condition pics...are my lot too thin???

[lilym]

Rarely do this but quite pleased with moses coming through winter so far:

and Maisie - fat as ever, although I CAN feel her ribs and hip bones, she is deceptive as she is so very short coupled, and has a big hay belly ATM and about 3 inches of coat!! She will be hacked once again when the spring comes...PLEASE NOTE: she is also on a strict diet of soaked hay and lo-cal and on poor grazing, I am NOT willing to starve her and cannot feed her any less and risk colic and ulcers, she WILL be managed on a laminitic regime in the spring as she has for the last few years - you just have to accept her shape and the fact it's her genetic make up, my vet and farrier feel the same - before certain individuals jump on this post**

But this lady I do worry about....Having been told by her breeder she is poor, she is certainley in the rough and scuffy and hairy - but thin?? wormy?? I certainley don't think so....she looks about right to me, she is 5 in april, has done no work and I don't want her looking like the hippos her breeder has... what do you think?????

And If i "starve" my horses why is maisie positively fat when living out on a half acre with hay twice a day then???? and why is moses a nice chubby chap???? GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR some people....

 

[Katie__Connie]

Moses and bottom pony look perfect.
Maisie I would have said is a bit on the chunky monkey side but i think you're right its just how she is and what her build is like... you've got nothing to worry about!

 

[Persephone]

Good job

You know your horses, the reasoning behind what you are doing is very sound IMO.

 

[mrdarcy]

They all look great to me - definitely not too thin at all. The breeder of your youngster is one of those horribly misguided people who have fat horses and think they're being kind.

 

[Chunkie]

Moses and the third pony look perfect, Maisie looks fat

All three are gorgeous ponies!

 

[MagicMelon]

They look fine. Sorry to change topic - but what's that big container they're eating hay from??? Where'd you get it? I want one!!

 

[MileyMouse]

Magic_Magpie - I was just going to ask exactly the same thing!

 

[FinnishLapphund]

As more than one other have said before "Because more and more people over feed their animals and suddenly they think overweight animals have the correct weight, if they thought otherwise, it could also lead to that they had to realise one or two things about their own animals condition."


I recently read an advice in a dog magazine, that said to tell people complaining about her dogs weight, something like "Yes, it is thin but only if compared to an unhealthy overweight dog! That doesn't mean I'm willing to risk my dogs health by doing the same."

I would not like to see how the horses owned by the person saying that your horses are thin, looks.

 

[SarahX]

They look like a healthy, happy weight to me

What stunning ponies!

 

[Tabbi]

Very pretty ponies

Weight wise they look fine to me.

 

[nicnag]

I've got about 50 of those containers sitting at work! We use them for transporting meat cuts once they have been vaccuum packed. I'm sure they are called Duerrs?

Anyway to OP, I agree with the above comments, top and bottom ponies look grand and Maisie a little porky but your obviously dealing with this so don't think you should be too concerned.

 

[Patches]

Not thin at all. They all have a nice covering.

What is the grey plastic thing you're using to feed in the field. I'm liking that alot and would LOVE to get one.

 

[Puppy]

Far, far from thin!! Quite the opposite!

I do love seing pics of Maisie, I can't get over how much she looks like a horse I learned to ride on

 

[lindsayH]

I've got to get some of those containers, they're great!

Lovely horses too!

 

[pocketrocket09]

Wow they're beautiful, Moses looks just like my two year old!! I don't think they're thin at all they look good to me!

)

 

[LadyRascasse]

oh yer you are sooo soooo cruel to them they look like they are gonna drop dead any minute from starvation!!

they look great.

 

[AmyMay]

They all look in great winter condition - if I'm being honest - too great. Apart from the last one who looks perfect.

 

[Rudey]

I totally agree with all of the above posts, all of your horses look great! Just wanted to add that my mates NF looked like a massive barrel in her winter coat, she was clipped and when you see her in her birthday suit, the difference is amazing! Not fat/over weight in the slightest - but she looked it before she was clipped!!!

As for the breeder thing - I sympathsise with you here! Your horse looks amazing! I must say I wouldn't want anymore weight on her, she looks perfect as she is!!

