i have some health questions!

[giddy up gal]

Hello Mini friends!

I have a 2 year old mini mare. who has some potential health problems going on. Im new to this so bare with me. lol she has never had a health problem in the year ive had her and these symptoms have suddenly came up

shes my baby so im a concerned mother apologies if i sound like a worry wort

I took her to a local open show yesterday and she wasnt being herself at all. I started hearing some clicking which ive heard before coming from her right stiffle as i was in the halter class. she didnt seem to be in pain just really anxious and would not park and set her self up like she normally does with her back hind end. it started in her 3rd of the day. after the class i was walking her when her leg was shifting funny. i took her back to the trailer and stretched her leg and it seemed to go away. about a hour later the popping came back and her leg seemed to be funny again. I talked to a few people there who said it may be a growing pain type of case which i questioned since i know that minis are very pron to stiffle issues. one trainer there told me to work her over poles which i do one a week. so my questions to you guys are is this something i should be very worried about? or could it just be because shes growing and gaining muscle. and is it ok for me to work her right away? or give her some time off. sorry if i sound nieve but ive never had a horse with this problem and im still newer to the mini world (ive had her for a year now)

heres my 2nd dilemma,

I happened to run in my old trainer (she primarily does quarter horses). and she noticed her coat was very fuzzy compared to the other horses and got talking to me about it. I live in north east Connecticut and was at a show in mass. she believes my horses coat could be a sign of cushings because it is very thick and has a wooley type feel and look she described her coat as being burnt looking. she thinks its way to early for fur like that and noticed her occasionally kicking her stomach in her class. (which im almost ashamed to admit i didnt notice as much because i mistaken-ed it for anxiety beacuse there where alot of horses in her class). she also noticed her back muscles are a symptom and that she looks bloated.

as for the coat.. there was 2 other mini owners there whom i got talking to who said that there minis were body clipped (i didnt because i dont blanket her in the winter) so i didnt know if it was normal or not for them to be this fuzzy.

I sound so clueless about this beacuse i honestly never had a horse with cushings just a paint with hyppp but now she has me very worried about my baby. i just figured you guys would be the perfect ones to answer and give me advice since you have miniatures yourself and not just full size horses. thank you so much for anything info you give me, at this point anything would help! thanks agian

ps. ive included some photos to show you of her july coat, sept coat and late winter coat

(this is her from the show yesterday - had a bath scrub and trim up) sorry if its a funky set up i was still in the process of setting her up lol)

(this is from a july show note the huge difference in her coat)

and lastley this is her normal winter coat in january of last year)

 

[Minimor]

I will address your coat concern here--looking at the photos I would say no, your girl does not have cushings. I see nothing too unusual about her coat. Yes, she is furry, but this time of year that isn't surprising. Here (Manitoba) I've got some that are already very, very furry, and I have others that are still quite sleek. They are all different, so just because one is furry and another isn't doesn't mean the one has cushings. If your unclipped girl was being compared to other horses at the show and those horses were clipped--then yes, there's be a huge difference in coat appearance!

If she were kicking at her belly that could be due to flies--or simply an itch due to the extra coat and a warm sunny day (assuming your weather is warm?) And, in that photo, I really don't see "bloated"? Just a normal well fed horse I would say.

As for the stifle issue--I've seen some horses that had popping hocks or stifles. Some were even being driven--they weren't showing any sign of discomfort from it even though in some cases I could see movement in the hock when the ligament would pop. If your girl was showing signs of discomfort then it's a bit more serious--if indeed her anxiety was due to that issue--perhaps she was just having an off day & maybe felt a bit fresh & didn't want to stand up? Horses can have days like that?

In any case--if she doesn't normally have this popping, it could be a growing thing, or possible a hoof issue--is she due for a trim, or was she just trimmed? Did the farrier perhaps leave her toes a bit longer than normal? I trim a couple of horses that have popping hocks, and if their feet get too long the problem shows up. If they are kept trimmed regularly with the feet at the proper angle & the toes rolled a little bit, they don't pop.

 

[Hobbit Horse Shire]

Hi ..

I have another mini health question if I may .. We have 2 minis have have deleveloped black scabs on their noses .. We've tried a variety of things suggested by others but nothing is clearing them away completely .. The spots come out once it starts getting warm .. We've been told it was a fungus but the antifungal meds don't touch it .. We've tried antiboitics still nothing .. I can't find anything anywhere that mentions it .. This is the 2nd yr it's happened .. Thanks for any help you can offer.

