Zelda is hairy. Honestly, I probably didn’t need to blanket her this winter. She has started to bear a distinct resemblance to a Yak. Or an old man. Between the mud and her whiskers, she definitely needed a beauty boost. Perhaps she remembers growing up in the wilds of Canada and scoffs at the New England winters.
sometimes horses with surplus hair have Cushing’s.
Yes, indeed. Curly has Cushings but part of the sign of Cushings is that they don’t shed out properly. It’s certainly something to mention to the vet, but I’m pretty sure she just grows a thick coat.
Liz is right. I bought a 21 year old Arabian gelding with at least two years growth of hair…in JULY. THe hair was 6″ long on most of him. He had Cushing’s, and the riding stable I rescued him from (that is the only word for it) had never clipped him. He did NOT shed out. I had to clip him and did I mention he’d never been bathed in all those years? Nor had he been trimmed or re shod for at least 6 months. What a mess. Burnt out a clipper getting him cleaned up and his pajamas taken off. After that, I had to clip him 4 times a summer. But I learned how to clip a horse with him, discovered that he was flea bit, not just grey, and he appreciated very much, I think, being clipped.
Yes, I knew right off the bat he had cushing’s, although the owners denied it…but that’s okay He was a fabulous horse, and I had him for 5 years before I had to have him put down. Cushing’s is relentless. But as I said, I had 5 years with him, and he was..well, the best. I still miss him.