Coming out of winter fat help

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kate79

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My old mare love her is in her late 20s she's pretty much retired apart from the odd bumble around the local village to keep her supple! She's a welsh D x and always been very hard to keep weight off always been cresty etc.. She now obviously due to different health issues doesn't get the excercise she use to and this winter has really whacked weight on and held it.. Coming in to spring this concerns me obviously :/ I've always struggled with her weight even in full time work but now it seems impossible! She's out on a field in day that has not much grass and is in at night with soacked rubbish hay! She's happy in herself but it upsets me to see her so weighty her crest is rock hard!! I have spoken to vets and they said there could be under lying issues why she's holding the weight and its harder because of her age etc. anyone got any ideas on how to get this weight off xxxx
 
No hard feed at all? Cut her hay down to 1.5% of her bodyweight. If she's out for 8 hours a day or a third of the day then give her two thirds of the total amount of hay only. The grass is beginning to come through so also restrict the area she has to graze on.
 
Replace half her hay ration with straw too. Feed from a trickle net. Muzzle her in the field (once grass has enough length she can get some). Add magnesium oxide, to a token bucket feed, to help reduce crestiness.
 
Has she been tested for Cushings? That can lead to fatty deposits.
And one way to get her exercising if you can manage it is to set up a track system around your grazing. I use electric fencing, either a battery or a led out from the mains on, to set an inner fence inside the perimeter, and they have to walk and move to get what little grass there is there. They can also browse on the hedges and weeds if you have any, but it is like having an inviting open door in front of them so they tend to keep moving. Make the track about 8 ft wide to begin with. My old (lead) mare used to just take the rest of them for a yomp around the track round my 8 acre field just for the fun of it.
 
Yes she has a small feed once a day with her supplements... It's a handful of hi fi light.. She's on a trickle net and has 1 section from 4- 9 pm and then 2 sections from 9pm to the morning.. The field she is in is mud with sparce grass as it was used for lami Shetlands ! I think I will get her tested for cushings that's a good idea. X
 
I'd leave her out 24/7, & split the hay ration between 3 lots, am, 4pm & 9pm as you do now. And if its possible, try & put her out with some livelier companions. Obviously at her age not a group of boisterous young geldings, but if possible some lively ponies that she'll join in with for a blast. And could you do ride & lead with her or in hand walks? Or even if she's not up to being properly hacked by an adult, would she be suitable for a tiny lw kid to take out for lr hacks or a calm stroll?
 
Definitely get her tested for cushings/insulin resistance. How long are you soaking her hay for? Ideally you want it soaked for 24 hrs with at least one change of water. Make sure she is getting no more than 2% of her bodyweight and try and space it out as much as possible. The more she is out of the stable the better - she needs to be moving around as much as possible - but I would be very wary of more time in the field. If you can get her in a pen or yard with no grass at all for most of the day that would be the best option IMO. I know this all sounds very extreme but I was in a similar position to you last year - 21 y.o. welsh mare, carrying too much weight going into spring. I was doing what I thought was 'my best' - trying to up exercise and decrease calories but when the spring grass started coming through she ended up with laminitis. I felt so awful and still do. Thankfully it wasn't too bad and after a couple of months she was completely sound and back in work, but I am so careful now with her management. I'm not suggesting this will happen to you, but I really don't think it is worth taking the risk and if any of the above helps you avoid that, then it is worth trying. Good luck with her - I know how hard it is!
 
Contriversial but does she wear a rug? if so get that off asap.
The only way to keep my old boys weight sensible was to get his rugs off / down to rain sheet in early Feb, as well a nil heard feed from then and some hay replaced by straw.

I have a friend with a mega fatty and she clips him (just neck/ chest) and no rug and this has really helped him, he's not freezing/ shivering all the time just spendins some of his energy on warmth that would otherwise be used to build fat.
 
My Welsh D is already on a starvation paddock, if it's green there's grass, and he's on a 20m x 20m paddock. I then move the fence a few feet every other day, both the back and front fence so he gets new grass but it keeps the paddock the same size and rests what he has grazed. He'll be on this pretty much 24/7 all summer (as long as it's dry).
 
