Widsucking and weightloss

Ladyknight

Ladyknight

New Member
May 6, 2007
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Queensland, Australia
Who else has a horse that windsucks? I am not looking for a cure, I have tried everything and have accepted it is part of my horses character. However, recently he has been looking very skinny. He is up to date on wormers, had the dentist out last week, and has 24/7 turnout. I don;t use a collar on him, it just rubs and stresses him out. Whenever I drive or walk past he is sucking, and I rarely see him eating. ( He does eat after Im there for extended peiods of time)

Here is a link to what he is being fed
http://www.mi-feed.com.au/pdf/Horse- Bulk Up.pdf

Is it ok? Yes he is an exracer, 8 yr old TB. I have heard somewhere that high cereal diets are bad for them?
I have had him for 6 months, and the previous owner had the vet out to check for ulcers ( there were none)


Is there any point of going back to stabling at night, and leaving him several biscuits of hay? Im thinking if I do this, he wil see the hay as a treat and eat that all night as opposed to windsucking???:confused:

Thanks for reading the novel:)
 
it sounds like he have a stomach ulcer. horses crib because of this or cribbing causes it? He'd need to be scoped to find out though I think, might be why hes off his food aand dropping now
 
My friends horse windsucks but she not lost any weight ! (far from it lol ) although she doesnt do it as much as you say yours does. Her tummy seems to be full of air and she always trumping :p shes only fed hi -fi lite and no matter how restricted her grazing is she always has a tummy (shes wormed up to date)
 
Lady-Lexi said:
it sounds like he have a stomach ulcer. horses crib because of this or cribbing causes it? He'd need to be scoped to find out though I think, might be why hes off his food aand dropping now
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Pretty much what my instant thought was. There are links between the two, some believe that windsucking/crib biting causes ulcers etc but it has also been found that horses windsuck to help relieve gastro intestinal pain, which can then lead to it becomming a habit.

With increased weight loss i'd be wanting to get the vet out to see what is going on inside personally.

Diet will play a big part in stomach problems obviously though. Have you changed his diet from what his previous owner was giving him? Horses have such sensitive digestive systems that any change, no matter how slight, can cause problems.

Good luck with him :)
 
I have actually changed his diet completely from what his previous owner was giving him, but it was all introduced very slowly. Would it be worth switching over back to what he was on to see if that makes a difference? Or are you saying a change of diet can cuase ulcers?

Ihave also coem across this
'Treatment and Prevention of Ulcers Top
Turning a horse out to graze without work for a month will heal most ulcers, but this is often not practical.'
http://www.petalia.com.au/Templates/StoryTemplate_Process.cfm?specie=Horses&story_no=1918

Also, I am correct in believing that high grain diets, lots of time stabled, and exercise can lead to an increased chance of ulcers?
Because he used to be stabled at night, but he has had 24/7 turnour\t for the past two months with maybe three light rides, due to a factor of a broken rib (me) hoof abbces (him) and just lack of time. I am planning to bring him back into work slowly soon but want him to gain more weight first.

Could I just be a novice owner reading too much into something?:) He has no topline, and I believe that most horses have just some, but do TBs have less natuarly? He has a small grass stomach I guess, and his hindquaters aren't actually too bad, not super muscled but not sunken and wasted.
Maybe it is just all muscle loss.
 
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I am familiar with conditions in parts of Australia and would ask first - what is your grass growth line and second - what species of grass is predominant? If the drought has made the grass sparse or very tough and unappetising, that will obviously be a problem, and also native grasses require a greater available area per horse for adequate nutrition. Thirdly, does he have easy access to a source of sweet fresh water?

Have a look at this link for information relevant to Qld. It contains much useful information for judging the condition of horses and managing them in Australian conditions.

Does he share with other horses and if so, what type are they and what condition are they in? If he is alone, he might well improve with quiet compatible company such as a cheap pony from the saleyards. If he is in company, are his paddockmates compatible or do they bully him?

It does sound as if he is missing something if he eats contentedly while in your company but windsucks continually otherwise. I have had windsuckers - before the association with ulcers was made - and with correct management they can be reasonably contented and stay in good condition. Minimising stress (both mental and physical) is important for a horse's well-being; I think that is especially so for any horse who is not 100% mentally or physically - and any horse showing a stereotypy is not 100%.

Do you feed hay out in the field and if so, how much? Rather than measuring it by the biscuit, flap or flake, you are best weighing it and estimating his weight, too, so that you know he is being given - and is eating - an appropriate amount. What sort f hay are you using and do you have any idea of its nutritional content?

Turning out in compatible company WHERE THERE IS SUFFICIENT GRAZING can indeed cure - or at least minimise the problems caused by - ulcers, and given sufficient grazing of appropriate grass species, should improve his general physical condition.

However, ex-racers rarely look as chunky or round as their stock horse, standie or clydie-cross companions and if so, this is just something you have to accept. A greyhound will always look as if they are carrying less 'condition' than a labrador!
 
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Ladyknight said:
Or are you saying a change of diet can cuase ulcers?
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No i wasn't saying it can cause ulcers, I was just saying that horses have such sensitive digestive systems that even the slightest change can tip the balance in the wrong direction.

As the previous owner had the vet out to check for ulcers I am presuming she had reason to suspect there was a problem in the first place. Did she give you any further information about why or anything?
What were your reasons for changing feed completely? Did she have him on a specific feed?
 
Yes, she had the vet out to do a general check as she got him OTT. Just as a caution. I chaged his feed because he was on competiton feed and under my care was not worked as much, also I notied as a result of this he became full of beans:) Now he is settled but still has energy to do what is asked of him. Also she had him on very expensive stuff
 
my horse is a windsucker/criber and i always have to have a collar on him if not he will stop eatting and get skinny there are other kinds of collar u could try?
 
we have 3 cribbers and 2 if they dont have there colors on they get skinny and they can crib all day long its bad they will stop eatting lose weigth and can colic from it
 
Just because he didn't have ulcers doesn't mean he doesn't have ulcers now..... it's a chicken and egg thing, he may develop ulcers.

I find with my mare feeding her from a manger makes it better - and hay in nets not on the floor...... she also needs constant access to water and feed (hay or grass) or she gets very stressed.

Sounds like your guy needs some company though...... she too cannot be alone.
 
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