16hh thelwel

M

madeleine1

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 June 2010
Messages
1,745
Visit site
hi

well i as a first time horse owner made a bit of a very silly mistake by putting my horse in her third section of field that she hadnt used yet this year so foot long grass.

then went on holiday for a week and she is now quite big.

she is in full time work again now 3 weeks later. she does 25 mins of lunging or an hour of hacking or schooling.

she gets one handful of pasture mix a day as i wont to keep her used to hard feed, so she can have her herbs and wormers when she needs them

so i dont really want to limit her space in the field as she has to spend 5 months a year in a stable so when she has the field i like her to have the space. i dont really want to use a grazzing musle as it seems a bit mean when shes got flies and hot wheather to deal with.

my question is, is it possible to bring her weight down by just exercise, is it better to do more trotting or spend a longer length of time power walking?

she is back up to full working fitness but just very round
 
I've got an idea! (actually it isn't mine, but it's a good one nevertheless... :D)

Obviously any exercise is good and it has been proven that work at a fast walk is an excellent fat burner as is FAST work. Anything middling is kind of neither here nor there and as is in humans it actually depletes the immune system.

Anyway, I digress.... how big is her paddock? You could try making a 2metre wide track around the edge of it, that way it's like strip grazing but with rooom to move. Then when she has eaten it down, expand it bit by bit. Hey presto, exercise for when you're not riding, no muzzle and strip grazing all in one!!!!

I know, I'm brilliant :D
 
She is nowhere near in full work, she is basically having gentle stroll with the current amount of work. Up the amount of work if you can walk her hard up hills preferably for an hour or two every day plus the 25 mins of lunging a few times a week then you may get on top of the weight. But it has to be seriously hard work, cut out the handful of food, she does not need it and I promise you she will not have forgotton what it is should you ever need to get herbs/medicine in to her. You may even have to work her twice a day as it all depends on her metabolism and ability to utilise every blade of grass. With my old horse I would compete him 3 times a week, one of those was either a one day event or a hunter trial, and 2 showjumping comps. i would XC school once a week, hack out for a couple of hours twice a week, flatwork 4 times a week and I kept on top of his weight BUT he lived in fat gits paddock, with no grass and no additional food. Hard work but it worked for him.
 
Please don't be afraid to cut field, you are doing her no favours by letting her be overweight. It is so bad for her and could kill her

Sorry to be so blunt

hugs cos I know it is not easy when you want to be kind to them
 
Why not use a grazing muzzle? I know that you think it would be unfair on her her with the heat and flies but mine is muzzled and she copes fine- after all it is far better for her to have a muzzle on than to let her get so fat and possibly get laminitis. That way she can still be out and be able to move around to use up some calories and she can be with her friends. I would think that cutting the grass would be an idea if you use a muzzle because otherwise she won't be able to eat much at all if it's so long.
I'm prepared to be corrected but in my experience exercise alone will not work, consumption also has to be cut- it doesn't take long for them to put back on the calories that they used up.
 
Last edited:
I don't understand the original post.

You put her in a field and then just left her for a week?!

She's in 24/7 for 5 months?!
 
I am assuming you dont have winter turnout so want to ensure she has turnout when its avalible?
In that case either make a track, or get a muzzle on the horse! As already said, if she gets lami, you are back to months of box rest and a stressed out and in pain animal.
The only was to shift excess weight is limit what goes in and exercise exercise exercise!
25 mins lunging or an hour hacking is so not full time work!
 
Hi this time of year sadly you have to go with your head and not your heart, Grass is a major problem you need to make the decision to either cut the grazing or wear a muzzle - if you choose to cut the paddock I would recomend you perhaps put additional fencing like an electric fencer, as limited grazing often makes them a bit bolshy looking for grass. As for feeding pasture nuts if you wish to give a goodwill gesture you may be better using something like happy hoof (anything with the laminitis society logo on)
 
Get her off such a lot of grass, wouldnt be giving her any feeds if she is doing the kind of exercise you mention. Provide a mineral lick(Imean a basic old fashioned salt type..not one full of molasses). Strip graze her or put her out on a well grazed field .....the grass is always greener as they say.

She will end up with laminitis as mentioned already & ill. Horses are not like cows at all and do not need rich grass. You were lucky she is ok.

Its good that you asked but get her off the grass and do not feel sorry for her even if she looks hungry. she is not.

Keep up the exercise regime

The only time mine ever went on long grass would be at end of a dry summer and the grass has gone completely to seed and is just like hay! Short grass can be just as bad too.
 
[deleted user] said:
I don't understand the original post.

You put her in a field and then just left her for a week?!

She's in 24/7 for 5 months?!
Click to expand...

