Weight loss in the spring?

[Kolsch]

For clarity, we’re just losing our snow now, so there’s no grass yet.

Last year this coincided with a feed change, so I blamed it on the feed, switched back, and the horse promptly gained weight back and looked fabulous all summer/fall.

But now it’s looking like we’re going down that same road. The horse is 22. The vet came out a few weeks ago for the routine spring vaccs and I expressed concern that he it was starting to take more calories to maintain a good weight, and u thought he was a hair too thin. He still had fat covering the ribs, and so the consensus was to give more calories rather than get aggressive with any testing or worry too much.

So the calories have been increased, teeth are fine, I ran some gastrogard through him as a precaution, the horse is happy, he’s been dewormed, is sound, but is now starting to drop weight quickly, just like last spring.

The hay is low NSC, high digestible fiber and is in front of him almost 24/7. The diet/hay that I’m feeding him now is the same that put weight on him last year, so I’m pretty baffled.

I’m about to call the vet back out, but was hoping that someone might have another idea that I’m not thinking of to try before we run tons of bloodwork. I’m kicking myself that I didn’t just pull an ACTH, but he’s shedding just fine.

[Texarkana]

How quickly was this weight loss?

I ask because losing weight in the spring is common for many horses, so if the horse is still a healthy weight, it wouldn’t automatically ring alarm bells. The caloric demands of winter can slowly decrease weight even with sufficient rations, and then shedding begins, making the weight loss appear even more pronounced. You also have those horses who, when given the option, would rather sprain their lips grazing on the slightest bits of green that begin to emerge from the snow instead of eating their hay ration.

If the weight loss isn’t too dramatic, I’d personally just increase his calories and see if he gains weight. Then make a mental note to increase his calories for next winter, too.

Many horses also need more calories as they age. He also may need a blanket as he ages to help preserve his energy if he doesn’t already wear one.

[Kolsch]

It happened quite quickly last year, over the span of a few weeks, I never put a weight tape on him. He’s blanketed, this winter was really mild temp wise and I’ve been watching those ribs like a hawk, hands on. I’ve owned him for his 22 years, this is new for him.

Maybe I’m just not accepting that this is the new normal for my old horse that I’ll always think of as being 3.

I even try to prempt the “snorkeling for jellybeans”* by making sure he’s stabled with hay for a portion of the day. He’s always been a good hay eater, so it hasn’t been much of an issue.

*ignoring hay for the itty bitty morsels of green that are coming through.

[csaper58]

Are you sure his winter coat isn’t making him look fatter than he is, then when he sheds he looks thin?

The itty bitty bits of green are delicious. They are horsy crack.

[Kolsch]

@csaper58

Are you sure his winter coat isn’t making him look fatter than he is, then when he sheds he looks thin?

I’m absolutely positive that is not the case. I’ve been doing hands on fat and topline checks all winter long. I obsess over this horse’s topline. Even though I only ride him a handful of times over the winter, he gets hands on care and groomed.

[csaper58]

Will the horse accept fat/oil added to his diet? That is an easy way to get calories into a horse.

Corn oil, and soy bean oil are good oils to use.

So is rice bran, and Cool Calories a supplement by Start to Finish.

[Kolsch]

Well, he’s not a huge fan of oil of any variety, it has to be already added into a feed for him to eat it, so that’s what we do. I’m less concerned with the how to get the calories in than the why he needs them in the first place. Winter season weight loss I can understand, but IMO there’s no good reason for him to be abruptly losing weight at this time of the year on what is now twice the added “grain” that ended up putting weight on him last year.

Last year when I switched back to the original grain it was night and day, he immediately put weight back on. So it ended as abrubtly as it started. (He doesn’t get pasture beyond some nibbling, so it’s not like he got turned out.) I’m hoping this ends as quickly too. Maybe it was coincidence and there is something brewing in there. Or maybe he has an odd reaction to spring vaccines- the timing would be right. Or maybe he’s obsessing over the jellybeans more than I realize.

[S1969]

I would think you might be seeing the last part of winter weight loss before the grass comes in and the horse starts to gain again. For those of us that own fat horses too, we know that weight loss isn’t immediately visible, even with a reduction of rations. Your older gelding might start losing weight mid winter but you might not be able to see it until nearly spring.

My 22 year old TB mare is similar. I thought she looked great all winter but I can see now she did lose some weight. Blankets are off and grass is coming in so I’m not worried…I swear it looks like it comes back within a week once the pasture is open.