490kgs on weight tape

[PinkvSantaboots]

Weightapes are good for keeping track of what they gain and lose but they aren't actually accurate on current weight and they can vary quite a lot from a weighbridge.

Agree you need to get him on a weighbridge.

 

[Tiddlypom]

The pony doesn't need to go on a weigh bridge, except for interest's sake. He is clearly and visibly dangerously obese.

 

[First Frost]

My 15.1 chunky old fashioned type Connie weighs 480 kg on my weight tape and 510 kg on the vets weigh bridge. My 15.1 TB X Connie weighs 450kg on the weight tape and 483 Kg at vets. So weight tape seems to weigh approx 30 kg under. I use the tape to keep track of fluctuations, although they don't just put weight on in the tummy area.

 

[Starzaan]

I would be wary of giving such specific advice about how much a weightape is out by as they vary so much. I had one which over estimated. My current tape consistently comes out between 30kg to 50 kg under compared to the weighbridge at vet college. That's on tbs, warmbloods and cobs.

So i would always say just use it to track changes or check your own against a weighbridge but don't make assumptions about how inaccurate it is or even whether it's under or over.

Oh definitely, I was simply saying that weigh tapes aren’t super reliable for actual weight, but as you say they are useful to track change.
my apologies OP if my post came across in the wrong way. ?

 

[pistolpete]

It's very hard when they are retired and living out. Yes, he is very fat and as a native, he will be a very good doer.

I had two native types - Welsh D and Haffie - at a retirement livery for many years. Their field mates tended to be old TBs, summer resting hunters, youngsters and warmblood types with the odd truly geriatric pony. All of whom needed a lot more food than mine! The welsh had always been pretty good at regulating his weight - fat in summer, dropped in winter so came into spring fairly slim. Always been unshod, never had lami and I'd owned him since weaning. The haffie however was a porker. He'd has lami before I got him and I had to work him hard all year to keep him at an acceptable weight - driving in the winter, riding in the summer and stabled during the day all summer. He did a tendon at 20 and the box rest to heal that caused real issues with his arthritis plus his food had to be restricted to manage his weight without work. He was retired unsound as I couldn't justify another stretch of box rest after the tendon reinjured once he came back into work on welfare grounds and sent to the same place as the welsh.

The first summer he was there I was horrified by his weight - they all lived out, just hay, no bucket feed for him in winter, no rug but moved fields once a month or so and spent the summer on large water meadow - he was FAT. One year there were Charolais cattle in the next field and I remember thinking that if he was in with them, he would blend right in. I had spent years stressing about every kg he put on and it was incredibly difficult not to swing into action. This lad could remove any muzzle on the market - all had been tried - would either go through or over a fence if on a small/bare paddock and was sore if stabled for more than a few hours due to his arthritis and while field sound, his leg would not stand up to work. I made a decision that many would criticise me for, that quality of life was more important than the length at this point. He had been broken to drive at 2, competed in a 4 in hand team, spent many years at working livery at a riding school and been a busy R&D before he came to me to slow down at 17. He could be happy living out with no restrictions in a herd and at the first sign of lami, he would be PTS. He lasted another 5 years or so and was PTS for something else altogether. The welshie was there for over 10 years and was PTS when even with bute, his arthritis meant that he couldn't comfortably stand for the farrier. Neither of them ever showed the slightest sign of laminitis, no raised pulses or warm feet, no abscesses, nothing in that time although looking at them, they really should have. In all that time, they only lami case I saw was a pony, who with hindsight had EMS, got acute lami the first spring he was there.

I don't regret my decision and was quite prepared to PTS on diagnosis if need be.

Thank you for that. I’m kind of in the same boat. He’s miserable being micro managed. He LOVES his herd life. He can manage with his injury for now and I love seeing him genuinely happy after him being the most miserable riding pony. If he goes down with lami it will be the end and I won’t let him suffer. For now he’s super happy. He would colic every four to six months when on restricted grazing/soaked hay and in work. Hasn’t colicked for a year! Since he’s been out. I know some will say I’m signing his death warrant but many would have already had him put down. To me he’s having his retirement for however long he can.

 

[I'm Dun]

Thank you for that. I’m kind of in the same boat. He’s miserable being micro managed. He LOVES his herd life. He can manage with his injury for now and I love seeing him genuinely happy after him being the most miserable riding pony. If he goes down with lami it will be the end and I won’t let him suffer. For now he’s super happy. He would colic every four to six months when on restricted grazing/soaked hay and in work. Hasn’t colicked for a year! Since he’s been out. I know some will say I’m signing his death warrant but many would have already had him put down. To me he’s having his retirement for however long he can.

Managing a good doer without being able to work them hard is miserable for them. If he could talk I'm sure he would say he'd rather have a shorter happier life.

 

[Pippity]

Thank you for that. I’m kind of in the same boat. He’s miserable being micro managed. He LOVES his herd life. He can manage with his injury for now and I love seeing him genuinely happy after him being the most miserable riding pony. If he goes down with lami it will be the end and I won’t let him suffer. For now he’s super happy. He would colic every four to six months when on restricted grazing/soaked hay and in work. Hasn’t colicked for a year! Since he’s been out. I know some will say I’m signing his death warrant but many would have already had him put down. To me he’s having his retirement for however long he can.

