Advice on pony's weight!

Randonneuse

Randonneuse

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Hello everyone,

I used a weight tape this morning on my Haflinger x Anglo Arab 13.2hh pony (16 year old) and he seems to weight around 425 kilos. (he is haflinger shapped!)
I have taken few pictures but don't have a clue how to put them on the forum...
He is out 24/7 with no rug and unclipped with ad lib hay only (+himalayan salt).
I ride him 3 times a week in Winter (except last week because of the ice!)

Please could you let me know what you think about his weight?

Thanks!
 
TBH you would be better off condition scoring. Weight tapes don't take into account differences in shape/build (a cob-type/heavy horse is much broader/more barrel-chested than a TB, for example). The BHS website have lots of information on how to condition score. Then you can use the weight tape to monitor his weight loss/gain as appropriate. Make sure you use the tape at the same time of day though, as a horses weight can vary as much as 20kg during the day. I do this with my good-doers - check them once every couple of weeks or so and adjust feed/exercise as needed.

If you want to post pics, you need to upload to photobucket first, ideally. Then copy and paste the IMG code :)
 
Thanks for your reply :-)

It's the first time I used a weight tape as I need to worm him at the weekend with Equest Pramox (following his worm count in October, Westgate lab advised me to worm him around now.)
In France, when he needed to be wormed, my mum used to estimate his weight just at the look of him...not very accurate!!!
I wondered how good those tapes are as as you said it doesn't take into account the differences in shape.
I'll have a look a the BHS website now and have a look at photobucket at the weekend :-)

Thanks again.
 
That doesn't sound bad to me, my 14.1hh welsh x is out 24/7 unclipped and has a lightweight rug on, he's around 430k, just about feel his ribs!

Is he on ad lib hay becuase there is no grass?
 
Yes AngieandBen he is on ad lib hay as there isn't a lot of grass left.
Also the owners of the 2 mares sharing the field have asked the farmer for it about a month ago even though theirs are only out during the day.
The DIY livery includes the hay in the price so I think they want to make the most of it...
Mine is the only one out 24/7 so I think he needs the hay anyway:-)
Was just a bit worried he'd put on some weight but must be hair!!
Barefoot trimmer coming in 10 days so will see what she thinks.
Just for info, do you leave your horse unclipped with lightweight rug all Winter?
Asking as it is Bilto's first Winter in the UK and until now I haven't put a rug on him (and never in France)
I have bought a lightweight and mediumweight rug for when the weather goes horrible ie rain+wind as there is only natural shelter (no trees in field, only bushes on the outside of the field) but don't want to put it on yet as he seems to handle the english weather very well at the moment (used to sometimes -18 where I used to live in France) :-)
 
I would agree that condition scoring is a much better way to decide whether he is carrying too much weight or not. Regarding the worming I would rather over-dose than under-dose as it's perfectly safe to over-dose slightly but you can increase wormer resistance by under-dosing.

With the rugs I would keep an eye on how warm he is but with a full coat and ad-lib hay he may not need rugging at all. Our welsh mare is never rugged in winter and is always very warm!
 
No Ben doesn't have his rug on all winter, only on the very cold and windy/rainy days, my field is very high up and quite exposed although I do have lots of hedges and trees for shelter.

If its a nice sunny day I take the rug off and put it back on overnight. He is nearly 20 years old and although a good weight atm I don't want him losing any.

My other pony 12.3hh NF who is 18 never has a rug on no matter what the weathers like!
 
An other question...
Would you put a rug when raining/windy in Winter?
I don't know if he would need one but there is no man made shelter and the farmer (at the farm where he is kept) said I should rug him when the weather gets rainy+windy.(no trees in the field, only hedges on the outside of 3 sides of the field)
He was never rugged in France but he shared a man made shelter with my mums 2 donkeys.
I don't want to be mean and leave him with no rug (I've never felt mean in France but weather is not very rainy in Winter)if he needs it so please let me know what you all think!
Also as the weight tape said he weights 425 kilos, I know it is not very accurate so how much wormer should I give him? (equest pramox)
I have taken a picture of him yesterday and according to internet I think he is between Good condition and fat.
I'll try and put it on this forum if I work out how it works!
 
Please let me know if it worked:
This is Bilto in the Summer:

170510-0013.jpg
 
that's worked! He's very handsome and a different build from what I had imagined! My connie x irish mare is 14hh and weights 423kg according to d and h weight tape, however she has been this weight regardless even though she's gone from fit horse with condition score 2/3 to fat blob of condition score 4. She's fully clipped but now just out in a lightweight and snuggy hood (she's grey and field is muddy that's the only reason!) to shiver off weight!
 
It will tell you on the wormer how much to give him ( its fed according to body weight ), using the weigh tape as a guide. The place where you bought it should be able to advise you as well
 
Thanks again, wasn't sure if I should take in account the weight from the weight tape as wasn't sure if it was accurate enough :-)
Saying that in France I used to use the mathematics thing to find his weight to worm him and that wasn't that accurate either :-D (wormer are also given according to their bodyweight and written on the wormer)
The saddlery where I bought the weight tape from only said...it does pony and horses (but I didn't know then they are not that accurate!)
Anyway I'll worm him for 425kg as the weight tape say so hopefully it will be alright :-)
 
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