Here is another easy-to-understand and recent article. It is interesting that, while there can be several causes of FCWS, two common denominators seem to be:

Older horses and that it is more predominant in geldings than mares.

Equine – Free Fecal Water Syndrome | MWVetServices

An article written by MWVetServices outlining their preventative health care plan for your horse(s) including the physical and dental exams, vaccinations, fecal egg counts, CBC General Health Profile.

www.mwvets.com

My Rusty fits the profile from the standpoint of:

1. Gelding.

2. He has always been an anxious horse and pretty much lost it, when the two senior horses passed away, who were the #1 & #2 horses for over 20 years. Rusty was always #3 horse and an insecure one at that. He has been the “leader” of himself and the #4 horse since 2015 - a job he really doesn’t relish..

3. His FCWS only started two years ago, when he was 26, but he has been treated in the past for mystery digestive issues that involved serious gas issues.

4. His diet issue is that this starts in mid-summer when the plant chemistry changes and he eats things in the pasture he shouldn’t. So far, it has disappeared when spring grass comes on.

5. I still believe there is a connection to a weak adrenal gland in these horses but how to prove/disprove that.

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The trick remains in finding something that works to treat each horse as it seems that treatment can be different for each one

 

I have to say that while Harley had diarrhea, not FFW, he fits the profile (the difference being that diarrhea is stool that is ALWAYS loose, whereas FWS can display as normal stool accompanied by watery discharge before or after defecating - I know you know this, but thought I'd spell it out for those who are still learning).

1. When we bought him, we were told that he didn't really fit in with his herd and tended to be a loner. Here, he acts dominant, but I believe that is motivated by insecurity because he was bullied by other horses in the past so his go-to position is to bully others before they can bully him. He does not seem bonded with our horses (no mutual grooming or other bonding behaviors) yet he will push them around so they are forced to go where he wants to go.

2. Senior gelding.

3. Had ulcers in the past, so digestive issues present.

4. His diarrhea would go away in the spring with the grass and return each winter.

Luckily, we got rid of it permanently with Metronidazole.

 

@Acadianartist you could be describing my Rusty. When I had four horses, Rusty was #3.

I didn’t connect the mutual grooming but he never has engaged in it with another horse. He is also a bully, always pushing around whomever he could get away with, which was always Joker once Joker arrived. Toward Streeter’s end time, Rusty tried pushing Streeter around, so I took Streeter out of the main pasture and put him with Joker.

Joker is always inviting Rusty to groom, over the fence, but all Rusty does is bite Joker.

Rusty has also always been sort of a stand alone horse but he brought it on himself in my herd. Duke was my strong alpha, he would allow Rusty to get within the “circle” as long as he behaved. If Rusty started picking on the others, Duke would get onto him in short order. Unlike Harley in his past, Rusty was always pushing buttons - which is why I half jokingly pegged him as my A.D.D. horse many years ago.

Anxious has always been his M.O. and to this day, he watches the high ridge, waiting for that elusive boogie man to appear😳

Stress sure is an interesting theory, isn’t it?