Diet on Box Rest?

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Lucyann89

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I have recently posted a subjet on weight tapes concerning my Highland ponsy' weight, but wanted to start a new post to discuss his diet so I don't complicate my previous one!
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I'm still usure of Toby's weight, but I know he is overweight with a body condion score of 5. He's got a sore hindleg and has had for a while, so the vet recommended one weeks box rest to rule out lameness etc. and he will probably have an Xray later this week as box rest hasn't made a significant difference.

As I mentioned, he is very chubby right now but without being able to exercise him, how can I help him shed the pounds? I'm worried that his excess weight is putting his sore leg under even more pain? He hates staying in the stable and has broken out a few times. I feed him two small meals a day; two handfulls of chaff, equivite, superflex and anti-inflammatories the vet told me to give him. He gets three medium sized haynets a day which are 3/4 filled. Should I stop the hay?

I realise not much can be done until he is able to be exercised, but even then, how can I shed his weight safetly without straining him? Thank you for any advice and even just reading my post
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You shouldn't stop the hay as that is the most important part of a horses digestive needs.They need the fibre for the gut to work properly.I would try mixing some straw into his haynets so you are feeding a mix of hay and straw as this will have less calories than hay alone but will bulk out his feed and make him feel full.
 
I personally wouldn't mix hay with straw - it is difficult to get good quality dust free straw these days. I have a fatty on box rest at the moment - he is given hay in small holed haynets which I soak to get rid of most of the nutrients. These keep him busy while maintaining gut health.
 
No I definitely wouldn't cut out the hay. I would split the haynets into 5 instead of 3 so he is still getting the same amount but it will keep him occupied for longer. Soak the hay for a couple of hours and put it inside 2 small holed nets so it takes him longer to eat it.
 
I think the best thing ever said to me (whilst my kid's shettie was on box rest) was (from my farrier) "these things walk 40 miles a day for a blade of grass in their natural habitiat and here's you f***** giving him it on a plate". It's easy to forget how little these ponies need food wise. Basically as long as he has hay going through his gut every hour of so (even just a handful) he will survive and lose weight.

I was giving him two haynets a day, and even that was too much.
Personally, for a highland I would either give him two sections of hay a day split inyto 5 or 6 lots throughout the day / night, or give him fibre cubes in a snackball. I would soak all hay fir 8 hours too.
 
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