Friesian with thinning mane

[saitou_amaya]

I’ve owned my 20 year old Friesian gelding for about 14 years and up until maybe a year ago he has always had a nice, thick and long mane. But in the last year or so, it seems like his mane is thinning out and not growing. I’m not sure what to do. I’m looking for suggestions on how to help.

I haven’t changed his mane care routine. I keep it in long, lose braids, about 9 or 10 of them. I usually re-do the braids once or twice a week and put some detanlger in it (Survive Eqyss). In the summer, I will wash and condition his mane a couple times a month. It doesn’t look like he is rubbing it or there is any breakage. It just seems like it isn’t growing. His tail also seems the same way, thinner and not growing as thick as it used to. Also doesn’t seem like he is rubbing it at all.

Is there something else I should be doing or something I can try to get it to grow? I did buy some MTG today but wow do I hate how it smells. It really looks so thin and brittle now that I’m seriously debating just pulling it and starting over, which I never thought I’d do.

[Scribbler]

I would take this as a sign he isn’t using his nutrients efficiently as he ages and increase his protein and zinc copper etc. Good for all around health.

Apparently Freisians age faster than some other breeds so might be worth considering him a senior horse at 20.

[saitou_amaya]

@Scribbler

I would take this as a sign he isn’t using his nutrients efficiently as he ages and increase his protein and zinc copper etc. Good for all around health.

Apparently Freisians age faster than some other breeds so might be worth considering him a senior horse at 20.

I was wondering if it could be something nutrition/age related. He has always been an easy keeper and just gets a small amount of Purina Strategy plus lot’s of good quality grass hay. I wonder if he isn’t getting enough of what he needs with just the small amount of grain and a ration balancer might be better. What else would you recommend for the other things? He also gets the Smartpak senior combo supplement.

It’s funny, I’ve heard the opposite about Friesians, that they live longer than other breeds. His sire lived to be 30 and people tell me all the time he looks good for his age. He is still sound, doing training level dressage, and will jump around small 2’6" jumps sometimes. But I may be biased haha!

[Bluey]

One symptom of Cushing’s is thinning mane as thyroid function declines.

Another in geldings the sheath swells some, as extra fluids tend to accumulate by gravity there, check for that also.

I would run some blood by the vet to check for any it may show.

[saitou_amaya]

@Bluey

One symptom of Cushing’s is thinning mane as thyroid function declines.

Another in geldings the sheath swells some, as extra fluids tend to accumulate by gravity there, check for that also.

I would run some blood by the vet to check for any it may show.

Sigh. So earlier this year, the vet recommended we test this horse for Cushings. We were having a really hard time deworming him (fecal came back high when he has always been a low shedder and took multiple rounds of dewormers to get him clear) and he had some minor wounds that just would not heal. The Cushings test did come back elevated and higher than the year before last when he was last tested. I asked the vet if this means he has Cushings and he said yes. I asked if we should treat him with Prascend and he said no since he is not showing any obvious symptoms i.e. long coat that doesn’t shed out, laminitis, muscle wasting. He said it doesn’t make sense to treat if he has no clinical symptoms. I thought that seemed odd but the vet suggested we test him again in 6 months or so and see if anything has changed. Now I’m wondering if the crappy mane and tail could be related and if treating would help.

[Scribbler]

I would not worry about the mane and tail except as evidence of more serious health problems.

If it’s Cushing’s you need to address that in some way.

Yes every horse needs either a vitamin mineral supplement or a ration balancer if they are only getting a scant feeding of fortified feed. Change that up immediately.

Also go to the Equine Cushing’s insulin Resistance web site and/or FB group and find out how to manage it with diet if it’s not yet time for meds.

You have bigger problems looming than just a thin tail. Like laminitis and founder.