Hobbit Horse Shire Miniatures

 

[Marsha Cassada]

giddy up gal, have your had your girl's teeth looked at? If her mouth isn't right it could affect the stifle. There is a lot going on in the mouth of a 2 year old that needs to be monitored.

Have you changed her diet? Does she have plenty to drink? That will make a difference in coat texture. I would think that rough hair would come off with regular grooming. Certainly seems like something to be addressed.

She is a pretty girl!

Could the scabs on the noses be from the sun? Does a uv sunblock make any difference? Antifungal creams take several weeks of diligent application to work. But that doesn't really explain why they got it again this year

. Did the vet take a scrapping?

 

[Hobbit Horse Shire]

Good idea about the vet .. We'll have to give her a call .. Sir Prize is light colored - a golden palamino but Bella is a horse of a "different color" - brown, gray, cream & black so I don't know about the sun .. But at this point we're willing to try anything .. Thanks for the suggestions

 

[brasstackminis]

Is the horse in the pictures the one you are calling a different color? My guess is she is one of my favorite colors...silver bay

As far as Cushings, I would agree that she doesn not look like a horse with Cushings. She may need a wormer to help her coat. Seen that simple thing help lots of times. But minis fur is different that horse fur. Horse people don't get it. My big horses have been slick for months. My minis are still holding on to some of that fluff. If you are going to a show and your coat is less than shiny and smooth, clipping it is what is done. And yes you have to blanket after that. You could just clip athe head and neck...Or you could wait until she sheds to show, but around here...all horses are shown clipped, even though showing in a natual coat is not prohibited. I tried to show in a natural coat once at my first mini show. I don't think the judge even stopped to consider my horse...he probably thought I was disrespecting him by not putting in the effort. I was just a newbie and was in a class with all trainers! Oh the horror!

 

[Riverdance]

This time of the year, Mini's without their coats clipped in your area do look dull. They are shedding out their dead coats, dead coats are dull. By july she should be shed out and shinny again. If you clip her (which would be safe to do now), her coat will grow back nicely. As for the clicking noise. That is not uncommon in Minis, from time to time I have heard it not only in my Mini's but others, all different lines and breedings. Sometimes it is weight related. Either too fat or too skinny. Or, she may have pulled something. Your friend is a big horse person and does not know that Mini's get such hairy coats in the winter. Spots on the noses. I do not think it is sun related, as I have cremellos, perlinos and palominos and live in Florida were it has been hot and sunny for quite some time. Non of them have anything like that. It is possible that it could be warts. Are your horses young?

 

[Hobbit Horse Shire]

Our horses are 3 yrs old but it started with Sir Prize when he was 2 .. We wondering if enviroment has something to do with it .. We have 2 barns for the horses .. The 2 that are effected are located in one barn and the mares in another .. We've checked everything we can think of to no avail .. Thanks for your reply

 

[shorthorsemom]

my guys still have tons of coat to shed out. still have cold nights, so I am waiting on the clipping. I swear that my guys finish shedding by july and then in august start shedding summer coat for winter hair to come in.. LOL, mini yaks. I don't blanket and they get really heavy coats. As far as the stifle clicking, proper trimming and correct angles is essential in a mini. More so than biggies according to my farrier because small increments of being off translate into major changes above and can really affect things. On the nose crusties, have you tried desitin? You can also mix it with some athletes foot cream if you suspect fungal. Your vet can put a black light on it to see if it is fungus, good luck and best wishes.

 

[Marty]

Lots of good replies.

I also don't see a cushings looking horse and I agree there is a difference between pony fur and horse hair. Get out the clippers and shave her for future show presentation; just use a sheet or blanket for the cool nights. I also think the horse was kicking at her belly because he was either in pain from the stifle or having a bought trying to colic on you. That little belly (that I don't really see from those pictures) could be easily contributed to ulcers and the stress of having that stifle bothering her. It could be heriditary, growing pains, or from a bad foot trim. It does need to be addressed by a really good vet.Try to locate a reputable mini breeder in your area and see who they use for a vet who is used to working on that kind of thing. Don't have a clue about the nose thing.

I do think your little mare is very pretty and is lucky to have you. Best wishes for your future together.