Rescued Arab Horse Body Question?

TerryR · #1 11/30/13, 09:17 PM

Hi everyone! Seems like I've been on here alot lately!
I've taken on a rescue Arabian Horse. He's 17 yrs old. When I recvd him, he was skin and bones. Full ribs showing, and his spine is all bone, no meat on the sides. Had him for 2 mos now, he's on full protein food, veg oil, red cell, all the hay he can eat. Teeth floated. The vet has helped me out here. He's looking much better now, but his belly is getting large. Ribs are covered. But he's not filling out from his spine down to his belly. Is that a muscle that will build from working him out?
Or, will he fill out some more? Just concerned about his belly starting to look bloated.
Thanks for any input!
PS, He's a SWEETIE! Well worth all the effort to get him back into shape.
TerryR

where I want to · #2 11/30/13, 09:28 PM

I'm sorry but I can't picture where the issue is with him. Are you talking about the sides of his barrel?
It does sound like he's getting a hay belly. But that's usually something that getting back to work will fix unless you mean he's actually bloated like a drum.

dizzy · #3 12/01/13, 05:00 AM

Are you talking about his top line? If so, exercise just might help him built some muscling. I'm dealing w/the same thing on an older pony. Here's a link to an article that talks about it.

http://www.horsesandpeople.com.au/article/top-line-tips

You can also try googling exercises for building the top line in a horse. There's tons of discussions on various horse boards, but I wasn't sure I was allowed to post them here.

TerryR · #4 12/01/13, 08:03 AM

Yes, I believe he's getting a hay belly is the correct term. Like I said he's filling out and covering up the ribs. But the top line as Dizzy has stated is all sunk in. From the top of the spine down to the start of his belly is concave, nothing there. His entire spine from withers to tailbone. I believe as Dizzy has stated he needs excercise to build the muscle that must fill in that gap. I will google it!
Thanks TerryR
One article said strectch their legs, doesn't ring a bell here!

cathleenc · #5 12/01/13, 09:08 AM

and please share pics of your sweet boy! We all love pictures.

LisaInN.Idaho · #6 12/01/13, 10:36 AM

Is he on a deworming program?

where I want to · #7 12/01/13, 11:36 AM

Also, a lot of Arabs are significantly less bulky across the topline than many other breeds. It just may be the way he is.
It would be alot easier to judge with pictures. Hint hint...........

Irish Pixie · #8 12/01/13, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LisaInN.Idaho

Is he on a deworming program?

Lisa is spot on, if he's carrying a large parasite load his belly will be distended. In addition, most hay bellies are from poor quality hay- too high in fiber, ie. stemmy.

1sttimemom · #9 12/01/13, 04:29 PM

In a very thin horse there is significant muscle wasting. It takes a really long time for that muscle to rebuild. Assuming he is now on a good feed and worming program and healthy other than just having not enough calories before. If this is the case topline work may not really help at this point.

TerryR · #10 12/01/13, 06:21 PM

Yes he gets a wormer everymonth. As I'm not sure how bad he had it.
And for the hay, back to my HAY question earlier. It is STEMMY!
Will look for some better hay for him. I don't know where to start!
I'll figure something out.
thanks!
TerryR

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irish Pixie

Lisa is spot on, if he's carrying a large parasite load his belly will be distended. In addition, most hay bellies are from poor quality hay- too high in fiber, ie. stemmy.

