Common Causes of Weight Loss in Off The Track Race Horses
Date:
Fri, 10/07/2011
An excertp from the book, Beyond The Track (see our other blog). The article talks about the common causes of weight loss in off-the-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs).
Common reasons for weight loss poinnted out by the books are-:
- Insufficient calories from feed
- Parasite infestation
- Heat will cause a horse to burn more calories
- Cold will also cause a horse burn extra calories
- Fighting insects: Thoroughbreds hate insects. They tend to be thin-skinned and especially sensitive to biting flies and mosquitoes, so expect the weight to "melt" off your horse if he spends too much time fighting the bugs--inside as well as out.
- Pacing the fence
- Sickness
- Teeth