[SilverMaple]

Has your veterinarian drawn blood on this horse? Is there something else going on health-wise? I'd be looking into PSSM with this horse, too. Lack of topline musculature is a symptom. This horse does look underfed, to me, in the picture. She lacks all bloom and condition, so perhaps her diet is lacking. Feeding all she'll eat won't matter if it's wrong for her nutritionally. What does she get for food?

Worms also tend to cause issues in horses who have underlying health problems moreso than healthier horses. Is there anywhere else you can keep her? It doesn't sound like your current place is ideal at all.

Gentle riding won't hurt her unless she's so thin the saddle doesn't fit. Her muscles will develop just fine if she wears a saddle unless there's something else going on with her health-wise. Slow work with gentle hills, walking over poles, backing up, transitions will help develop her topline muscles.

She's such a nice-looking animal otherwise. I hope you can get her sorted out.

 

[Selaya]

He did, and she's negative for PSSM, luckily. He did find the traces of worms, and the other vet that came around told me she had everything (she's also a chiropractor) a horse with red worms would have. With the bad manure management, it's not suprising. Her muscles had seized from the pain and she only got better about that after the chiro was done with her. She had lost a lot of weight in the picture due to an abcess at the time, but both vets confirmed she wasn't actually underweight weight-wise, but muscle-wise. The second one gave me feed that might help her - she gets the Cavalor fibreforce now and a garlic and herbs supplement for her intestines. She does very good on that, and as always gains weight when she looks at a blade of grass sideways.

If I feed her just a tad too much, she blows up. She's already far over the meter now, sadly, and way too fat. Fattening her up doesn't help with the topline though... She just looks like and old, fat horse now. Sorry I don't have a recent picture of her!

Her back had gotten a bit more toned after the chiro came, and the saddle still fits properly, she said.

I do hope so as well! It's been awful with the first vet being very wishy-washy and unreliable. He didn't even send me other blood results at all, except "She's PSSM free" and "She has worms". Never calling that one again :/

 

[SilverMaple]

I'd wonder if she's insulin resistant. Many who are tend to still have a cresty neck, but a potbelly, ribby, with loss of musculature along the topline. Not all horses with this issue are roly poly butterballs.

 

[Espy]

Do keep in mind that there are several forms of PSSM (or more accurately called MFM) that can cause muscle wasting, not just PSSM1 which is the one most people test for.

 

[Cherrij]

I would suggest looking at high protein feeds, giving this horse a lot of turnout, if turnout not possible, going for long hacks at walk, walk/trot in hand or on lunge over cavaletti, doing some groundwork exercises specific for back and hindquarter developments. THe sessions don't have to be very long, the can be 20-30 minutes in hand. The hacks can be longer, just letting the horse walk walk walk!

THat is all of course if she is sound.

 

[Selaya]

Cherrij, thank you for the tip! I went out today with her for the first time in a month (was tied down to work in the "arena" aka the pasture for a week or two, vet said that would be a bit safer before I went out for her muscles) and she loved the work and could very easily handle what I gave her. Lots of uphill and downhill work at the walk, transitions, backing up and because she loves the exercise, boosting off while backing at a fast trot for a meter or two. Going to keep it steady and slow!

This is her now, so everyone knows what I'm actually dealing with as of this day ;

 

[Espy]

With the muscle loss both on the topline and hindquarters, I wouldn't rule out PSSM2/MFM. A bad bout of worms could certainly be a trigger to kick off symptoms. I can PM you if you want to know about testing and there is a sticky on this board with more info (but not about testing).

 

[4horses]

She looks good to me. If they lose weight too fast, they lose muscle and fat. If she is healthy and sound- exercise, exercise, exercise. Get that muscle built up.

My insulin resistant mare was on a diet for a long time. She still has a hay belly, but I'm ashamed at how her topline looks. I think she needs more protein and exercise.

 

[QtrBel]

How old is she?