Expert Horse Health & Wellbeing Advice
You’ve tried everything, yet your horse just won’t seem to gain or lose weight. It can be discouraging to put in so much care and not see any results, even after months of trying. You’re not alone in this struggle. Many horse owners face the same frustrating challenge.
So, what’s really going on? What we perceive as “too thin” or “too fat” often depends on what we’re used to seeing, and sometimes appearances can be deceiving. That’s why assessing your horse’s body condition is so important.
How do I create a good feeding plan for my skinny horse? Step-by-step guide toward a suitable ration
Nutrition is not “one size fits all”
Horses have, by nature, transitioned into a life in stables. When creating a feeding plan, it’s important to keep your horse’s origins in mind. This means: forage forms the basis of every ration and pasture access is important.
If your horse is too thin, there is always a reason, but it’s not always visible from the outside. That’s why your vet works step by step: first, simple and common causes such as parasites and dental problems are ruled out, then a deeper look is taken with blood tests and, if needed, gastroscopy (stomach examination). In this article, you’ll read how your vet builds up such a systematic work-up and what information each test provides. This way you better understand why all those steps are necessary and you can work together to more specifically search for the cause of the weight loss.
A comprehensive blood test can reveal internal imbalances or conditions that are not visible from the outside but still have a major impact on how your horse’s body uses nutrients. Below, we explain the key blood parameters your veterinarian examines and what each value can reveal about your horse’s health and weight.
(Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction), also called Cushing in horses, is a disorder of the pituitary...
In our previous blog, you read what Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction or PPID (Cushing) is,...