I took my yearling showing and a few judges said he needed more weight to be true 'showing quality'. I ignored their opinion - I am not pig headed and I do take on board other peoples suggestions, however, I wasn't prepared to over feed him and possibly effect his joints or cause protracted tendons or laminitis. This is him, I don't think he's underweight at all, he's a yearling - he hasn't filled out yet - of course he is gangerly... but that's my opinion! xx

 

[MegaBeast]

Definitely not too thin. If asked for my opinion on condition I'd say they're all carrying a bit too much but appreciate the reasons you've given. Most definitely not underweight in any way.

 

[pottamus]

I most deffinately wont jump on any post, but have recently gone through hell and back with my Welshie getting laminitis and whilst now sound...still not out of the woods yet. I would not wish it on anyone!
The reason I say this is because I always thought my lad was a bit chunky but not too bad, he is hacked every day in the summer and was doing 15 mile pleasure rides most weeks...so pretty fit...he was on limited grazing all year and hay as his main diet...no hard feed. But sadly he still got laminitis this year and over the course of his stressful box rest has lost some 50kg! I have been informed by the vet that he is now the ideal weight...which has come as a shock to me as he looks completely different to how he did and has lost his roundness and I can just see ribs through his thick winter coat.
Please be careful with your lovely horses as they are carrying extra weight and the horses in the second and last photos look quite cresty.
I am not being mean or having a go as I know how hard it is to keep weight off a horse that lives on fresh air...but dont learn the hard way like me what 'good condition' really means.

 

[lilym]

[ QUOTE ]
I totally agree with all of the above posts, all of your horses look great! Just wanted to add that my mates NF looked like a massive barrel in her winter coat, she was clipped and when you see her in her birthday suit, the difference is amazing! Not fat/over weight in the slightest - but she looked it before she was clipped!!!

As for the breeder thing - I sympathsise with you here! Your horse looks amazing! I must say I wouldn't want anymore weight on her, she looks perfect as she is!!

I took my yearling showing and a few judges said he needed more weight to be true 'showing quality'. I ignored their opinion - I am not pig headed and I do take on board other peoples suggestions, however, I wasn't prepared to over feed him and possibly effect his joints or cause protracted tendons or laminitis. This is him, I don't think he's underweight at all, he's a yearling - he hasn't filled out yet - of course he is gangerly... but that's my opinion! xx

[/ QUOTE ]

Your yearling looks fabulous and I wouldn't want anymore on him for a red rossette.

 

[lilym]

[ QUOTE ]
I most deffinately wont jump on any post, but have recently gone through hell and back with my Welshie getting laminitis and whilst now sound...still not out of the woods yet. I would not wish it on anyone!
The reason I say this is because I always thought my lad was a bit chunky but not too bad, he is hacked every day in the summer and was doing 15 mile pleasure rides most weeks...so pretty fit...he was on limited grazing all year and hay as his main diet...no hard feed. But sadly he still got laminitis this year and over the course of his stressful box rest has lost some 50kg! I have been informed by the vet that he is now the ideal weight...which has come as a shock to me as he looks completely different to how he did and has lost his roundness and I can just see ribs through his thick winter coat.
Please be careful with your lovely horses as they are carrying extra weight and the horses in the second and last photos look quite cresty.
I am not being mean or having a go as I know how hard it is to keep weight off a horse that lives on fresh air...but dont learn the hard way like me what 'good condition' really means.

[/ QUOTE ]

I appreciate what you are saying, amd my god I do keep a very careful eye - the welsh D will be going back into meduim work anytime soon and when he loses his little bit of podge and muscles up he looks tremendous - yet he doesn't change on the weightape - just tones up!!
The real fatty is actually able to hack for 1-2 hours lots of trotting and some canter work and hardly breaks sweat?? I really don't get her at all - her confo really doesn't help!! believe me if I were to clip her she look totally different, but i'm not clipping for cosmetics as she is a cow to clip!!
The pony - her breeder shows (inhand)....and says mine are too thin - theirs are always getting laminitis and are soo fat they literally wobble, the yearlings look like 4 year olds and get no turnout and fed buckets of hard feed. must need friggin specsavers if they think maisie is thin??!!

 

[Donkeymad]

They all look fine, certainly non are lacking weight. Well done, ,lovely horses.