This is gonna be a long one. (and probably more info than you need but I don’t know what’s related)
10 yo Westfalen Gelding
Purchased May 2023 - Location SE PA
Shortly after discovered anhidrotic. Did all the treatments, got sweating in August with Mega Sweat. Before that had run metabolic panel and a host of others, only thing off was very low VIT E. Started on liquid vit e.
Did have Lyme in Summer of 2023 (main symptom was big time spooky) - good after treatment
Sept 2023 has emergency colic surgery (caused by a rent)
Start back riding January. Besides hock injections and obvious rehab doing really well. Have to up VIT E even more as just struggling to get it to normal.
Into spring and early summer, is sweating, not as much as a normal horse but sweat on neck and chest and a little on the flanks.
Job is low adult hunter, came to me without changes so working mostly on that. By mid July we’re doing really well, he’s the type that loses fitness super quick, but he tries hard and we were quite the pair. Then suddenly end of July about 1/2 way through the lesson he just quits. Like the horse would not go. We’re like this is strange. Have vet out decide we’re 7.5 months post hocks do those.
He’s feeling better moving great, but basically since then, after 15-20 min of work, he’s just done. He’ll trot slowly but will not canter. I mean maybe you could do something drastic to get him there but I’m not going to fight with a horse that’s telling me something is wrong.
He has also fully stopped sweating again (late July/early Aug that happened), so we’re very strict about temps and humidity and then have a bucket to sponge off every walk break. However, he does blow very hard very quickly, more quickly than a horse who gets worked as much as he does should.
He’s in full training board, but the trainer is riding him first thing in the am and is about 100lbs lighter than me. And he’s on night turnout so she’s getting on before he’s spent all day in the stall. Her riding him later in the day recreates the issue, though not as quickly as when I ride.
Sent hair today to UC Davis for PSSM1 test. Next week vet is coming to pull blood for the muscle tests (where they pull it before and after work), to see if it is muscle related. Also going to pull blood for Lyme, and Anemia.
He is not unsound, matter of fact he’s moving better than he ever has.
So what the heck else is there to check for? Am I missing something? Could this be saddle fit and it just take 15-20 min for it to bother him? COPD (zero coughing though, just high respiration rate)? He get regular bodywork and nothing noticeable is different. He is not a particularly stoic horse.
SOVLED (we think)
He has PPID/Cushing’s at the ripe age of 10. Started prascend today. Will update if for some reason that doesn’t solve our problems
