Peanuts neck and mane

[Kim P]

I have worked hard to get weight on little peanut. I am looking at his mane. It is like kinda falling over instead of standing up straight and strong. The guy who did his feet said that looked healthy to him. I don't agree but then I don't know a lot about horses either. It is like it broke to me. His mane is really heavy. He is over twenty years old. Is this normal? My vet did not say anything about it but I did not ask either. Is this that cresty neck ? It is like that big muscle running down the top of his neck fell over some. It still looks pretty. Just wanting to make sure that I am doing things right.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Id say you are talking about a cresty neck ? If so , it can be a sign of an overweight Mini

Any chance you can upload a pic?

Most horses manes will hang over , they don't usually stand up unless they have had there manes clipped.

 

[Kim P]

Yes I will do one tomorrow. I am not trying to show or anything. Just want to keep the old guy healthy.

 

[chandab]

It's possible he was quite chunky at one time with a cresty neck, then lost weight and his crest fell over. Pictures would help.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I'd guess he might have a broken crest. Like Chandab says if he was really heavy at one point and lost weight it could have done that and if he has a heavy mane it would be even more likely. Sometimes thinning the mane can help a little but usually once the damage is done it is not going to change. It is however a cosmetic (appearance) thing and won't affect his well being.

 

[Kim P]

Good. I just read all this stuff that I have never heard of and it scares me a little. The people on here are so smart. It seems like y'all can spot something so fast and fix it before it becomes a problem. I am just reading everything. I have been trying to read about founder and laminitis just so I would know but I probably would not recognize that either. I am not going to worry about his neck then. He is a happy camper. Thanks.

 

[AngC]

I sure would like to see photos. ...especially if someone had before and after weight loss photos of a collapsed crest.

I've read about "cresty" neck and don't know what it looks like when it "falls." Ours have been too fat, and now we're doing better on the weight, so I've been wondering whether Baby's neck is going to collapse. She has an 'appaloosa' looking mane so if the top of her neck collapses, she's going to look bad (I'll still love her anyway; I don't care.) But still, I'm wondering...

 

[Kim P]

I am going to try to put 3 pics up. May have to do it one at a time

 

[Kim P]

When the guy did his feet it had not fell over like it is now. Just don't want to give the guy a bad rep.

 

[AngC]

Thank you for posting your photos. (By the way, I'm not one of those smart people you mentioned; I'm trying to learn.) I'm not too sure what you mean when you say his mane "fell over." He has a beautiful mane, in my opinion. I love the light color and the length (and as a bonus, you don't need a fly mask.) I'm not sure if it's the angle from which the photos were taken, but on two of the photos, his neck seems to have a dip/narrowing. Please, please don't take that wrong... I'm looking at your photos and comparing them to our 3 and trying to understand.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

The dip is where the crest has collapsed and the weight of the mane now pulls the 'meat' of the neck over. From the pictures I would say that yes, this horse has a broken crest. If it bothers you you might try switching sides with his mane (I have heard this helps but never tried it myself) and thinning his mane some. I haven't had any severe break overs and since it is not going to affect the horse's well being I usually just live with it. Its most upsetting if it happens to a show horse where appearance is so important.

 

[Kim P]

I don't know the proper lingo to describe stuff in the horse world. It is the muscle that his mane is attached to seems to have fell over some. He is over 20. I got him in February. He was really bony. His hip bones and spine were just poking out. I had to use a soft brush instead of that rake when he started shedding. I thought maybe I put too much weight on him. Even though he has gained his legs are so skinny. Look like deer legs. I love his beautiful mane! He looked like Moe after the vet cut his bangs for eye surgery. It is growing back pretty good now. When he runs and it flows in the wind it is just beautiful. I don't know what kind he is, but I love his coloring. He looks kind of silver when he has a thick coat. You said a dip and narrowing. That is what I am saying , it fell over. It looks narrow bc it fell over. I thought maybe it did it bc he had a health problem. Reign maker says it is just cosmetic so no worries.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

I agree with your farrier - he does look VERY healthy - especially for 20! His crest is nothing to worry about at all, I would bet at one point in his life he was obese and it fell over. He's like a 70 yr old man though that hasn't had an easy life - yeah, he's gonna have a cosmetic issue or two! You have done fabulous work with him - you should feel so proud.

 

[Kim P]

Reign maker I did not see your post when I posted. I did switch sides on his mane. Thanks for your info. We don't have show horses. I hope my grand daughter will stay interested and maybe try to do something with them when she is a little older. She is only three right now. Peanut is her favorite and I know he is not show quality but we don't have to win. Just participating would be enough. Are horses like dogs when you get them fixed? As in gaining weight? I may have to cut back on his food.

 

[Kim P]

Awe thanks first place. We love the old man. We call him the baby. He is just so sweet. He is getting a bit spoiled and getting in a little trouble for not minding bc he usually gets his way. Nothing too bad though. I am going to get him fixed really soon.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Yes, geldings usually hold their weight better on less food than a stallion. I say usually because each horse is of course an individual and when they get older sometimes they need more than a younger horse so you will have to 'play it by ear' (eye actually and hand )and see how he is doing. I find mine need their diets tweeked from year to year because they local hay may have more or less sugars and more or less protein etc. Sometimes in my area the weather gets so harsh that I will feed more as well (to help them maintain body heat) and that needs adjusting when the weather moderates again. Its always a balancing act based on each horse at the time but once you know a base amount for the horse its not to hard to increase or decrease quantity as the need arises.

If your young lady wants to show and has a good connection to this guy there is no reason (once he's a gelding) not to let her get her feet wet by showing him. He needn't be perfect for a local show or 4h. At her age it is more important that the horse is cooperative and she is confidant in handling him IMO.

 

[AngC]

We call our similarly-aged stallion "Grandpa" He acts like a grandpa. (ok, granted he has vision issues) but if you don't put his hay in the right spot, he stands there and looks at you, as if to say, what are you doing, you dumb human?

I have no intention to geld him. I really haven't heard a good enough reason to do so. I don't want to risk his health. Yeah, I know, "they" all say he'd be happier if he were gelded.... how do "they" know he'd be happier? ...he can't talk.

One thing I was thinking about the crest. ...after peering at your photos. Maybe one should not institute a massive weight loss? i.e., if you don't get them skinny too quickly, their crest might stay upright? Maybe it's better to keep them a bit on the chubby side?

The other thing I was wondering about... again, looking at your photos; perhaps he was bred to have a "light" (and long, skinny) neck? I've noticed that people seem to want to breed minis that look like arabians or thoroughbreds.

 

[Kim P]

I am just going to keep the old guy happy. He can be a little on the heavy side. I just don't want him to gain too much bc of his skinny legs. I don't know all the different breeds. There are so many. I just have a little common knowledge of them. They have papers but I have not seen them. I would like to know what he is exactly. I wish I would have had him when he was young. He is such a hoot! His life was not all bad. He was raised in the house with a German shepherd. He is supposed to be house trained. I don't know and will never know that one. I don't know how long the previous owner had him. I do know that once in his life he was loved wholeheartly by someone and that makes me feel good. Now he has us and we just love him too!