I'd be doing the same in your shoes, for what it's worth. Better a short, happy retirement than a long, miserable (for both of you) one.

 

[pistolpete]

I'd be doing the same in your shoes, for what it's worth. Better a short, happy retirement than a long, miserable (for both of you) one.

Exactly!

 

[maddielove]

As well as the extra weight he does look like he's still carrying a lot of winter fluff there too (might just be the photograph) which I could be skewing things slightly. If it was an option I'd be clipping him out if he has access to decent enough shelter in his field in hopes the worst of the weather has passed and on the chilly nights left he would move around a bit more to keep warm. When they are not able to be ridden you have far fewer tools to manage their weight, clipping may not be the most effective (especially at this time of year) but it's probably one of the less invasive things you could do to help him enjoy his retirement.

I agree that you are doing the right thing not having to over restrict his grazing for him to enjoy the most of his retirement! Don't know if it was mentioned already but would he tolerate a muzzle, even for part of the day? I know some believe they just eat more when they are removed but in my experience it depends on the individual horse.

 

[Goldenstar]

OP , Can he walk in hand or walk beside another horse ?

 

[ponynutz]

OP was the 60kg he lost when he was being micro managed? If not... is there a best of both worlds possibly?

 

[poiuytrewq]

View attachment 90766

How do you do that!!!

 

[Goldenstar]

I have to confess I have Fatty with the others now when it goes wrong he will go .
He looks good at the moment through .

 

[pistolpete]

As well as the extra weight he does look like he's still carrying a lot of winter fluff there too (might just be the photograph) which I could be skewing things slightly. If it was an option I'd be clipping him out if he has access to decent enough shelter in his field in hopes the worst of the weather has passed and on the chilly nights left he would move around a bit more to keep warm. When they are not able to be ridden you have far fewer tools to manage their weight, clipping may not be the most effective (especially at this time of year) but it's probably one of the less invasive things you could do to help him enjoy his retirement.

I agree that you are doing the right thing not having to over restrict his grazing for him to enjoy the most of his retirement! Don't know if it was mentioned already but would he tolerate a muzzle, even for part of the day? I know some believe they just eat more when they are removed but in my experience it depends on the individual horse.

Yes a clip would be good he is very hairy still. And sadly muzzle wouldn’t work ponies field has a footpath through it and passers by ‘help’

 

[pistolpete]

I have to confess I have Fatty with the others now when it goes wrong he will go .
He looks good at the moment through .

I think it’s the right thing to do.

OP was the 60kg he lost when he was being micro managed? If not... is there a best of both worlds possibly?

He’s lost 600gms over winter out with his mates.

 

[mini-eventer]

My old native is 29 retired. I have decided that I don't want to heavily restrict him for his final years, so he is out and happy in the heard. He drops a bit of weight in winter. If he gets lami that will be it. I agree quality over quantity

This past year he has started to not hold his weight quite so well. He is not skinny by any means but not as huge as he used to get so hopefully we will get away with it. But if not I have no regrets

 

[pistolpete]

OP , Can he walk in hand or walk beside another horse ?

He probably could but always hated in hand work so I won’t make him.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Thank you for that. I’m kind of in the same boat. He’s miserable being micro managed. He LOVES his herd life. He can manage with his injury for now and I love seeing him genuinely happy after him being the most miserable riding pony. If he goes down with lami it will be the end and I won’t let him suffer. For now he’s super happy. He would colic every four to six months when on restricted grazing/soaked hay and in work. Hasn’t colicked for a year! Since he’s been out. I know some will say I’m signing his death warrant but many would have already had him put down. To me he’s having his retirement for however long he can.

It's so hard with retired natives and good doers. Mine is only in reasonable shape as he's worked 6 days a week - I'd rather he had a shorter but happier retirement if need be when the time comes.

I hope yours has a long retirement being fat but happy. ?

 

[maya2008]

My old 13.2hh hovered around 320-350kg depending on the time of year. She was a native and was never slim!

I would muzzle.

Good luck getting the weight off!

 

[maddielove]

Yes a clip would be good he is very hairy still. And sadly muzzle wouldn’t work ponies field has a footpath through it and passers by ‘help’

Ah that is not ideal, I sympathize though our yard is the same! Probably not going to be a cure but do you have notices up for those walking by not to feed the horses? Extra snacks won't help I'm sure, especially if it could send sugars over the edge into a lami attack. We have one person beside us who insisted they loved their daily loaves of bread ?

 

[Indy]

To get him on the move a bit could you go litter picking with him ? I take my Shetland, I tie 2 rubbish bags to either side of her saddle and we go out and litter pick. She's not overly enamoured with in hand work but she does enjoy sifting through the hedgerows and it just adds a bit a variety to an otherwise boring diet

 

[pistolpete]

Ah that is not ideal, I sympathize though our yard is the same! Probably not going to be a cure but do you have notices up for those walking by not to feed the horses? Extra snacks won't help I'm sure, especially if it could send sugars over the edge into a lami attack. We have one person beside us who insisted they loved their daily loaves of bread ?

Yep signs up but still they get fed. Muzzle sign up too although no one muzzling at mo.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I was also going to suggest clipping at least some of it off it definitely helps if they are not constantly warm, it's now getting warmer and he would probably be more comfortable even one of my Arab's was getting uncomfortable in the heat and his no where near as hairy.