Dartmoor Pony - laminitis prevention & rugging

[katiejemima]

Opinions and expereinces welcome.

I have a 6yo Dartmoor who was on the moors until he was 3. Due to circumstances only in work 2-3 times per week this coming summer. No laminitis history but aware they are more prone.

FEED
At the mo he has a molasses free chaf but only a small handful in morning so he's not the only one not eating.
He has a small haynet in stable overnight (though from Wednesday when they go out he wont)
His grazing is about 3/4 acre currently (as new on yard and Worming programme ongoing) but very good grass.

I believe I have 2 prevention options I can employ now, one is to split the field and rotate him through the summer and the other is to give him some kind of laminitis prevention supplement. Would you reccomend either/both and if you reccomend a supplement, is there one in particular you would use? There is so much on the market....!

RUGGING
Currently unrugged during day when out and in at night. Have ordered a no fill lightweight for the nights when they go out 24/7. Anyone got any opposing advice or experience to this?


THANKS IN ADVANCE ?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Is your pony a Shilstone Rocks pony?

I got my lad off of Dartmoor as a 3yo and he is the most pathetic creature on the planet! Honestly I don't know how he didn't curl up into a ball and die on the moors when it rained! I have to put a heavy weight full neck rug on him in winter and if he had his way he would be in a stable rugged up to his eyeballs every time a drop of liquid fell from the sky. But that's his bad luck! He lives out unrugged from the start of April to the middle/end of Ocotber regardless.

My lad got a bout of lammi as a 7yo. He had done virtually no work at all that year and he was turfed out with my mares on very good pasture. He had no rotation luckily and is now 20yo and has had no further problems. I would just make sure you give them enough work to keep tabs on their weight. That is the only way of preventing it. There are no supplements or the likes that will prevent it.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Is he out on his own in that size field?

 

[BeckyFlowers]

It sounds as though your best option is to split the paddock and strip graze - you will get to a point where the paddock will become just the right size so you won't need to move the posts any more, as the grass will grow as fast as he's eating it, but still be short. It will be better if he has a chum in with him a) to keep the grass short and b) for company.

Another option is a grazing muzzle - personally I hate them and would only ever use one if I had no other option, but they do reduce the amount they can stuff down. However they can't be left on 24 hours a day.

No supplement will prevent him getting laminitis if he's left to his own devices on good grass, so I wouldn't waste your money.

Why are you even considering rugging a fattie native over the summer?

 

[katiejemima]

Is he out on his own in that size field?

Yes

 

[meleeka]

I’d strip graze the field too. Good grass is not what you need!

 

[SEL]

Strip graze with a grazing muzzle so he can't gorge the new bit!

 

[Pinkvboots]

I would strip graze and not rug him and exercise as much as you can feeding magnesium oxide can help horses prone to weight gain.

 

[paddy555]

mine are out without rugs all winter and I live on Dartmoor. They have a shelter but much of the time they are out and wet which they don't seem to mind. I'm not sure I can see the need for a no fill or any other sort of rug from now until at least the winter.
Supplements won't make any difference. I don't understand about his grazing. You are going to split 3/4 acre and he will live on his own and be exercised 2/3 times a week? Sorry if I have got that wrong. I am not sure where he is going to get the chance to move around ie canter around, with others in the field? That is what will keep him exercised.

3 of mine came off the common. They have a 2 acre field and it certainly isn't good grazing up here. They gallop and gallop. They set each other off and that exercise does help with the weight issue. Without it they would be like barrels. By Mid June there is too much grass even in that field and all 3 move onto a marsh (which resembles those on the moorland) and is around 3/4 acre for 3 of them. They are still fat on that small amount despite their charging around.

Is he always going to live alone or have you got company planned?

 

[splashgirl45]

i would only rug a native if old or ill especially with so much grazing to himself. any chance of a companion, better for his waistline and mental health...

 

[Pearlsasinger]

A native pony who has lived on the moor will not need a rug in summer! He is highly unlikely to need one in winter, unless you clip him. As well as his small haynet, or instead of most of it I would give him a trug of plain oat straw chaff in the stable, to stop him gorging on the grass when he goes out. I would want him out with a friend and on a track, which gets longer as time goes on (basically strip grazing but making him walk further for the same amount of grass, eventually).

 

[tiga71]

I would leave him naked and give him either oat or barley straw for more eating time without all the calories. Could you make a track system in his field and get him a friend? More exercise that way.

I find getting them eating the straw really helpful in keeping the weight off but still giving them something to eat.

 

[windand rain]

Mine is laminitic he came off the moor with his mum at 4 weeks old He is 16 now and only recently been in need of a rug when it is cold windy and wet. He lives on a grass track of very short grass with at least one highland pony, His next bout of lammi will be his last but he hasnt succumbed for 5 years since we introduced the track system