Condition score BH, and post your own if you fancy. Just for fun :)

[MissCandy]

Well I have had the vet today and before I asked his opinion he commented that my boy was fat :$ and he would score him 4 overall.

HOWEVER as my boy is only turning 2 this year he believes that a 4 is acceptable and if he maintains a consistent weight it is better than yo-yo-ing from fat to lean.

Sorry no photos :$ but what are thoughts on this?

 

[rhino]

Well I have had the vet today and before I asked his opinion he commented that my boy was fat :$ and he would score him 4 overall.

HOWEVER as my boy is only turning 2 this year he believes that a 4 is acceptable and if he maintains a consistent weight it is better than yo-yo-ing from fat to lean.

Sorry no photos :$ but what are thoughts on this?

Personally I prefer youngstock to be a little on the lean side, excess weight on immature joints etc Most breeders that I know would say the same.

 

[LizzieJ]

This is my hunter today. I would score her at a 3, she's not hunted for 2 weeks now though so previously she'd have been a 2.5.

 

[MissCandy]

Thanks rhino, I would tend to agree.

Maybe I look at my boy through rose tinted glasses or maybe its just that I see him everyday as although I was aware he looked 'well' I wouldn't have called him fat!

I am concerned but not sure how exactly to go about getting his weight down considering his age and the fact that he only has hay (and a bit of grass)

 

[Cheiro1]

Would love to know what you guys would score my girl at??

Shes a 15hh welshy. Lives on fresh air and is on a constant diet! When she came to me a couple of years ago she was just a walking ball of fat, so I know we still have a way to go, but I think shes a lot better than she was!! (no non-ridden pics from back them so I cant show you quite how bad it was)

No behind pics, sorry. she does have a slight apple bum.

 

[be positive]

I think my mare is a 4?
You can feel her ribs, definitely can't see them though! She has no obvious fat pads on her shoulders but has a bit of fat on her bum. Also possibly a bit cresty although she has always had quite a thick neck.

LHS:

RHS:

BOTTOM:

After being ridden she goes quite a bit more "tucked up so doesn't have quite so much of a belly" :

More of a 3 than 4 she has a little extra tummy but not much topline and her bottom is not round, some good work to muscle up and will look fine.

 

[jenki13]

More of a 3 than 4 she has a little extra tummy but not much topline and her bottom is not round, some good work to muscle up and will look fine.

Fair enough, I always think she is way over weight. She always has a small bum mind! Realised she's actually lost a lot as can't see her belly past her bum now. Hopefully getting some flatwork lessons soon to try & help with the topline / muscle.. We'll see if an old horse can learn new tricks

 

[bumblelion]

Hoping this will work as using photobucket through my phone!

Here's my boy, 17hh idx, weighs 660kg on tape. Not in work as I took him on as a companion. Has osteoarthritis and has had surgery on both stifles previously. Hoping to do some light hacking with him this summer. Unable to lunge etc as too much on his joints. He's 11 years old now. Not ideal but he's become hugely attached to my tb and vice versa so really struggle with his weight as he's out with my tb on unrationed grass! Also not being able to work him and him being such a good doer!!

Btw, he has lost a humungous amount of weight in the time I'v owned him so please don't shoot me down for him being overweight!! He was very very obese! Off the scale in fact!

Just curious as to how you all think he's looking now?

 

[Jesstickle]

LizzieJ- I agree, a lovely three. And doesn't she look fit! Much better than BH in terms of muscle!

C1- I don't think she looks fat. I'm not good with the chunkier types but from your pics I wouldn't say more than 3.5.

Bumblelion- What an unusual choice for a companion. I think he looks good You must have been super strict to get a decent amount of weight off with no exercise, any top tips?

jenki13- your being hard on yourself! She looks fine, just gets a belly on. BH does too- he looks much better after he's done some work

MissCandy- I have always preferred my young 'uns on the lean side but I can see why your vet says a constant 4 is better than yo yoing as what you really don't want whilst there growing is massive growth spurts ( the aim is for a reasonably constant rate of growth ) and I imagine going from fat to thin to fat to thin would increase the chances of getting them?

 

[Jesstickle]

Ron looks fab!! I think your scoring is about right- he looks really good and fit

Out of interest Jen, without wanting to hijack Jesstickle's very nice thread, how do you deal with the pigmentation around his eyes? We have a little pony on the yard with a similar marking just on one eye, and I've not seen it with many others to compare what's done. Can pm if its easier to stop going off on a tangent in this thread

You hijack away I hope Jen comes back and answers for you.

 

[bumblelion]

Jesstickle- yes he is very unusual for a companion! Was on his way to his end due to previous owner not being able to afford to keep him as an ornament and no one else wanting him, so me being a big softy took him on for £1! He was 8 back then and it's taken me this long to get the weight off with no exercise! To be honest he's still overweight in my eyes, I'm used to tbs though and he is a very chunky boy so I know he won't look as skinny as them but I can't feel or see ribs which is what worries me!! Plus I don't like him carrying too much excess weight due to his joints! It's such a vicious circle! Basically, iv lightly rugged him (gets stiff if unrugged in damp conditions and when stabled at night throughout winter). Very little feed of chaff to mix supps in and plenty but rationed hay at night, soaked. I think my tb has helped the most though, very playful so forces him to bomb about with him!

 

[JenHunt]

I am not saying my two are perfect, but many people think these breeds are fat when they are not - they are compact and thick set. Saying that, I do see some terrible examples out there, though the show ring does seem to be improving compared to what I saw a few years ago.

I think they are lovely, and in your photos I'd score them at about a 3.5... but agree with you that it's mostly to do with their type than because they are fat! They're both clearly the sort that are stocky and muscly! and beautiful...