I have the same problem, my horse cannot be turned out from november to april/ may. There is a small paddock available but it becomes a mudbath very quickly and does not provide much grass, so she is not turned out as it is not worth the hassle.
 
she is in from when it gets muddy till april as she goes into major training over winter and i cant keep her at home so she has a fling in an indoor school once of twice a week.

personally i think she is in full time work. the lunging maybe 5 mins short but the schooling we are both dripping with sweat and puffed out by the end as its not easy work, she has to do lots of fancy work and it is hard work for any horse. also the hack often includeds long streches of canter and gallops, just wondered if trotting or walking was better or if i just needed to get her out.

i think i may put the grassing mussle on

she is overweight but personally i dont think shes close to laminatus yet. she is normally quite skinny its just a change to see her with a bum and no ribs, her bum isnt an apple tho and i can feel her ribbs easily. i just want to get the extra of again so please dont worry.

for now im going with the mussle and no extra feed
 
I dont mean to be rude but your horse is sweating because it's unfit.You need to double the amount of work and cut the handful of mix.If you are worried about her getting minerals then get a paddock lick.Restrict the grazing either by muzzle or strip grazed.Prevention is better than a cure.
 
rema said:
I dont mean to be rude but your horse is sweating because it's unfit.You need to double the amount of work and cut the handful of mix.If you are worried about her getting minerals then get a paddock lick.Restrict the grazing either by muzzle or strip grazed.Prevention is better than a cure.
Click to expand...

honestly shes sweating because shes working hard. you cant tell me top atheletes dont sweat. im not saying shes a top athelete but she is doing a lot of work. you can be big but fit. and ive just said im going to put her grazing muzzle on. she has a salt lick. i was asking about the work and i will be adding some more work, but she is working hard.
 
I have just re read my post to you and i apologize i did seem quite harsh with you!!.

Unfortunately the only way to keep weight off is work.It is good that you are going to up the load a notch.Lots of hill work is good for getting the belly off and increasing fitness.A grazing muzzle is good too,or strip grazing.
 
rema said:
I have just re read my post to you and i apologize i did seem quite harsh with you!!.

Unfortunately the only way to keep weight off is work.It is good that you are going to up the load a notch.Lots of hill work is good for getting the belly off and increasing fitness.A grazing muzzle is good too,or strip grazing.
Click to expand...

thanks.

so plan is up the work and power working is as good as trotting.

grazzing mussle on

and no hard feed
 
What is the major training she does over the winter?

I think a muzzle or restricted grazing with no hard feed is the best way to go :)
 
hey hun - we all do things and then think eeeek maybe shouldnt have done that lol :) x ok increase her exercise steady and slow . you defintly need to restrict her grazing - i cant strip graze so whilst i would love baby to be out 24/7 with her friends she comes in at night allowed only one night a week out(her and my treat lol) she has handful of happy hoof morning and night ( and its a tiny handful trust me) - i cant use a muzzle with baby so cause of that i have to bring her in and to be honest shes used to rouine, it gets her of grass, i can monitor her hay in take and so far ***touches wood *** shes ok but every summer is a stressful time (bring on winter lol) -
 
I'm sorry to say this as it is a bit off-topic but really I'd move her before next winter. Being in 24/7 increases stress and stereotypical behaviours (think kids in Romanian orphanages in the '80s...), can lead to stiffness and also increases the risk of colic.

If your horse was something like a riding school or trekking horse who did LOTS (4+hrs?) of low-intensity walking out and about every day then it might be OK. But if she is just worked for an hour or so a day it won't be doing her any favours.

Horses are designed to walk around grazing for about 18hrs a day not stand around in a small box.

With apologies if I've misunderstood what happens in the winter!
 
5 months in a box with the odd play in an arena is very limited- I used to work on a competition yard and even the hunt horses went out for 4 hours a day every other day and on the day they werent out they were on the horsewalker for half hour- do you have access to one of those as this would help her keep weight down.

Is she out on her own? Or with buddies- as the morse horses in the field the less grass!

The heavy sweat will need some minerals to replace those lost- have you tried a mineral lick in the field? Is she the horse in your signature? - lovely looker
 
babymare said:
hey hun - we all do things and then think eeeek maybe shouldnt have done that lol :) x ok increase her exercise steady and slow . you defintly need to restrict her grazing - i cant strip graze so whilst i would love baby to be out 24/7 with her friends she comes in at night allowed only one night a week out(her and my treat lol) she has handful of happy hoof morning and night ( and its a tiny handful trust me) - i cant use a muzzle with baby so cause of that i have to bring her in and to be honest shes used to rouine, it gets her of grass, i can monitor her hay in take and so far ***touches wood *** shes ok but every summer is a stressful time (bring on winter lol) -
Click to expand...

i would bring her in but i dont have a stable at home hense why she moves in winter. she has her muzzle on for the first time tonight and i stayed and watched from a distance and it took her a little over an hour to figure out she could still eat a bit xx

and 'only me' its dressage and just really intense schooling to help her movement and general all round goodness so i can compete her better through out the summer and get some good hacking in

also she is in a riding school and she gets an hour with me, i also take her for walks in hand and she gets a bit of hand grazzing. then she gets an hour in the school and often some work walking round with the rda and sometimes a fling as well so she gets out plenty in the winter dont worry people. remeber i do love her and i know what id like so i dont just trap her inside all winter but in the summer i want her to feel what being a horse is a bit more then what working is, if that makes any sence.

i apreciate all your points tho thank you but i do love her and i have made some plans
 
Last edited:
shadowboy said:
5 months in a box with the odd play in an arena is very limited- I used to work on a competition yard and even the hunt horses went out for 4 hours a day every other day and on the day they werent out they were on the horsewalker for half hour- do you have access to one of those as this would help her keep weight down.

Is she out on her own? Or with buddies- as the morse horses in the field the less grass!

The heavy sweat will need some minerals to replace those lost- have you tried a mineral lick in the field? Is she the horse in your signature? - lovely looker
Click to expand...

shes on her own but next to others but i dnt want anyone actaully in her field as shes a proper cow with others. shes happy with them the other side of the fence. and thanks for the lovly looker comment. i do love her alot
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top