Some great advice thank you. Rug wise she literally has a light sheet on her unless its bitter cold night - she's has arthritis so when really cold I put a medium on but rest of time it's just a rain sheet.. And in day now it's no rug as she's hairy! She has my other mare as a companion and I do take them out ride and lead or sometimes take my 6 year old on her around the village just to keep her active .. We are limited because of spine problems with her. She use to be really active in field but as she's aged she just chills ! The obvious worry I have is lami at her age apart from her weight she looks amazing shiny coat , not to stiff and perky but its amazing how once there in the late 20s you notice more and more old they look and she's always been a working pony so we try and get her out as much as possible to keep her enjoying what she does. I have a muzzle for her too and have such really stripped hay so hopefully this will all help. Thank you for all the advice it's given me more to think about xx
 
I would replace a large part of the hay with plain oat straw chaff and get rid of the Hi-Fi lite as well , it DOES have molasses in. Make sure that your supplements are not in starchy carriers. I'm not really sure why you feel that she needs a rug if she is very hairy, except in the very worst of weather. I would take it off and leave it off. I have had good results on arthritic horses with magnet boots.
 
The hi fi lite is what the vet advised she only has a handful to have her supplements in.. She has a rain sheet on to keep her dry she is a old pony and she has spondylitis in the spine as soon as she gets wet she stiffens up plus it saves me trying to dry her off to ride! It's purely to keep the wet off her x
 
If shes put weight on shes getting fed too much - simple.

Struggling to lose weight is a symptom of Equine Metabolic Syndrome, high dose magnesium helps with that, as does salt - what they lick off a lick isnt anywhere near enough. What supps are you currently feeding?

Id be doing ride and lead nearly everyday, horsewalker, turn out 24.7 on a track with soaked hay etc etc
 
She has always had weight problems but she stopped worked suddenly due to her condition she takes good doer to a whole new level.. I do soak her hay.. She has pink powder and devils claw in a hand ful of hi fi in the mornings.. We don't have a school or horse walker she is excercised as much as she's capable of.. She's having some tests done as we are baffled how she's holding on to so much. Vet has said not so much fat just very cresty but coming out of winter on the strictest diet seems to be making no difference.. The lack of excercise doesn't help but she's very limited to what she can do her hay is soaked she's on starvation paddock and still it's not coming off. Will see what vet comes up with once he has done some tests etc good advice those guys so thank you x
 
Don't forget that vets generally are nit feed experts :o ( sorry vets, but you know it) , I would try all of the above advice :)

Good luck, if she lives as long as my old boy you will have the opposite problem!!!

Sorry no help
 
I bet if you went back to the vet and said would hifilite or hi fi molasses free be better given that she is overweight you would get the answer molasses free.....even a bit all helps and even a bit of molasses can tip them into lami. Definitely change to a molasses free one, either hifi molasses free or top spec top chop lite are both free of the dreaded M
 
The molasses free is covered in oil though and higher in calories, so for weight loss something like Good doer or a plain oat straw chaff would probably be more suitable depending on metabolic issues. A doubt a handful is going to make much difference in the scheme of things.

I like fast fibre for adding supplements to if sugar and starch are issues.

I've used a track system successfully, I think grass is the biggest issue and if you can get that sorted it helps loads.
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
I bet if you went back to the vet and said would hifilite or hi fi molasses free be better given that she is overweight you would get the answer molasses free.....even a bit all helps and even a bit of molasses can tip them into lami. Definitely change to a molasses free one, either hifi molasses free or top spec top chop lite are both free of the dreaded M
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i spoke to dengie they said not to touch molasses free as its hi calorie, so stick with hi-fi lite...
 
Yeah I was told hi fi lite was the way forward I popped in to my feed shop yesterday and they advised against the molasses free..it was funny actually because yesterday someone said put her put with someone that would play so she's running the field etc.. She's out with my other mare and there both very chilled no fuss.. Yesterday went up to get them in they were galloping about!!! My oldie suddenly looked about 4 tail in the air doing the most beautiful extended trot! Nice to see as don't see that often ! Xx
 
Not to the same extent but we had the same problem with my daughters last pony. She was very asthmatic with allergies that meant she couldn't be exercised throughout the spring and summer so piled the weight on literally what ever I did!
I'd muzzle but get a green guard rather than rubber bucket type. They are cooler and more comfortable in the summer. Mixing oat straw in her hay ration is also a great idea. Can you long rein her? No weight on her back that way?
 
