Do you think Pidge is too thin?

P

Pidge

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 June 2005
Messages
5,088
Visit site
Ok so took the weight tape to Pidge last night and he's coming out at 555kg
shocked.gif
he's a 17hh ISH so is this too thin? He is pretty fit at the moment, see here for latest video of him http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/2812131/an/0/page/1#2812131
 
hmm its hard to tell from a video but he looks a good weight to me- he looks very fit. Its better to have them on the slim side comming into spring if he is the type to fluctuate in weight. Its also better to have them slimmer than overweight!!! dont worry weight tapes are normally quite inacurate anyway.
 
Don't use a weigh tape to check whether your horse is too fat or too thin - use condition scoring instead. Weigh tapes are great for monitoring your horse's weight to see if they are maintaining, losing or gaining, but not for assessing whether your horse is the correct weight.

You want to check the neck, ribs and bum - ideally you should be able to feel the ribs easily, but not be able to see all of them!

Will try and find a condition scoring link for you. (Almost impossible to judge his condition from a video).

ETA: conditioning scoring link:

http://www.yourhorse.co.uk/nav?page=yourhorse.contentspage&view_resource=2251590
 
thanks, you can see some of his ribs, but am struggling to find any fat on him and according to this he would perhaps be classed as poor?
I admit he is quite lean at the moment but he hasn't been this weight for a long time, hence my question?
He's normally about 570-580kg in the winter and 600-620kg in the summer - I use the same weight tape just to gauge how he is rather than accurate weight - does that make sense?
 
Well my 15.2hh TB mare weighs 532kg so i would say perhaps he is a little underweight. Mind you with spring around the corner im sure that he'll put the weigh on no worries!
 
It does sound a little light Sue, But of course if he is very fit he wont be carrying much fat aound his tummy, which may be why he appears so light according to the weigh tape. Tight & toned tummy muscles.

However, saying that, even when Lance was fit in the summer and slim, the lowest he has ever been is 570kg, and he is only 16.2hh, similar build to Pidge I would say.
does Pidge look any slimmer than Lance? I felt Lance was too skinny TBH. He is 570kg here:

15cedb2c.jpg
 
can't see pictures as am at work
mad.gif

If you go on my photobucket account there is a recent picture of Pidge on there too.
 
Can you get some recent still pics of him and post them - preferably without tack and one showing him side on and one from behind - that would give a much better idea of his condition.

Is he working more than he did last winter or has his feed regime changed from last year?
 
Ive just had a look and I would say he just looks very fit, and well!

I tend to have my horses looking a bit fat
blush.gif
, I think he could maybe do with a little bit on, but i certainly wouldnt bother adjusting his feed, Im sure he wil be getting that extra from the grass soon enough.
smile.gif
 
will do
grin.gif

he's working a lot more than last winter, and he's on less food than last year, I did up the food when he dropped a bit but he stopped eating all of it, and he loves his food normally and licks the bowl clean
grin.gif
so went with what he was telling me.
level scoop alfa a oil, 1/3 scoop top spec cool and condition cubes, 300g to spec feed balancer, twice a day. (plus garlic, naf d-tox, NJS). ad lib haylage in the stable at night and in the field in the day.
 
I agree with not relying on weight tapes too much. It won't even reach round my 18hh!! My 15.2 weighed 565kg but she is a little porky! Every horse is different, a bit like people. I like my horses in show condition and don't like to see their ribs.
 
I would say perhaps he is indeed a little on the lean side - my 15.3hh ISH is 570kg and is fit enough to do a pre novice ODE without blowing too much after the cross country. How much draught has he got in him though? Rock is 3/4 draught and only 1/4thoroughbred, so if he's naturally a bit stockier.
 
he looks good and fit to me, especially if he is likely to put on weight when the spring grass comes through soon. George is 16.3 and only 546kg on the weigh tape and I think (in my very unexpert opinion) that he is ok:

DSC_3007.jpg
 
More of the TB than ID as his dad was TB and his dam ISH so say more 3/4 TB 1/4 ID? He does have very long legs
blush.gif
smirk.gif
grin.gif

Pidge copes fine with 2 - 3 hours over Cannock Chase or over at Somerford Park farm ride, doesn't often break into a sweat either!
 
[ QUOTE ]
looks a bit leaner than Lance
blush.gif

thanks he's feeling very fit and well at the moment
grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Like I said, I like my horses fat LOL!
grin.gif


I think I felt Lance was too skinny because he is such a chunky horse, about 11 and a half inches of bone, so seeing some of his ribs was just wierd, espec with his big neck!
tongue.gif


If Pidge has that much TB in him then I wouldnt worry, he will pick up a few extra kg from the spring grass Im sure, and he looks fab and obviously has enough energy for what he is doing!
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top