A shettie and her waistline

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mischamoo

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I have a mini shettie who I’ve had for the past few months and I have to admit I’m not hugely knowledgeable with these little ones and their diets.

I’ve noticed since she’s arrived with me she has put on a bit of weight and I have been monitoring her waistline with a weigh tape. She’s out with a couple of other horses on about an acre, there is a covering of grass but that is it as the other two are good doer’s also and are having their weight watched. She is out 24/7 and has maybe a slice of hay in the field maybe once a day. She has no hard feed.

I feel like maybe now is time to move her to the starvation paddock (which is basically a dirt paddock with a bit of grass growing through) she’s never had lami but I want to nip this in the bud now and get a bit of weight off her. Suggestions please as to what to do, do I put her in the starvation paddock and give her a slice of soaked hay in the morning? I’d love to keep her out in the same field with the others but I just don’t think she’ll shift any weight even though there’s not much grass on there and I don’t want to muzzle her. If any one can give me any guidance or advice on these little ones and helping with their weight I’d be hugely grateful!
 
Oops, no mini/native really ought to be on hay at present unless in a stable or a yard, or for medical needs.

Could she not wear a muzzle & go out with the others for half a day & then have muzzle off in 'diet' paddock for the other 12 hours?
You would be very suprised at how much a tiny person can still manage to eat even with a muzzle on, on what looks like a bare field.

Also a bit of lunging, long reining or in hand walknig will help tummy tighten up.

PS: never mention 'waistline' to your shettie! ;)
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
Oops, no mini/native really ought to be on hay at present unless in a stable or a yard, or for medical needs.

Could she not wear a muzzle & go out with the others for half a day & then have muzzle off in 'diet' paddock for the other 12 hours?
You would be very suprised at how much a tiny person can still manage to eat even with a muzzle on, on what looks like a bare field.

Also a bit of lunging, long reining or in hand walknig will help tummy tighten up.

PS: never mention 'waistline' to your shettie! ;)
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Thanks FF - will stop the hay immediately!! I've tried muzzling her and the tinker gets it off all the time, refuses to wear a fly mask too. Would I be too mean to keep her on 'diet' paddock 24/7.....? Will try and do a bit of exercise with her but being on my own managing 4 horses and working full time, I struggle with time so was hoping if I could influence the diet or managment at all that would take the strain off me a bit. But will try and make time to walk her in hand in the mornings just up my lane and back. Its a 30 mins walk and is better than nothing right?!
 
Dont let yours ask Tiny Fuzzy what I do, or the charities will be on me!
(mine is now out at night in muzzle with CF, and in bare patch for 12+hrs with no muzzle. We have progressed from stable 12 hrs & bare patch 12 hrs...

Yes, yours ought to be fine in a well fenced diet patch 24/7, perhaps having some hay if she starts to look very skinny.... ;)
 
This is going to be tough as she's hugely food orientated and would quite happily mug my stocky 16.2 ID for a piece of hay hanging out of his mouth if she could.

She does have a stable and a concrete run which I could if need be leave her in there for 1/2 a day so she gets no grass at all but that means soaking hay nets and being away from the rest of the herd (even though she can see them), at least 24/7 in the starvation paddock she can still have contact with others over the fence. I think I may try 24/7 in starvation paddock first and see how we go, its well fenced, she's one of the few shetties I know who doesn't escape and hasnt tried to once since being with me - she even respects electric fencing!! I'll try and send a pic to you of her pre-chubby stage (when i first got her!) - shes a cutie!
 
Do you have access to a stable? Our two Shetlands are in a field with our bigger horses, but the Shetties come in at nights to give them a break from the grass. They have a small soaked haynet between them in the stable, just for them to nibble at, but it's rarely finished by morning. This is a better alternative to muzzling them, as they hated their muzzles and quickly learned how to remove them!
Exercise is important for Shetlands, both for the waistline and for mental stimulation. We drive both of ours, but it's a faff getting them harnessed up just for a short walk - have you tried long-reining or lunging? Our two love being long-reined, and it gives them a sense of 'working' rather than going for a stroll. It only takes the same amount of time as walking in hand, but makes them listen more and they really seem to enjoy it.
Good luck with your Shettie, and I hope this helps!
 
Hi, I am no expert as I've had to post on here recently re my mini's fat pads, so I can't offer any advice re the diet as I've been told by both my vet & farrier that I need to 'starve' mine this winter to try & get some weight off him.

However with regards to exercise I lead mine from another horse when riding, is this possible for you as it would certainly save you some time.
 
mischamoo said:
This is going to be tough as she's hugely food orientated and would quite happily mug my stocky 16.2 ID for a piece of hay hanging out of his mouth if she could.

She does have a stable and a concrete run which I could if need be leave her in there for 1/2 a day so she gets no grass at all but that means soaking hay nets and being away from the rest of the herd (even though she can see them), at least 24/7 in the starvation paddock she can still have contact with others over the fence. I think I may try 24/7 in starvation paddock first and see how we go, its well fenced, she's one of the few shetties I know who doesn't escape and hasnt tried to once since being with me - she even respects electric fencing!! I'll try and send a pic to you of her pre-chubby stage (when i first got her!) - shes a cutie!
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Sounds like a normal shetland then with food orientation :biggrin3: Mine was stealing from a sharp 16.2 when out in the field in January early last year. Now currently still trying to steal from CF, but he batters her as much as she does him, so its even stevens......

I'd be leaving her out if you can so she gets the exercise for the odd blade of grass she might have missed an hour ago. Exercise is the key (as Spirit's Mum says).
Mine loves her lunging (for 10 mins, then boredom & inventiveness sets in) but happily stomps alongside CF for her once weekly tow-rope hack round the block for 30 mins. He's not happy about it, but TF thinks its great :cool3:
 
our little fellow at work is out all day in a patch about 4m x 10m, he was only out on it for a couple of hours per day till it was grazed bald, he has 2lb of hay that has been soaked for 24hrs and then rinsed when he is in the field in the day and 3lb of hay that has been soaked and rinsed the same when he is on the yard with access to a stable at night-he has shavings for bedding. everything else on the yard lives out full time currently
 
Thank you all for suggestions, I've certainly got some plans to implement and move forward with than I had before!!! My smallest is 16.2hh and leading her off him could be a nightmare as she's so tiny and he's not great with his placing his mahoosive dish plate feet anywhere. I think my plan is to put her on my "diet" paddock with a section of soaked and rinsed hay for 1/2 day and the other half she can look for what grass she can nibble on. Will start a bit of exercise with her with in hand walking and see where that gets us. Hopefully a few lbs lighter! Got a feeling the mini attitude is going to get more "mini-ish" with the lack of food she's going to face having.......oh dear.....!
 
I have to keep mine on a track system, it basically limits his grazing but encourages continuous movement. I used to have to lunge 2-3 times a week but I don't have to worry at all when he is on track. Its fiddly and time consuming to set up and most livery yards probably wouldn't want to implement it but it works great. If I had a herd of horses I would keep them the same way too. Certainly keeps the weight down. 😀
 
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