Sol
Well-Known Member
Confo critique while you're here wouldn't be too bad either 
(photo at the bottom!)
But.... I have reached the conclusion that Dante is FAT. So he is now about to become very unhappy as he becomes nice and skinny
It's a hard life.
He's got decent sized pads of fat just behind his shoulder blades, quite low down - this is the only thing that really made me notice! You can see them at times when his saddle is on, and if I look down when I'm riding, they're noticeable. Also, after untacking him I erm, *tried* to feel his ribs.... I managed to poke something solid eventually, but the layer of podge didn't help!
So.... he's getting less haylage, will just be getting his balancer & a handful of chaff twice a day for hard feed, and when we can get some more electric fence posts, we're fencing a strip off in his field down the long side - which is also on a hill! Idea that he'll have to walk up and down hill munching short grass (very cruel!)
I'm also going to try and lunge him a few times a week for half an hour, plus riding him for an hour the other nights with a day off.
Does this all sound good? Only thing is, I give him his haylage off the floor, so can't exactly slow him down eating it... I considered a snack ball thing too, but the YO's live at the yard, right by the stables, and don't think they'd be keen on him kicking it about!
Also... would clipping him NOW help? He's moulting anyway, it needs to be off soon... or would that be too horrible?
Photo of the fat beast....
(photo at the bottom!)But.... I have reached the conclusion that Dante is FAT. So he is now about to become very unhappy as he becomes nice and skinny
It's a hard life.He's got decent sized pads of fat just behind his shoulder blades, quite low down - this is the only thing that really made me notice! You can see them at times when his saddle is on, and if I look down when I'm riding, they're noticeable. Also, after untacking him I erm, *tried* to feel his ribs.... I managed to poke something solid eventually, but the layer of podge didn't help!
So.... he's getting less haylage, will just be getting his balancer & a handful of chaff twice a day for hard feed, and when we can get some more electric fence posts, we're fencing a strip off in his field down the long side - which is also on a hill! Idea that he'll have to walk up and down hill munching short grass
(very cruel!) I'm also going to try and lunge him a few times a week for half an hour, plus riding him for an hour the other nights with a day off.
Does this all sound good? Only thing is, I give him his haylage off the floor, so can't exactly slow him down eating it... I considered a snack ball thing too, but the YO's live at the yard, right by the stables, and don't think they'd be keen on him kicking it about!
Also... would clipping him NOW help? He's moulting anyway, it needs to be off soon... or would that be too horrible?
Photo of the fat beast....
Sure my mum will be impressed if I inform her I'm getting the clippers out early this year! 
Might aim to do it next weekend.... good fun!