Hoping this will work as using photobucket through my phone!

Here's my boy, 17hh idx, weighs 660kg on tape.....

he's lovely, and looking well. given he's not in work I'd say he's about right. re: bringing him into light work, can you ride one and lead him out for a short hack to get him moving but not bearing weight until he's done a bit and got some fitness back?

MissCandy- I have always preferred my young 'uns on the lean side but I can see why your vet says a constant 4 is better than yo yoing as what you really don't want whilst there growing is massive growth spurts ( the aim is for a reasonably constant rate of growth ) and I imagine going from fat to thin to fat to thin would increase the chances of getting them?

this! ^^ IMO youngstock can be so easily overfed, storing up problems for later! But, I also agree that keeping a steady weight is better than yo-yo-ing!

I'd say Ron is pretty perfect And by the look of that bum it's muscle not fact so probably just from how he carries himself

thank you! he's always been that shape, and it's more pronounced when he's done loads of hill work, so you're probably right about it being how he carries himself!

Ron looks fab!! I think your scoring is about right- he looks really good and fit

Out of interest Jen, without wanting to hijack Jesstickle's very nice thread, how do you deal with the pigmentation around his eyes? We have a little pony on the yard with a similar marking just on one eye, and I've not seen it with many others to compare what's done. Can pm if its easier to stop going off on a tangent in this thread

You hijack away I hope Jen comes back and answers for you.

I have PMd GGBells... but for anyone who's interested... it doesn't affect him at all, so I don't do very much at all. He wears a face mask in the summer anyway, but if he didn't I'd put suncream on him. and in the winter I just keep an eye on it as it can get chapped in wet and windy weather. He Hates you doing very much with his face at the best of times so it suits us both!

 

[bumblelion]

Jenhunt- thankyou! I'm paranoid because I can't see ribs! The trouble is they're at home and my hackings not great, plus I'd have to lead him off my exracer so between the two of them I'd probably die!! Hoping to do a bit of long reining with him and some in hand work and then when we move back onto livery soon can do some off road hacking. Hoping he'll tone up a bit, although will be a lot of slow work! Although the way he bombs around the field does make me wonder!!

 

[QueenOfCadence]

I think mine's a 4 at the moment . Might be a 3 if I'm optimistic

Anyone else feel free to try, I'm a noob at this

 

[HashRouge]

I'd love to hear people's opinions on my mare. I think she looks very well compared to how she looked at the end of last summer, she's a lot trimmer. She's 19, top picture is now, bottom picture was last October:

 

[JenHunt]

I think mine's a 4 at the moment . Might be a 3 if I'm optimistic

Anyone else feel free to try, I'm a noob at this

I'd say a 3.5 to a 4 - especially on the bottom! but then neck looks almost poor - guess it's just her (?) shape.

I'd love to hear people's opinions on my mare. I think she looks very well compared to how she looked at the end of last summer, she's a lot trimmer. She's 19, top picture is now, bottom picture was last October:

I'd say she's looking pretty good - about a 3. She's an araby type, and IMO they often look 'thinner' than they really are. In the bottom pic she just looks older and with less muscle tone than in the first one, and the grass bellly accentuates that.

 

[HashRouge]

I'd say she's looking pretty good - about a 3. She's an araby type, and IMO they often look 'thinner' than they really are. In the bottom pic she just looks older and with less muscle tone than in the first one, and the grass bellly accentuates that.

That's what I thought - she went through a phase of looking (and acting) quite elderly but has been doing very well recently. She's an ex-broodmare and naturally has quite a round tum, but I think she looks pretty good considering she's been out of work since Christmas! There have been a lot of changes in her life recently, I'm not sure what is making the difference but I'm just happy that she looks better and obviously feels much happier

 

[QueenOfCadence]

I'd say a 3.5 to a 4 - especially on the bottom! but then neck looks almost poor - guess it's just her (?) shape.

It's a him ^_^. Sorry he's not very muscular at the moment, the only newer photos I have of him are from his 2nd/3rd week back in work after he was off for nearly 4 months (had a full penile amputation). So he's lost his topline unfortunately and he doesn't even have a hint of it in most of these pictures (except for the one under saddle, which is the latest). He's always had a very round bum, even after his op when he went off his food for a little while (and was probably a 1/2 during the time) he still had a big, round bum

 

[TheHairyOne]

Really interesting thread.

Wonder what people thought of my boy who's a gypsy vanner x standing 15hh? This is November last year :

And then filthy and disgusting from today!

Now this boy who we had on loan for a bit was FAT!

 

[ATrueClassAct]

Would also love opinions on Arab mare.

 

[JenHunt]

It's a him ^_^. Sorry he's not very muscular at the moment, the only newer photos I have of him are from his 2nd/3rd week back in work after he was off for nearly 4 months (had a full penile amputation). So he's lost his topline unfortunately and he doesn't even have a hint of it in most of these pictures (except for the one under saddle, which is the latest). He's always had a very round bum, even after his op when he went off his food for a little while (and was probably a 1/2 during the time) he still had a big, round bum

sorry! couldn't really tell from the pics, so guessed! He's looking well then considering what he's gone through!

He's like Ron in the round bottom respect - Ron always has an apple bottom, even when he's had 24 days hunting! It's just how he is!

 

[MissCandy]

Can I just say I am obsessed with this now and I have been (attempting) to score every horse I can get my hands on at the yard!

 

[Ealana]

This is Zach, the vet condition scored him as a 3 two weeks ago when she came to do vaccs. Wonder what others think of him ? ...

x

 

[0310Star]

Some better photo's of Star as promised!!
I must admit she is looking a lot better than I thought and has definitely lost a lot! Any comments much appreciated