# Should I be worried- Heave line?



## littlen (14 May 2010)

I currently own a lovely 10 year old gelding who came to me with many many problems. Both physical and mental.
One of the main ones was that he was very overweight. He had a huge grass belly yet no muscle at all.  I have worked very hard for months to shift this weight and he is now looking great, he has lost most of the weight and he is starting to muscle up properly. I am also beginning to show him this year so he has to be in a good condition.

Now, I have noticed over the period of the last few months he has developed a noticeable 'heave line' or at least I think its one.  I didnt notice it before (or maybe he did but it was hidden beneath the fat)
It is not that noticable when he is stood, but when he is moving it is more obvious. 
I asked advice from some of the more experienced on the yard who said it was more likley muscle from being very fit than something to worry about.

He is in good health and is out 24/7 so if it is something like COPD surely it would have cleared up after 3 months of being outside?
He does not cough, or breathe heavily (he can hack in trot/canter for 3 hours on hacks without breaking a sweat)
I have noticed he is a bit snotty at the moment but I wasnt worried until now.
He has fly allergies but thats it.


So, can a horse have a heave line (or a muscle in this area?) without having a problem?
What causes one of these and how can I get rid of it?

Has anyone had any experiences of this?

Thanks.


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## spike123 (14 May 2010)

If he is a bit snotty,what colour is it? Might sound a strange question but it can indicate whether it is infection or allergy related. I would perhaps phone your vet and ask their advice on the line as to whether it is a heave line or not. However if he has white snot then there is likely some kind of allergy going on which could explain the heave line, if that is what it is.


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## precious1 (14 May 2010)

I would get some advice of vet maybe give them a call, only cos horses on my yard when they have had a noticable heave line its due to something not right slight pain somewhere.
Hopefully its nothing but at least ur know if the professionals tell you x


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## littlen (14 May 2010)

His snot is clear which is why I havnt worried before now.
He is eating, drinking and working fine. He has not had any problems of any kind really which is why its strange.

I will ring the vet as he will be coming out to give his tetnus in a week or so (he cannot have flu as he had a reaction last time, problem number 1000 lol) and I will ask him to have a look. The line isnt noticeable all of the time, mainly during excersise can you see it.


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## xxxloz123 (14 May 2010)

Hi my pony has a heave line, but he has copd, hes allergic to dust and pollens. So his line is due to heavy breathing. I would get a vet out just incase its the start of some kind of allergy before it gets worse. It may be nothing, but its always best to be on the safe side  x


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## Puppy (14 May 2010)

littlen said:



			The line isnt noticeable all of the time, mainly during excersise can you see it.
		
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Sounds like stomach muscles to me


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## dianeholmes (14 May 2010)

My 16.3 middleweight has allergies causing significant levels of neutrophils (white blood cells) in his lungs. He has no cough, blows his nose frequently and itches it on his foreleg. He looks great has no heave line and at rest breathes normally, vets can hear nothing in his chest until the neutrophils go up to huge levels. I know there is a problem because his performance falls off significantly (endurance horse). The signs can be subtle whilst the horse has a considerable problem. Incidently it is spring/ summer related. He has minor amounts of white discharge - looks like milk of magnesia!!!

I would ask your vet to look at him to put your mind at rest.


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## TopTotty (14 May 2010)

I call your 'Heave line' my 'Fit line'.  This develops when fittening work is done and if you look at eventers and the like they will mostly all have them especially when they are in hard work or training.  It will depend on his breeding as to how easily it will appear but it sounds like you have been doing a smashing job with him and if in doubt the only person to really take advice from is your vet.


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## Dizzle (14 May 2010)

dianeholmes said:



			My 16.3 middleweight has allergies causing significant levels of neutrophils (white blood cells) in his lungs. He has no cough, blows his nose frequently and itches it on his foreleg. He looks great has no heave line and at rest breathes normally, vets can hear nothing in his chest until the neutrophils go up to huge levels. I know there is a problem because his performance falls off significantly (endurance horse). The signs can be subtle whilst the horse has a considerable problem. Incidently it is spring/ summer related. He has minor amounts of white discharge - looks like milk of magnesia!!!

I would ask your vet to look at him to put your mind at rest.
		
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This is really interesting, could you give me some more information on this please? It sounds really similar to my horse, his racing career finished because his breathing was not up to it, he always itches his foreleg/nose when ridden, he always has a sneeze/noseblow when we first trot...


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## dressager (14 May 2010)

That's interesting... my horse has a slight heave line but only in exercise. No problems breathing, no snot, but he does like to itch his nose on his leg quite a lot and snorts a lot, mainly in canter. I assumed the itch was because of being sweaty under his bridle but I might ask the vet about it next time he's up.


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## JenHunt (14 May 2010)

sounds to me like it is just muscles where he's not had them (obvious to you) for a while. It's like our Abs and Obliques, it's the tummy muscles he uses to balance and move etc with a rider on board. You can see it clearly in a lot of racehorses and fit eventers.

But if you're unsure then get the vet out.


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## dianeholmes (15 May 2010)

Hi Dizzle,

Winston has had a few health problems over the years and I am now convinced one of them has been Recurrent Airways Disease (COPD as was!!) and was missed because he had no obvious respiratory symptoms. We had a loss of performance that nothing seemed to help. Last year I took him to a very tough endurance ride in the Cheviot Hills that was clearly too much for him so we retired half way. A few weeks later he was coughing for the first time and was initially treated for a chest infection. Nothing improved so the vet scoped hom and took a sample of fluid from his lungs. The neutrophils were at 94% which is a huge rate. Vets start to seriously consider allergies once the results top about 50%. 

This year he started to loose performance when asked to do extra but copes well with forward going group lessons and 1-2 hr hacks. The vet who scoped him last year had left so I had to go through two other vets who when they examined him in the stable found everything to be normal. I finally found one who listened, who scoped him a couple of weeks ago and his neutrophil rate was 78%!!!!! This time he has no cough, no heave line but was rubbing and blowing his nose frequently.

He is back on steroids but too soon to know whether this has been effective. My vet is reluctant to use Ventapulmin unless he has a bad period as the more you use it the less effective it becomes. Incidentally all blood results were normal, this is standard with an allergic response and helps rule out infection in the lungs.

I hope this helps - sorry for the length but you did ask!!!

Diane


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## otter2 (15 May 2010)

my 10yo has a "heave line" but she has no breathing/health problems and is competition fit


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## misterjinglejay (15 May 2010)

The 'heave line' is usually a sign that the horse is working properly, and lifting his stomach to carry himself, and you. Working in an an outline really uses that muscle (not sure what it's called). It is a good sign as far as fitness goes!


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