Clipping fatso

[windand rain]

Welshie is humungously fat again no food just a foot of foggage by 10 ft share with Hazel no hay. Cannot stable her. cannot muzzle her even if I wanted to which I dont as she has tiny ears and nothing stays on so next choice would be clipping. Lives out 24/7 so is it unreasonable to fully clip and rug in a medium weight must get her weight off before Spring She has got so big since the clocks changing have meant daily exercise has pretty much ceased. Too small for me to ride, I am too broken to walk far (need knee replacement) I dont like lunging too much as she's young and dont want to damage joints, She is incredibly backwards when the kids ride so never sweats. Other option is just the back grass from the eaten off foggage and move Hazel. What would you do. Dont want her cold just needing to use a bit of energy to keep warm working on creating a track but they have to eat it first

 

[Cragrat]

I would start by clipping her belly and the lower half of her neck, and leaving unrugged (unless endless days of rain are forecast). Gradually remove more hair as needs be.

 

[White Horse2]

I've just done what cragrat said, do it now whilst it's not so cold, you'll feel less guilty, I used covercote blades on clippers, which leave a longer length of hair remaining

 

[ycbm]

My mare is bib and belly clipped with no rug and a muzzle when she is out in the day. If yours is 'humungous' I would full clip and rug in a no fill rainsheet but only if it goes below about 12 degrees or the weather is really nasty.

I would stop thinking about her being cold (unless she's shivering) and start thinking about her using her dangerous levels of fat up to stay warm.
.

 

[Littlewills]

I've never found clipping makes any difference. What does is work. Her joints are being compromised by being fat so I would lunge her. Its by far the lesser of two evils

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would lunge her you don't have to keep her on a tiny circle even 15 minutes a day will help shift some weight

 

[windand rain]

week 1

week 2

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Looking better. Not so round over her quarters.

 

[RHM]

Looking good! She is a beautiful colour too! ?

 

[yhanni]

She's a beautiful girl! Less cresty in the second photo too.

 

[kidsandponies]

Wow, that’s a noticeable difference in a week ? May I ask what weight rug you have gone for? I’ve a fatty companion pony, he is currently sporting an Irish clip and naked but I’m not sure it is having much effect on his weight despite being in a paddock with minimal grass (although it is still growing here). Thank you.

 

[windand rain]

No fill with standard neck during the mild weather 200 grm with hood during the colder days and night. Had to up her rug as she was shivering but back to lighter today. She has a small oat straw feed with a little fast fibre to add vit E and keep her busy while Hazel is fed and had half a week grubbing for the grass behind them while Hazel ate off the foggage but they are back together now and have a 15meter by 150cm strip daily Hazel is a little porky so can afford to lose a bit too

 

[kidsandponies]

No fill with standard neck during the mild weather 200 grm with hood during the colder days and night. Had to up her rug as she was shivering but back to lighter today. She has a small oat straw feed with a little fast fibre to add vit E and keep her busy while Hazel is fed and had half a week grubbing for the grass behind them while Hazel ate off the foggage but they are back together now and have a 15meter by 150cm strip daily Hazel is a little porky so can afford to lose a bit too

Thank you! I need the grass to stop growing completely I think and the weather to stop being so mild!