Flanks look sunken in?

[Savannah_KP]

My older, best guess early 20s, Oldenburg mare is in great condition (everyone thinks she’s younger than she is). She holds her weight well, is on minimal grain, and has grown a great starter winter coat. She is not currently in work and is acting completely normal, but her flanks on both sides of her butt/hip look sunken in…what could this be? Some people have told me worms (although her weight is fine - she’s due for dewormer today) and some people say dehydration. Anyone have experience with this? If it is dehydration, how can I get more fluids in her (her grain is already made into a mash)?

Thanks!

[Highflyer]

It’s hard to say-- do you have a before/ after picture? It may be that she starting to lose weight, or to lose muscle, and that’s just where you’re seeing it. Had she been in work before? Has she been tested for Cushings?

[goodhors]

How much water is she drinking? Dehydration is always my first thought with sunken flanks. Especially now with colder weather, many horses not drinking well because of cold water, body water used up moistening their hay intake.

You can do a pinch test of skin on her neck. See if it tents at all or quickly flattens. Tenting skin is not good, means she is dehydrated.

Is she actually drinking enough water? How much for an average each day? I have had good luck increasing water intake by adding salt, a Tablespoon daily, to their grain. This is in addition to wet feed of soaked beet pulp or wet soaked hay cubes as part of their “winter food”. Warm to hot water helps, mine like warm food when coming in for the night.

[Savannah_KP]

Thanks @goodhors , i’ll check her gums and skin for dehydration. good tips!

[findeight]

Gravity and age. As they get into their late 20s it takes its toll and sunken flanks is one of the first places they show their age. Mine stayed rather rotund until about age 27 before we started seeing it along with a gradual loss of top line over the next couple of years. Weight and condition were fine, just wearing out the frame holding everything up.

Very possible that’s what’s going on with her. She could be a few years older then you think and some of them start to visually age earlier then others. Is she a big horse?

[GraceLikeRain]

Have you done a fecal count? Rotating dewormers has been the standard for many years but it is now recommended that you have a fecal run so that you can be more targeted in your deworming. It could be that she does have a high fecal load but the rotation of wormers has not targeted that specific parasite.