FizzyBum
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So, Im a bit (ok very) worried about obesity, laminitis and associated future issues for my little lad and just wanted a bit of reassurance / advice on how best to manage him appropriately so that he is fit, healthy and happy for now and for many, many more years to come.
I bought a young, unbroken Vanner in September who came to me very fat and looking like he was in foal. He is my first ever good-doer type and my first pony. I usually have thoroughbreds which as we all know, are notoriously poor doers.
I managed to get a good 20kg off him between September and April, by reducing hard feed to a token feed in which to mix his vitamins and minerals, (he gets 1/3 of a stubbs scoop of Alfa-A molasses free between two feeds, D&H itch-free and Equivite, one section of good quality hay, soaked overnight and triple netted when he gets stabled and until I get down, his mini dinner before hes worked and another section of hay, soaked while Im at work and again, triple netted. He is the only horse I have ever known to need his hay triple netted he just inhales it otherwise and its gone within minutes. Even triple netted, he finishes it pretty quickly and I feel awful restricting him so much is there anything else I can do?
In the last week, I have introduced a muzzle during turn-out and he is out between 5.30am and 4.30pm every day. The grazing is still pretty bare because of the hard winter but the new grass coming through is all the bad stuff - sugary shoots. We are allowed to turn out 24/7 from next month and I have heard mixed views on whether turning out overnight is better for fatties? He would be out between 7.30pm and 6am so same(ish) number of hours, just overnight.
Work wise, hes newly backed and gets lunged for 10 15 minutes, twice a week, walked out in-hand for 30-45minutes once a week and hacked out (in walk only) twice a week for 30 minutes. I am going to start long-reining him out too once a week to mix it up, introduce poles and cones and add a bit more low-intensity work to his week.
He is 12.3hh and 375kg and I think still a bit chunky going into summer.
I bought a young, unbroken Vanner in September who came to me very fat and looking like he was in foal. He is my first ever good-doer type and my first pony. I usually have thoroughbreds which as we all know, are notoriously poor doers.
I managed to get a good 20kg off him between September and April, by reducing hard feed to a token feed in which to mix his vitamins and minerals, (he gets 1/3 of a stubbs scoop of Alfa-A molasses free between two feeds, D&H itch-free and Equivite, one section of good quality hay, soaked overnight and triple netted when he gets stabled and until I get down, his mini dinner before hes worked and another section of hay, soaked while Im at work and again, triple netted. He is the only horse I have ever known to need his hay triple netted he just inhales it otherwise and its gone within minutes. Even triple netted, he finishes it pretty quickly and I feel awful restricting him so much is there anything else I can do?
In the last week, I have introduced a muzzle during turn-out and he is out between 5.30am and 4.30pm every day. The grazing is still pretty bare because of the hard winter but the new grass coming through is all the bad stuff - sugary shoots. We are allowed to turn out 24/7 from next month and I have heard mixed views on whether turning out overnight is better for fatties? He would be out between 7.30pm and 6am so same(ish) number of hours, just overnight.
Work wise, hes newly backed and gets lunged for 10 15 minutes, twice a week, walked out in-hand for 30-45minutes once a week and hacked out (in walk only) twice a week for 30 minutes. I am going to start long-reining him out too once a week to mix it up, introduce poles and cones and add a bit more low-intensity work to his week.
He is 12.3hh and 375kg and I think still a bit chunky going into summer.
