fat cob - im prepared to be slated - just need advice

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narkymare

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last winter was my first winter with him - im a novice so really followed previous owners advice on feeding - i specifically asked her whart she fed and she told me - hay( 2 haynets) when in and 1 scoop of mollichop for tea.
So this last winter i got an instructor and asked her advice - after first owner owner said id let him go too thin - i fed, after instructors advice one scoop of alpha a oil with one scoop of sugar beet
Now everyone - including my new instructor - is saying hes too fat!
What can i do - last year i had threat of rspca on me cos he was too thin - now he is too big to go into new spring fields
Yes im a novice and took what i perceived ad proffessioanl advice - now im worried - my cob is chubby - i took advice from proffessionals after id been accused of starving him - my yo has since said he was over weight when i brought him from the girl who said he was too thin#
Ok ready for onslaught - but anything to help my boy who i do love to bits and have only ever tried to do the best for x
 
Have you got any pics? I bet he was fine before and now, probably people just thinking they can stick their ore in, especially if you are a novice.
 
oh im not pc orientated - ive got pics on my phine and fb but cant upload them here - if u wanna look im debbie petrutiu on fb - i guess im panicking because spring is coming - last year i was told i didnt feed him enough, this year im told ive fed him too much - and tbh im now so so worried when spring grass comes through
 
For some reason I cannot open your albums, says there are 2 of them but when I click on them it says invalid :confused:
 
I think if you are looking for professional advice you should phone feed companies for free professional advice. Everybody likes to stick their oar in, and some people have very different views on what they think is over/underweight.

Can't tell without pics and can't see your album. I think as you are a novice it can be very easy for some people to tell you what they think is best. I think for some unbiased opinions you should ring some feed companies.

Also...exercise, exercise, exercise!
 
Hi, I have a cob that if not careful gains weight really quickly especially as soon as the grass comes up.

Mine is kept all Winter on adlib hay (not haylage), Alfalfa A with oil and speedi beet if he drops which he usually does when the low temps kick in. If I feel he is getting enough then I cut out the Sugarbeet. Feed him the Alfalfa A with oil and watch him. Once Im happy with his weight and the grass is coming through I drop all his feeds.

Is your cob out during the day? Can you turn around to night time turn out only? The sugar levels are much higher through the day than at night. Could he/she wear a grazing muzzle? Or could you strip graze?
 
Without seeing a pic i couldnt say often when people say too thin in a cob its because they are used to seeing them big, we have all types fatties and tbs.

I think people do feed as a matter of course none of my cobs or natives get any hard feeds and the natives that live out had little hay over winter apart from when snow was here as they wouldnt eat it when grass was visible we do have lots of fields but they are in good condition now and littlies are already in starvation paddocks.

If you have a fatty it is best for them to come out of the winter slightly under than overweight this is more natural for them and saves hassle in the long run with muzzles and starving etc.

If you were given duff advice you can only do your best now dont beat yourself up its easy to end up with a fatso or sometimes even a thinnie thats horses you know for next time.
Most good doers dont need hard feed just a vit and mineral certainly nothing with oil as i think you said you fed.
 
Be wary of getting advice from feed manufacturers, their job is to sell feed after all! If he is overweight now, reduce the amount of afla oil and speedy beat, to nothing, over a week to ten days. It would be worth you approaching somewhere like Redwings for advice. There are also many good books about horse nutrition that would be worth you buying. I would also suggest that you buy a weight tape, as while they are not accurate for actual weight, they give a rouh guide and if used regularly will allow you to monitor any weight gain or loss. Good luck with it all
 
ty hopes - i am on diy and he is out every day but in at night till yo says they can stay out
i stopped his hard feed about 6 weeks ago - he does have a grazing muzzle but he hates it - i cannot wait till he is out mainly so i can bring him throught the day - i do know he is overweight - the only peoplek who have told me this are riding instructors - my current one says he need to loose some - im just looking for advice as to how?

from what i understand a horse needs to munch all night to keep his degestive system going - therefore i cannot cut from 2 to one haynet?

