Another question about my fat pony!

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All explained in my second to last post, titled 'Help me'.
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What do you think we should feed him? He has nearly a whole scoop of dampened Happy Hoof, stirred in with a drip of cod liver oil and a spoonful of garlic. I really want to give him something after riding, before I turn him out... Just as a reward, really. He's never had laminitis, but looks as if he ought to, with his weight as it is. Hence the Happy Hoof (for laminitic horses and ponies) and his owner swears by it. I've heard lots of people say that cod liver oil does wonders to old horse's appearance. But then, I suppose it's quite fatty? Still, it's not a lot. And the spoonful of garlic can't have many calories? I suppose I could half the Happy Hoof and put in more carrots?

So then there's grazing. He's in a BIG turnout field with two mares, and access to haylage, which he does not need. I can't really section him off because there's limited grazing, and I'm not sure the YO/other liveries would allow it. I'm scared he'll be frightened if I put a greenguard muzzle on him, but I will buy one and use it as a last resort.

Is there anything I've over-looked?

I might ask around if there's space in a barer field for him.
 
Didn;t read the hole of the previous post - but got the jist.

Don't feed him - simple. He doesn't need it. Good quality hay, rationed grazing, and a proper excercise regime (which doens't include 1 hour in the school, but walking work on the roads), and you will notice a difference in no time.
 
Just get the muzzle on! I'd be more scared of laminitis than putting a potentially life-saving device on it. I use muzzles for all mine and they enable them to have almost unrestricted grazing.

All I have heard about cod liver oil is that it might not be appropriate since a horse's natural access to such a substance would likely be nil!

There will be enough in Happy Hoof for your pony - mine are in hard work and get haylage and a handful of Top Spec Anti-Lam feed balancer. They shine like stars and are very fit.

There is (IMO) too much feeding of small, fat ponies going on. In the wild, at this time of year, they'd be out on a moor, eating moss and twigs and be the far side of lean!

Be kind - muzzle up and feed less. Your pony will be happier and healthier.
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TBH, If he is a good doer, is on hayledge and grazing all day, I would be inclined to give him not alot! If you must, a handful of happy hoof, and maybe an allround supplement like seaweed maybe your best bet!
 
I would try to get him on a bare paddock, and just feed vits/mins, hay and the odd carrot as a treat. He really doesn't need any extra food at all until he has lost a lot of that weight and starts working properly
 
I agree with the-watcher, he really does not need any food at all other than grass and hay/haylwdge. My boy who is native has 2 small handfuls of chaff to mix his vit/min supplement in and a few carrots once per day...other than that he is on grass and hay. We do 20-30 miles hacking every week in the Spring/Summer/Autumn with endurance rides of up to 18 miles most weeks! He has plenty of energy because he is fit and as lean as I can get him.
Horses in no or light work (an hours hacking or schooling daily) really do not need anything extra, just good roughage.
 
If you can't limit his grazing then I suppose you'll have to limit his turnout. Is that possible? or do you have a school or dirt area you could use? He'd be better off IMO with something like that and soaked hay than on the grazing. I wouldn't feed him anything except maybe hi fi lite and vits and well soaked hay. If this isn't possible then I'd try the muzzle...better than the dreaded lami!! Whats his history? Has he ever had lami before? Has he always been a chunk? Hopefully once you get him back into work the weight will come off too....I do sympathise..I have a lami prone ponio and its a constant battle to keep the weight off in the spring/summer..
 
I too have a small 12hh pony, who when arrived was very fat. Last summer she was out during the day with a grazing muzzle on and in at night. She was fed hay that had been soaked all day, to take out some calories. She had one feed a day, just enough happy hoof to cover supplements.

Make sure they always have access to food, but restrict it by using a muzzle, soaking hay, small holed haynet etc etc.
 
Hi,

When I bought my 21 yr old cob he was hugely over weight and could barely move because he was so stiff. He is now around his ideal weight, full of energy and loves charging about (in fact I am having to sell him on because he has become to much for me - talking about shooting myself in the foot!!)

Anyway, back to your post (and your previous one too). To cut my boy's weight he has been fed very small quantities of HiFi Lite and pasture nuts plus a few carrots and some cod liver oil. I would advise that if you haven't got one already, get a weigh tape and weigh him once a week at the same time so you know exactly what's going on.

I couldn't restrict my grazing either, and if I was keeping him this summer he would probs get a grazing muzzle. The haylage might be a problem for you though, as it might be too rich so if there's anything you can do to stop him accessing that then do it. Don't feel you need to give him hay when you tie him up on the yard - my boy is constantly pretending I'm starving him when I know he's fine. Give him a tiny token feed is essential and stay away from too many treats.

As far as exercise go, I didn't trot my horse until we'd done a few weeks with plenty of walking up and down hills, and I didn't canter him for a few months, until he'd lost some weight.

Hope that helps - sorry it's an essay, I am new to all this posting stuff!
 
This might sound cruel, but if you clip him right out and only lightly rug him with very low food rations he should lose weight! It worked with my daughters pony!

Once you get the weight down, make sure it stays there by limitting all food intake from April onwards.

He's not really shivering - he's just excited about going for a ride, so watch out!!!!!
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It's a bit late to clip now, but we'll definatelly do it next year. Plus, he has a medium weight rug, and we'll be changing it for light-weight until the weather's better.

We'll cut out the oil til spring, and halve his happy hoof. He just enjoys snuffling around the bucket!

I'll measure his belly, and if he hasn't slimmed a little in a few weeks he's getting a muzzle. My mum's really opposed to it for some reason, but I'm tempted to get it on straight away. I've honestly never seen a pony this round!

Our livery (only been there for two days) might not have a starvation paddock. He really needs to work for his food, which he's not doing at the moment.

I've sorted out an excersise timetable for him. Long hacks in walk until he's not out of breath after a trot, then some time in the school (15 mins) and still long hacks with more trotting.

I'll start cantering again in a month and jumping in two, if he's up to it.

Never suffered from laminitis or been lame - His owner's had him since he was five, and he's now sixteen. That's why I'm so worried - Surely working allready strained joints can't help?

His haynet is tied losely so it's difficult for him to scoff too much. There's not much I can do about the haylage, but I'll ask if there's a bare field.
 
YOs pony 14.2 who hunts and gets ridden 3-5 times a week just lives of haylage.
She doesnt feed him even when he goes hunting and he looks fabulous!
I really wouldnt worry about feeding him, just make sure hes got accept to a mineral lick.
 
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Plus, he has a medium weight rug,

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If he's not clipped - get it off him. Put a simple rain mac on to keep him clean and dry so you can ride him.

The thing that's going to make the biggest difference to you is the excercising.
 
As a horse gets older it is more likely to get laminitis more as a result of the onset of cushings disease so please be carefull. Remember the changes caused by laminitis are irreversible. Yes! keep the weight down and do not feed him at all. A grazing muzzle is a must as is restricted grazing. Give him much more slow excercise - 4 hours walking per day.
 
Measure his girth tonight - and then measure again in a month. I would expect him to have lost some weight by then. You also need to weigh his hay - and give it to him as late as possible before you leave the yard. Also at this time of year the longer he can be out the better. Grass is rubbish, and he's better eating that than lovely hay or haylage. So if you can have him out for around 10 hours - and not give him his hay until around 10.00pm you are going to be on a winner.

It's not easy getting the weight off - but you will reap the rewards once you do.
 
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