Need advice on odd behavior

[Sandee]

I'm going to try this again. My horses are acting odd. All 3 of my minis seem depressed, "out of sorts", sluggish. They are all eating all their food (even though the new hay looks mostly brown and dry). They all hate to brought in from the pasture (they get 1 - 1 1/2 hours on fairly rich green --I am concerned about fungus as there are "football" mushrooms growing at this time). They also get pellet supplements combined with 1/2 cup oats 2x a day. They are all drinking and peeing fine. My stallion just had his teeth done and is eating much better so it's not that. He also had some blood work done and it was ok. They all lay back their ears when I go to feed. My yearling filly's coat is feeling very coarse and she's becoming nippy,

What am I missing? I can't figure out why the change in attitude. No, we didn't go thru this last fall so I don't think it's the weather.

Any suggestions, please.

 

[kaykay]

Sandee

this time of year late/summer fall is the worst time for viruses. All of mine just got done with some odd virus where they coughed and had snotty noses. Before the cough and snotty nose they were all just a little off. Little depressed and lethargic. I know my vet said hes seeing it everywhere right now. I have a friend in kentucky and its going around there too.

Ive been keeping a really good eye on the two foals as this is the time of year that foal pnemonia is at the greatest risk.

I would take some temps just to see. mine never ran a fever but they were miserable for about 4 days each

 

[Minimor]

How long have they been acting/looking this way? I took your post to mean that this is sort of an ongoing thing, that you think you might be missing something in their diet, but I see Kay took it that this is just a 2 or 3 day issue and might be a virus going through your horses. So, I thought I'd clarify the timeline here!

What does your pellet supplement consist of--and how much of it do they get per day?

 

[Magic]

Could they be eating something they shouldn't be in the pasture? The mushrooms maybe, or something else?

It sounds like something to be concerned about; have you talked to your vet? Good luck, I hope you can figure out what it is.

 

[Marty]

Here's what I think: Pick one or both. I'd select both.

1. They are stuffed on grass. They also prefer it to the hay ergo: they don't want to come in and be stuck with the new hay that they don't like anyhow. They're just not hungry after the grass.

I found a few huge mushrooms growing in the pasture last week by the way. Somebody dun nibbled on one too., but nobody dun got sick.

2. It's the weather changing and they are trying to come down with something.

 

[Sandee]

How long have they been acting/looking this way? I took your post to mean that this is sort of an ongoing thing, that you think you might be missing something in their diet, but I see Kay took it that this is just a 2 or 3 day issue and might be a virus going through your horses. So, I thought I'd clarify the timeline here!

What does your pellet supplement consist of--and how much of it do they get per day?

The 3 yr old stallion has been getting lazy/lethargic ever since spring (he's always been "layed-back" so didn't notice at first). Some of his could have been the problem with his teeth but that's fixed now. However, the change with the other two (filly and gelding) has been recent, within the last week.

I mean, I have to literally chase the two boys around the round pen to get them to move! The yearling is not as bad but she does seem to hang her head and look miserable. Other than her coat coming in coarse there have been no other signs.

Supplement is Purina Born to Win for the yearling and Mare and Maintenance for the other two. They all get 1/2 cup pellets mixed with 1/2 cup steamed oats 2x a day.

 

[Marty]

With the blood work coming back in normal ranges this boggles the mind.

I'd say you have a problem somewhere and I'd love for you to catch it before it rears up on you.

If it were me, I'd check temps to begin with. It sure feels like something is not right.

Then I'd entertain the possiblity of ulcers too.

This is just a weird one. Sorry I'm no help.

 

[Minimor]

Assuming there is no sign of actual illness--cough? snotty noses? fever?--I would change the feed a little bit. If your hay is more brown than green it may be seriously lacking in nutrients. The horses are cleaning it up but getting nothing out of it. An hour & a half of grazing--unless the grass is very lush--to my mind is very little. I am not familiar with Born to Win, but I'm thinking that this is more of a ration balancer than a complete feed type of pellet? (I'm an oats person--I'm not up on my pellets! :lol: )

Anyway, being an oats person, I will say that a half cup of oats is nothing. That is a taste! Mine get a 500 ml container (heaping) of rolled oats once or twice a day, depending on the horse. There have been times when certain ones have gotten double that amount.

In your place, when the horses are lethargic as you describe, I would be increasing the oats. With your hay being less than ideal in appearance I would tend to assume it is lacking something (that would be my assumption, but of course the only way to be sure would be to have it tested)--and this is a time when I would supplement with a pelleted feed. Or, I would feed some soaked alfalfa cubes.

I do have some geldings here that are on a hay-only diet, and they still have plenty of energy. However, their hay is quite green, and it is a grass/alfalfa mix.

 

[Little Wee Horse Farm]

Do they need dewormed? Has it been a long time? Have they been dewormed recently? A load of worms can really do a job on their energy level. Just my 2 cents worth.........and searching for ideas for you. Sometimes worming with something very safe more often than recommended helps. I don't mean daily or anything. I mean maybe within 3-4 weeks instead of the recommended 3 months.

 

[Sandee]

I just want to thank everyone for the suggestions. I've thought of most already. It's only been 5 weeks since the last worming. I would bet on the lacking some nutrient in the diet but I really didn't/don't have a good idea of where to start. The yearling filly even came back from being VERY sick last winter to looking good and feeling good this spring/summer. They been on this feed program hay/grass +oats +supplement with the total amounts adding up to 1.5% of the total body weight for over a year. I even weigh their hay and they "look" good but evidently I'm (they're) missing something!

 

[Magic]

[

However, the change with the other two (filly and gelding) has been recent, within the last week.

I mean, I have to literally chase the two boys around the round pen to get them to move! The yearling is not as bad but she does seem to hang her head and look miserable. Other than her coat coming in coarse there have been no other signs.

Supplement is Purina Born to Win for the yearling and Mare and Maintenance for the other two. They all get 1/2 cup pellets mixed with 1/2 cup steamed oats 2x a day.

I don't know that I would blame it on nutrition-- they get pasture, hay (granted not high-quality, but with everything else they are getting I wouldn't think it would be a problem unless there is some kind of noxious weeds in it), oats, and the ration balancer, and nothing has changed in the diet for a year? If they are at good weights, then it may very well be something else, unless it could be something like selenium levels? Could you have your vet test their blood for that? Too high or too low could both be a problem.

Their feet are ok? Hanging her head and looking miserable is just very worrisome, in my opinion. No laminitis? Ulcers?