Best way to work fat off a fattie??

italylyns

italylyns

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Having had my horse pts a couple of months ago i have started loaning until i feel ready to buy again!
I have started loaning a lovely horse, 16hh coloured, lovely natured boy but very overweight!! Only 5 and just been left to get fat since being broken so very green too.

Put it this way, his withers are nowhere to be seen as he has fat pockets from his shoulders over his withers to the other side. They have to go!!!

With the weight off he will be stunning!

Any tips on working that fat off ???????
 
I am REALLY struggling with my fatty atm.

Cut out feed, restrict grazing, don't rug.
Then I find the best way to slim mine down is plenty of canter work in stubble fields, lots of hill work in walk, lunge on days you can't ride, just generally as much work as you can get into them.
 
I was loaning a horse about 4-5 years ago who was a little on the large side, her weight was mainly on her belly and some fat pads on her withers. I got her down from a 58" girth to a 46" (which was done over a long enough period of time, i know it can be just as bad to lose weight too quickly as being overweight). I only had her on loan 3 days a week and I was the only person who rode her. As well as obviously her diet it was mainly the exercise that did it. Her hay was being soaked for a couple of hours to take away some of the sugar, and lots of trot work for example I'd start out doing 2 mins of trot work about 5-6 times in 1 hour and then built it up gradually so after a week of that add a minute on and so on, how gradually you do it depends on the horses health and fitness. Also I think hill work helps a lot with turning fat into muscle. She was 19 when I first took her on and could be quite stiff when coming out of the stable so I had to take it slowly. When I gave her up she was 21 nearly 22 and fitter than she'd been in a long while. I think it took me about 6-7 months to get the weight off and get her fitter. Hope this helps and good luck with him. :)
 
If they're that overweight, I wouldn't overstrain their joints by doing too much fast work for too long and too soon, increasing the risk of injury. You don't say how fit your horse is. I'd begin with doing some brisk walking, trotting, pole work, uphill work, gradually increasing workload and speed slowly. It's all too easy to say get them on the lunge and get them cantering around but if you were really overweight and someone made you sprint for so long you'd be a bit sore!
I'v got an overweight arthritic horse, really tough as can't do much with him but I'v got an equissage and it's really helped. It's helped to loosen him up and he has lost some weight.
 
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I'd do lots of brisk walking out on hacks, no slopping along. Then start doing the same up hills, over poles etc. After a couple of weeks of this then introduce trot then canter in a few weeks time. Soak all hay or haylage and no hard feed other than a balancer to make sure she gets all her vitamins and minerals. You could also try using a grazing muzzle if the grass is long enough for her to get anything through it.
 
Loads of hacking in a good, marching walk.

Do you have a walker at your yard? That can help to give them extra work - when I really struggled with my fatty a couple of years ago he was worked 7 days per week (schooling, jumping, canter/fast work/intervals, lots of hacking) and getting 3-4 walker sessions a week too, purely to burn some calories.

Restrict grazing - can you bring in for part of each day to get the horse off the grass, and muzzle while turned out or put onto a patch of dust with soaked hay? Soak your hay and only feed that - no need for anything like haylage. What hard feed are you giving?

Are you rugging? Don't. Mine is one of the only horses at our yard now who isn't rugged because it won't hurt him to be colder and lose some weight (he is out on a big field overnight so can move around to keep warm.
 
My mare is EXACTLY the same, she has been on hunter holiday over the summer and she is double the size of her field mates. Fatty pockets over her shoulders are very yummy! She is like this every year and I have tried most things- walking does not do to much for her, lots of SLOOOOOW trotting and slow canter work across stubble, as mentioned earlier, really gets it off her. Once the winter hits she looks amazing, you'd never think she becomes such a summer fatty!
 
Thank you for your replys!

before i started riding him a couple of months ago he wasnt ridden at all and i have slowly upped his work and we are doing a bit more trot work when out and staying out for longer periods.
I know it takes time, i am just finding it frustrating as the owner has just put him out in a field full of grass and he is like a kid in a sweet shop! I think i have my work cut out trying to get the fat off as i cant say anything as he isnt mine.....very annoying !!!!

Can only do what i can do!!
 
italylyns said:
I think i have my work cut out trying to get the fat off as i cant say anything as he isnt mine.....!!
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Why not? I would. Owner is clearly a bit dim if they're putting a fat horse out on good grass. I'd probably also be asked to leave :mad: But perhaps you could put it more tactfully than me? :D
 
Well i have dropped lots of comments tactfully lol and even she has cut down his hay and feed to help get the weight off so i was completely confused when he was put out in the grass but have been informed its only for a week, hope so!
 
As others have mentioned, lots and lots of hacking! nice brisk walk for a few hacks then introduce some trotting. Especially hill work. It's so fustrating when you try and try to get the weight off, yet the owner keeps feeding :(

I used to share a tubby Fell pony, he was out on lots of grass every day and then fed 2 big feeds a day. His workload was around 3 ploddy hacks with her. And schooling once and faster hack with me twice a week. He didn't need the food.

I tried to suggest cutting feed down and we had a bit of a falling out so I stopped sharing him as I was finding it so fustrating.
 
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