Magicmillbrook
Well-Known Member
A few weeks ago there was a thread showing lean fit cobs and I promised to update with the amazing transformation of my little cob. I got him at the end of last October and didn't do a gratuitous look at my new pony post, because I felt a little embarrassed for the poor chap and HHO'ers do tend to tell it like it is!
He was 14hh and just turned 4 when I got him, his owner was pregnant and had stopped working him and he had been turned out on water meadow. When I got him home he weigh taped at 570 kilos (yes realy!), the same as my daughters 16hh 3/4 ID.
Any hoo we used the winter to our advantage, only rugged him in a rain sheet if I needed him dry. Over winter hay has been strictly 1.5% his body weight, soaked at least 12 hours and beefed up with straw to keep his head and tummy happy - nothing worse than a hungry cob. Also he has a token feed of sugar beet and homemade chaff with a 364 feed balancer to ensure he is getting all the nutrients and oils he needs. Over the spring/summer I haven't had to stable him or use a muzzle, I have just limited his grazing and continued to supplement with soaked hay and straw.
Work has been tricky. A lot of time he has been without a saddle, he had to have one made to measure and it has had 3 adjustments already. We took advice from our instructor to have some sessions with an equine body worker who specializes in pole work to improve core stability. It has worked wonders for him but she advised against schooling (other than at walk) and lunging at the moment until his stability muscles are stronger so we mainly hack ridden and in hand, do short schooling sessions in walk and of course our daily pole workout.
He has now turned 5, is 14.1 1/2 and weigh tapes at 430kilos. We now have shoulders, withers, ribs and a soft crest. I think he could still loose a bit more, perhaps 400Kilos would be an ideal weight - but for now I am chuffed
This is him a couple of days after his last bath!
He was 14hh and just turned 4 when I got him, his owner was pregnant and had stopped working him and he had been turned out on water meadow. When I got him home he weigh taped at 570 kilos (yes realy!), the same as my daughters 16hh 3/4 ID.
Any hoo we used the winter to our advantage, only rugged him in a rain sheet if I needed him dry. Over winter hay has been strictly 1.5% his body weight, soaked at least 12 hours and beefed up with straw to keep his head and tummy happy - nothing worse than a hungry cob. Also he has a token feed of sugar beet and homemade chaff with a 364 feed balancer to ensure he is getting all the nutrients and oils he needs. Over the spring/summer I haven't had to stable him or use a muzzle, I have just limited his grazing and continued to supplement with soaked hay and straw.
Work has been tricky. A lot of time he has been without a saddle, he had to have one made to measure and it has had 3 adjustments already. We took advice from our instructor to have some sessions with an equine body worker who specializes in pole work to improve core stability. It has worked wonders for him but she advised against schooling (other than at walk) and lunging at the moment until his stability muscles are stronger so we mainly hack ridden and in hand, do short schooling sessions in walk and of course our daily pole workout.
He has now turned 5, is 14.1 1/2 and weigh tapes at 430kilos. We now have shoulders, withers, ribs and a soft crest. I think he could still loose a bit more, perhaps 400Kilos would be an ideal weight - but for now I am chuffed
This is him a couple of days after his last bath!
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