Statement: My horse has dapples in its coat so it is healthy!
You can clearly see from the horse's coat whether the horse is healthy or not. But is that always the case? Is it always true that if your horse has dapples, it is automatically in good health?
What does the coat say?
Everyone can see that a horse with a dull coat and ugly hair is not in the best shape, but when a horse is shiny and / or has dapples in its coat, it can give a distorted image. In practice, we often encounter horses that look beautiful, but still have many problems. The cause can be incorrect nutrition and / or other physical complaints.
What are dapples?
Dapples in a horse's coat are circular spots, which may be a shade lighter or darker than the rest of the coat. Dapples are mainly found on the horse's torso. Not every horse can get these dapples in its coat, it takes genetic predisposition. In horses with this genetic predisposition, you can mainly see the dapples when the summer coat emerges after winter.
My horse had dapples, but not anymore…
With good care of a horse with dapples, these will remain visible if the horse is healthy. Not only good maintenance of the coat, but also good nutrition is of great importance. If the dapples disappear, it could be a sign that there is something wrong with the horse's health. Taking action is then necessary!
My horse never has dapples, is he unhealthy?
There are horses that never get dapples in their fur and are still very healthy. These horses simply do not have the genetic predisposition and will therefore never get them. They can shine like crazy!
You can see a special form of dapples in a dapple grey horse. These horses are born with a dark coat and become whiter with age. With the grey dapple, there is a phase that dark circular spots can be seen in the whitening coat. This process therefore says nothing about his health.
The coat changes color, what does these mean?
Many horses are lighter or darker during the summer and winter season, which is quite normal. If a horse is not feeling well, the color of the coat can become much less intense or pale. Or he suddenly shoots through his hair in the fall or sheds badly in the spring. These are all signs that something is going on and that the constitution, nutrition, training and housing should also be considered. When the cause is found, the horse will regain its color.
What can cause a bad coat?
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
• Overload of the liver and kidneys due to waste
• Disruption of the digestive system
• Problems with the stomach (stomach ulcer), intestines or intestinal flora
• Incorrect nutrition
• Not enough roughage
• Diseases such as PPID (Cushing) and Insulin Resistance (IR )
• Pain, tension, stress and sadness
• Too little movement or too much exercise
Need help?
In the field of nutrition and herb mixes that can restore health and thus the coat, you can go to www.thehorsetherapist.ie . We can then see how we can adjust feed management so that the horse gets fit again. Diseases such as IR and the symptoms of PPID are also strongly influenced by the right diet.
In case of non-food related problems, I always refer to a (holistic) vet or other professionals.
Written by Jente Driessen of HorseComplete and translated by Sharon Bronsveld of The Horse Therapist