LisaInN.Idaho · #11 12/01/13, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerryR

Yes he gets a wormer everymonth. As I'm not sure how bad he had it.
And for the hay, back to my HAY question earlier. It is STEMMY!
Will look for some better hay for him. I don't know where to start!
I'll figure something out.
thanks!
TerryR

Deworming once a month is WAY too often on an ongoing basis. You're not planning this schedule in perpetuity are you?

dizzy · #12 12/01/13, 06:45 PM

Ditto to that. I worm my horses 1x a year. Here's an article that talks about it.

http://www.doctorramey.com/stop-dewo...ith-solutions/

TerryR · #13 12/01/13, 07:08 PM

NO, NO,NO! I didn't clarify that one sorry! I dewormed Oct 16th the day I got him. Then NOV 16th. And was going to go DEC 16th just to make sure he was all cleared out. Like I mentioned I have no idea what his previous life was.
Should I skip DEC?
Thanks TerryR

Quote:

Originally Posted by LisaInN.Idaho

Deworming once a month is WAY too often on an ongoing basis. You're not planning this schedule in perpetuity are you?

Stonybrook · #14 12/01/13, 07:10 PM

If you cannot find less stemmy hay, you can feed pellets that are soaked. They are pricey, but maybe you can feed some of the pellets and some of the hay so it balances out a little more.

Pictures would be very helpful to us, as someone else hinted earlier. They are a necessity anytime someone gets a new horse. Actually, I believe that is in the forum rules someplace

.

haypoint · #15 12/03/13, 07:23 AM

Rebuilding of the area next t th spine is a slow process. Even some well fed horses lose musle in that area as they age.
Because there is a lot of folk lore/myths about what will rid a horse of parasites, I must ask you what you are using. Some wormers are only good for one group of parasites, another type does other forms and DE and herbs does nothing.

TerryR · #16 12/03/13, 06:57 PM

Vermectin Gold was the last one used.
Off to Southern Illinois deer hunting. Will be back Monday.
Take care everyone!
TerryR

Quote:

Originally Posted by haypoint

Rebuilding of the area next t th spine is a slow process. Even some well fed horses lose musle in that area as they age.
Because there is a lot of folk lore/myths about what will rid a horse of parasites, I must ask you what you are using. Some wormers are only good for one group of parasites, another type does other forms and DE and herbs does nothing.

haypoint · #17 12/03/13, 07:11 PM

Because the area close to the spine has the least circulation, that fat is the last to go and also the slowest to return.

Joshie · #18 12/05/13, 02:56 PM

I like the gold because it works for tapeworms but is that the only one you've used? Have you had his stool checked for worms? Some horses look horrible as they age. A friend of ours took in an Arab that was supposed to be in his late teens. In reality, he was probably in his late 20s. He never looked good, no matter his diet and no matter how much he was exercised. Our friend had a horse nutritionist out but he looked horrible until the good old boy died in his 30s.

offthegrid · #19 12/07/13, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1sttimemom

In a very thin horse there is significant muscle wasting. It takes a really long time for that muscle to rebuild. Assuming he is now on a good feed and worming program and healthy other than just having not enough calories before. If this is the case topline work may not really help at this point.

I agree with this. Muscle wasting is internal and external, and will rebuild slowly, and from the inside out. This happened with my rescued TB mare that had just had a filly as well - she had a "hay belly" and according to the vet there is often muscle wasting internally that causes that look - it takes a lot of muscle/fat/connective tissue to hold all the internal organs in place.

I would not worry about working your horse at this point - 2 months is not enough time. If it can walk around (so turnout in an area large enough to walk around is important) it will give itself enough exercise for now. It took my mare about 6 months to really "fill in" and firm up to look normal after being about a body score of 2....maybe 2.5. Keeping the vet involved in your progress will make sure you're on the right track but it sounds very normal.

I have a photo album of my mare's weight gain if you want to see:

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8QcuHDNyxaNNE

(Since I did not get to bring this mare home until August, there is a big break between her foaling and the next picture. It was a complicated situation and she lost more weight after the filling was born...and eventually I got her to my farm in early August. Wish I'd taken pictures of her first 2 weeks as well but didn't think of it at first.)

The dates are noted in the comments on the right. I guess this includes some of her first riding shots...sorry; I didn't ride her for nearly a year but that was only because I'm a big weenie and she was basically unbroke. But ignoring that - you can see a big difference in the first 6 months.