Bored, fat and unfit

[Ladybird L]

I have just discovered that cobs are higher maintenance than any tb

10/11yo LW-MW cob mare. Bit sharp, spooky and should be quite forward going… normally enjoys riding with other horses, speeding around and jumping

What happened - she got fat. She is fairly fit but can’t get fitter unless she gets less fat!!
Her belly is sagging down (She has a good topline though). And it’s so hard to get her to lose that belly!
Then, we did too much of the same stuff. And she got bored. And wow, a bored, reluctant cob is a force to be reckoned with!! She is reluctant and… lazy sort of, but not in a lazy way, just in a reluctant way. And if she doesn’t want to go… it’s hard to make her!

So I decided we need to do something about this. It’s not good!
I need help to make a plan.

Starting today, she gets an almost two week long field holiday (There’s another reason, but tbh I think a break might do the two of us good).

So when I get back, we have to get serious…

When she’s fit, this is what I’m planning to do in a week. What do you think?
1 lesson (off property)
1 day jumping in the field
1 short hack on the road (W/T only)
2 long fast hacks in the woods (with some jumping)
1 something fun off property
1 day off
Anything you’d change?
What we were doing was 2 short hacks, three long, one day off and sometimes another short hack, or rarely go somewhere (We’ve only been 2 other places in 2 months).
I’m also hoping to bring her hunting and cubbing later which I think she’ll enjoy.

But I need to make a fitness plan first. What sort of things would you include? Interesting places to go, exercises, etc… especially things that would help that saggy belly!

TIA and sorry for the novel!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Normally forwards but she is now reluctant to go forwards?

Hmm, first suspicion is an ouch of some sort. Give her a good check yourself for any obvious ouches, then a couple of weeks off as planned is not a bad shout before reassessing.

Unless it’s low level lami, in which case you need to come down hard and fast on it.

 

[Ladybird L]

Normally forwards but she is now reluctant to go forwards?

Hmm, first suspicion is an ouch of some sort. Give her a good check yourself for any obvious ouches, then a couple of weeks off as planned is not a bad shout before reassessing.

Unless it’s low level lami, in which case you need to come down hard and fast on it.

I don’t think lami anyway, I am very good at spotting the smallest signs having a quite prone pony.
Saddle fits well, doesn’t mind being poked or prodded. No lameness as far as I can see. The farrier will double check that for me when she gets shod after the holiday, but I think i would’ve noticed even something subtle.

We went to the beach a week ago and she was her normal forward self.

 

[Ladybird L]

I don’t think lami anyway, I am very good at spotting the smallest signs having a quite prone pony.
Saddle fits well, doesn’t mind being poked or prodded. No lameness as far as I can see. The farrier will double check that for me when she gets shod after the holiday, but I think i would’ve noticed.

We went to the beach a week ago and she was her normal forward self.

Didn’t mean to send that yet… she was her normal self at a little show we went to as well, so I thought that it was because she was bored of our hacking…
She self loads and gets really excited whenever we go anywhere new and is really forward.

 

[SO1]

If she is fat then won't having two weeks off make her even fatter especially when the grass is probably good and if she puts on more weight it might cause a saddle issue or laminitis.

 

[Jambarissa]

As a riding plan to keep a forward going horse interested it sounds good.

It's hard to get the weight off them through exercise though. In fact I'm not sure it's possible unless you ride for so long it restricts their intake.

If you want to get the fat off before winter you need some combination of strip grazing or track / grazing muzzle / soaked hay. Or just get her fit then get the fat off over winter and don't let it go back on.

 

[Ladybird L]

If she is fat then won't having two weeks off make her even fatter especially when the grass is probably good and if she puts on more weight it might cause a saddle issue or laminitis.
She’s in a dry lot with 24/7 hay. She hasn’t gained weight since I got her really, just hasn’t lost it. She probably will gain a bit but I don’t have a choice about the break anyway. I can’t ride for two weeks.

As a riding plan to keep a forward going horse interested it sounds good.

It's hard to get the weight off them through exercise though. In fact I'm not sure it's possible unless you ride for so long it restricts their intake.

If you want to get the fat off before winter you need some combination of strip grazing or track / grazing muzzle / soaked hay. Or just get her fit then get the fat off over winter and don't let it go back on.

Thank you.
I’m tempted to go with the over winter plan, the only other realistic thing for me, would be muzzle. I’ll see how it goes.

 

[Foxglove]

Assuming everything else is fine, maybe think about clipping her out. Don’t underestimate how much being too hot, particularly when combined with being fat, makes a difference to horses wanting to work.

 

[sbloom]

The beach will encourage the production of adrenalin and endorphins which mask discomfort/pain. How is her posture and balance? Sluggish horses usually struggle with balance at a fundamental level. Have a look at the stuff on equitopiacenter.com for a broad introduction to the "new" (but really not that different from old classical masters) understanding. You have nothing to lose really.

 

[motherof2beasts!]

Is that sustainable with life/work ? If so then yes looks great but I always create these plans then work comes along and mucks it all up. I just aim for 4 times a week , 2 hacks 2 in school. He’s not super fit but less pressure on life!

 

[I'm Dun]

Drop the quantity and up the quality. Work the socks off her 5 days a week, use interval training and aim for 10 mins continuous cantering, and a good 50 mins of trot. Forward, into the bridle and working. The only way to get weight off with work is to work them hard. If you cant ride, lunge. do interval training on the lunge and get her puffing and sweating without being exhausted