The hair is coming off - yay!

I never thought I would get so excited about having to deal with hair shedding out. But actually, it's a very good sign for Saumur - it means that he might not have Cushing's disease* ! Also known as *Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction or PPID, Cushing’s Disease is a dysfunction of the pituitary gland. It is most common in older horses (18 – 23 years). Since it is sometimes associated with Insulin Resistance, Cushing’s can be confused with another condition called Equine Metabolic Syndrome. Signs of Cushing's include long, curly hair, and delayed haircoat shedding (among other symptoms). 

Morgans are especially prone to this disease, and Saumur has definitely some of the symptoms. A couple of months ago I added a supplement for Equine Metabolic Syndrome to his SmartPaks, and this seems to help him get rid of all the unwanted hair. I'll have him checked at his next Vet appointment, but for right now, I'm happily currying off hair. I filled half of a muck bucket today, the rest is stubbornly clinging to me. Say Hello to the Hairy One - and I don't mean Saumur! 

On a completely different note, Friday we went to the movies and we really enjoyed "McFarland, USA". I was 'lukewarm' about seeing the film, expecting lots of cliches, but I was pleasantly surprised. As JP described it to Sean: "No violence, no sex, (no horses) ... and still an excellent movie" :-).