was really hoping for him to have a come back now that he's sound again, but looks like we may be faced with another issue yet again, but if it is cushings we'll work through this problem together just like the navicular.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Why not body clip him in the meantime? That way he doesn't get too hot.


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## SoCalCowgirl (Nov 22, 2011)

poppy1356 said:


> Why not body clip him in the meantime? That way he doesn't get too hot.


I actually did look into getting him shaved, though it's expensive at $130. A call has just been placed to the vet and hopefully they'll be able to come out early next week. After doing some further research on cushings the only thing that he doesn't seem to have is the curly coat but it's long.


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

SoCalCowgirl said:


> I actually did look into getting him shaved, though it's expensive at $130. A call has just been placed to the vet and hopefully they'll be able to come out early next week. After doing some further research on cushings the only thing that he doesn't seem to have is the curly coat but it's long.


Clip him yourself!

There's a horse where I board that we suspect has cushings, doesn't shed out well and her owner is only able to come by 1-2x per year (she's away at school) so I took a couple hours and body clipped her. Was actually pretty easy and while it wasn't a perfect job, her horse is now comfortable in the heat.


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## SaddleStrings (May 15, 2012)

My horse was having the same problem this year. He has finally shedded out, but I too called the vet and had my vet diagnose him with Cushing's. It makes sense now with all the symptoms my horse has had over the several years I've owned him. You can PM me if you have questions or need someone to talk to. I'm still new to this, but it helps having people with the same problem to talk to. Best of luck!


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Maybe I should just start a separate thread, but I have wondered if my horse is coming down with Cushings as well. He doesn't have any of the symptoms except that his summer coat was way too long this year. He did shed out his winter coat (because his winter coat is a different shade of chestnut) but his summer coat was long and he would sweat a lot when I rode him. 

So I did a "blanket clip" on him and WOW, it's like having a new horse. He cools off easily when I ride him now and he has a more energy! So I definitely recommend clipping him if his coat is long. It really helped with my guy!

What I just don't get is my guy does NOT have a pot belly or muscle wastage or wavy hair. So I don't know what the deal is with his coat. I don't know if it is a Cushings type problem or not. Maybe I need to start my own thread. :think:


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

I used to body clip my daughter's very first horse, she never shed out... 
I could get it done in about 2 hours and it lasted until fall when they needed to start growing for winter. 
Not like clipping a dog, horses are big enough, its pretty easy to do. Just keep clippers cool and blade sprayed.


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## SoCalCowgirl (Nov 22, 2011)

thank you all for the advice. I'm going to have the vet come out to put my mind at ease, I'm trying not to read to much into the symptoms and think of the worst. I'm just really hoping he's like some of your horses and just having a late shed. I'm going to keep his coat until the vet comes out on Wednesday so she can see what he looks like and test him. If it turns out to be nothing, which I hope that's the case I think I will spend a day and try to shave him myself, as it is really hard having his coat this long and not shedding by himself. I'm trying to stay positive, but I will try to take some pics over the weekend and let you all know how the vet visit goes.


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## horseandme (Jun 4, 2012)

Can you put a picture up sometime? =)


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## SoCalCowgirl (Nov 22, 2011)

yea I'll try to take a pic of him when I go back down this weekend


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