[S1969]

@saitou_amaya

Sigh. So earlier this year, the vet recommended we test this horse for Cushings. We were having a really hard time deworming him (fecal came back high when he has always been a low shedder and took multiple rounds of dewormers to get him clear) and he had some minor wounds that just would not heal. The Cushings test did come back elevated and higher than the year before last when he was last tested. I asked the vet if this means he has Cushings and he said yes. I asked if we should treat him with Prascend and he said no since he is not showing any obvious symptoms i.e. long coat that doesn’t shed out, laminitis, muscle wasting. He said it doesn’t make sense to treat if he has no clinical symptoms. I thought that seemed odd but the vet suggested we test him again in 6 months or so and see if anything has changed. Now I’m wondering if the crappy mane and tail could be related and if treating would help.

This is so common and so weird. Cushings doesn’t get better - it only gets worse. Once you see the physical symptoms (muscle wasting, laminitis) you’ve failed to treat the problem in time. Which sometimes is no one’s fault - because we don’t routinely test all horses for Cushings. But the symptoms are just that - symptoms of a whole body issue. And some of the other symptoms aren’t noticeable to us but are surely noticeable to the horse. So it doesn’t make sense to not treat a horse once you have a positive result.

I tell this story all the time here - but a good friend had an adrenal gland tumor which put her into a “pseudo-Cushings” condition (excess Cortisol production). She had a variety of outward symptoms, but lots of others - fatigue, joint pain, insomnia, lower immune resistance and fractured both her feet doing normal things. She had the tumor removed almost 2 years ago and is still adjusting and recovering from the damage that the condition caused the rest of her body. She may never recover fully but is doing really great now. It was only when she started feeling better that she realized how terrible she had felt.

I would start treating this horse now, and would have a serious discussion with the vet about getting up to speed on Cushings disease.

[saitou_amaya]

@S1969

This is so common and so weird. Cushings doesn’t get better - it only gets worse. Once you see the physical symptoms (muscle wasting, laminitis) you’ve failed to treat the problem in time. Which sometimes is no one’s fault - because we don’t routinely test all horses for Cushings. But the symptoms are just that - symptoms of a whole body issue. And some of the other symptoms aren’t noticeable to us but are surely noticeable to the horse. So it doesn’t make sense to not treat a horse once you have a positive result.

I tell this story all the time here - but a good friend had an adrenal gland tumor which put her into a “pseudo-Cushings” condition (excess Cortisol production). She had a variety of outward symptoms, but lots of others - fatigue, joint pain, insomnia, lower immune resistance and fractured both her feet doing normal things. She had the tumor removed almost 2 years ago and is still adjusting and recovering from the damage that the condition caused the rest of her body. She may never recover fully but is doing really great now. It was only when she started feeling better that she realized how terrible she had felt.

I would start treating this horse now, and would have a serious discussion with the vet about getting up to speed on Cushings disease.

I called the vet this morning and asked about starting treatment for Cushings. He recommended we start him at 1/2 a tablet for 10 days then increase to 1 tablet daily. So I’m going by after work to pick up the Prascend and see how it goes. The vet did mention that I need to watch him closely as it can cause loss of appetite. This horse is a typical Friesian and constantly eating so it would be surprising to see him not obsessed with food.

I’m hoping this will also help with some of the other symptoms that I think I’ve been in denial about. He has been losing muscle along his topline for a year, which I thought just may be age. He has also been urinating more often–he used to refuse to ever pee under saddle or in the cross ties but now does it almost daily. It’s honestly hard to tell how good or bad he is feeling because he is such a happy and cheerful gelding. One minute he is dragging me to the jump and leaving a stride out and the next he is puffing from 10 minutes of trotting, it’s just so hard to tell. I wish I could just ask him how he is feeling! Watching them get old is terrible and I feel like I let him down by not getting him on the Prascend sooner.

[pony_baloney]

Those are definitely symptoms of Cushing’s. Just be sure to retest. ACTH levels will be at their highest going into November and laminitis could appear during this time.