Im following this thread with interest as this is my first spring with my Highland and welsh a x so anticipating lots of muzzling. The little one had dropped a bit of weight through the winter but the Highland hasnt. They have been coming in at night through Dec-Feb but are now out 24.7. The Highland has a lw sheet on as he is fully clipped but the welsh x is naked, they are having a third of a small bale of hay a day between them. They have the same paddock 365 days a year so at the moment there is almost nothing in it, Im hoping it wont come through too quickly or lush but Ill have to wait and see. Im hoping that by cutting their hay down now and leaving them out 24.7 they might drop a little bit of weight in the next couple of weeks but again who knows, the Highland certainly does live on fresh air!
 
She doesn't long rein she's never got the hang of it but she does lunge :) we have only fields and Stables no school so it's been to wet to do but we have started again over the last week to do it! :) I've cut hay back and same as you same field all year just going to fence it smaller again or try the track system.. Got a muzzle and I'm sure it will all help! My friend said to me actually can be harder to get the weight off them then on them she has a one that she feeds 3x what I Do mine and she just can't get the weight on.. There all different I suppose!! She use to work in a riding school years ago before I had her.. Someone thought she was was a stallion because of her thick crest!! That was when she was in full time work and only 7... Should of known it was going to be a battle lol... Xxx
 
kate79 said:
She has always had weight problems but she stopped worked suddenly due to her condition she takes good doer to a whole new level.. I do soak her hay.. She has pink powder and devils claw in a hand ful of hi fi in the mornings.. We don't have a school or horse walker she is excercised as much as she's capable of.. She's having some tests done as we are baffled how she's holding on to so much. Vet has said not so much fat just very cresty but coming out of winter on the strictest diet seems to be making no difference.. The lack of excercise doesn't help but she's very limited to what she can do her hay is soaked she's on starvation paddock and still it's not coming off. Will see what vet comes up with once he has done some tests etc good advice those guys so thank you x
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Pink Powder has very low levels of minerals in. You'd be far better with Pro Hoof or Forage Plus balancers, or just using magnesium of a high quality on its own. You could also try adding a small scoop of cinnamon as this is supposed to help level insulin responses.
 
I too have a nearly 20 year old Welsh D X who could do with losing some weight. I cant ride him at the moment as I cant find a saddle to fit (long story). He also has a big crest but both my vet and nutritionist have said that some of his crestiness is down to his breed. I had him tested for Cushings last summer but thankfully was negative, although I am thinking about getting him tested for EMS shortly as he has large fat pads behind his shoulders. Due to a mouth issue, I have been advised not to use a grazing muzzle, and he wont touch soaked hay for love nor money!

He gets Spillers Lite balancer with his supplements in and nothing else as he is currently out 24/7 on not too much grass. It is a constant battle to keep the weight down. The only thing that really works with him is exercise ... I really need to source a saddle!!
 
Right I am confused! I am feeding my fat boy on Hifi molasses free as i thought it was the best thing calorie wise but the information on here says the opposite, i need to feed the lowest calories thing i can get so what is it??
 
My girl is warmblood x welsh D and her management is very strict. I feed her 1.5% of her body weight, she gets turned out muzzled (has been all year) then comes in stable and has weighed & soaked hay. She is fully clipped and is out in a rain sheet only, I also weigh tape her every 2 weeks as sometimes you don't see the weight creeping on. This year she is coming into Spring/Summer a lovely weight, you can just see her ribs and she looks a picture of health.
 
To be honest noo noo I think we all get told different things.. I was told molasses free has no molasses but high in calories.. It's hard to get it right isn't it!!! :/ anyway I shall try the cinnamon that sounds a good idea! I'm glad it's just not me battling away..there's a lot to say for excercise ive noticed the difference since she's not been excercised as much..I think I'll do the weigh tape too as that way ill know what's coming off!! Dreading spring!!!!! X
 
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