Strip grazing is not an option on my diy yard, its in or a grazing muzzle which really does upset him - and i i said previously, ive now read if a horse is muzzled he will gorge ie make up for it afterwards - im just so confused!
 
also - i am really working on his exercise - but it has to be slowly - ive been his novice owner for 2 years so cannnot kill him now!
 
Try also to up his excersise brisk walking is a good calorie burner so wont kill him if he is fat now exercise could be your answer as grass is now coming through.
 
omg really fitz! ty!!! im off to look - i do love my fb friends but sometimes worry they are too nice to me - i know here i will get honest opinions which is what my boy needs!!! xxx
 
Cobs naturally are well covered,havnt seen one that you can see the ribs of yet :) As long as he hasnt an apple shaped bum(gutter down the middle),and fat pads over his shoulders then I am pretty sure he looks like a cob should :)
 
thank you everyone for your replies - i am working on his fitness and building him up (ty to my fab instructor) - i have been too soft with him - i used to do a bit of work with him one day and then let him have the next day off - now he only has sundays off.
We now hack out or school every other day - ive also been taught how to lunge him ( the suppsedly unlungable horse lol) and he does it brilliantly for me!
I really do love this boy - im 44, always wanted my first horse since childhood and he is it - i can honestly say ive (rightly or wrongly) just breathed and lived him since ive had him - and thats 2 years this summer xxx
 
if you want to keep him munching at night you could try soaking his hay as that cuts down on the calories can't remember how long to best soak for as has been so long since i have had to do it i think there is a thread on here though
 
We all do the same :) I always pitied my boy if he worked hard for an hr,and I too gave him the next day off,lol....however,I soon realised that the fat pig had 23 hrs a day to do what the fook he pleased,and scoff what he liked,lmao...so these days are now "You will work,I have to work 40hrs a wk to keep you, you only have to do 7hrs to make me smile" :D lol
 
ty cloball i will do this because its not long till he goes in the lush but calorie ridden new spring field - i hate being a bunny hugger but i do feel so evil putting his muzzle on!!! x
 
You could buy a smaller holed haynet, or put it in one inside another. This makes it last longer so that you can feed less but it will still give them a steady trickle as you are right, its important they have enough to keep their gut ticking over.

In terms of work, lots of long walk hacks are great fat burners, slowly building in hills and short bursts of trot.

The weight tape and book suggestion is a very good one. The equine nutrition bible is a simple introductory read I would recommend.
 
Get your vet out. Most will give you an objective opinion on his weight as well as show you how to assess it yourself

Most cobs are too fat and people get used to seeing them like that. But being a little overweight is more damaging than being a little underweight so I always aim for 'lean' for good doers.
 
Get your vet out. Most will give you an objective opinion on his weight as well as show you how to assess it yourself

Most cobs are too fat and people get used to seeing them like that. But being a little overweight is more damaging than being a little underweight so I always aim for 'lean' for good doers.
 
Hi, I've had a good doer that was on the large side and i needed to get his weight down ASAP.

1) Weigh Tape him or get him to a weigh bridge

2) Go on line and get a condition score sheet and condition score your horse. If you don't feel confidentto do this then either ask another (experienced) livery or get your vet out to give him a quick MOT!!!

3) Contact Spillers or Dengie. Their numbers are on their websites. They offer free advice. I know that Spillers also do yard visits so perhaps get together with a few friends and see if they will do a yard visit? They condition score your horse and suggest a diet plan...they also give freebies!!!

4) Do not starve your horse, you will do more harm than good. Horses are trickle feeders and eat up to 18hrs a day. Starving him or making him go without food for a long time will cause stomach problems and can lead to behavioral issues.
- Double net your hay so it lasts longer
- Soak your hay for 12hrs to remove proteins (any longer than 12hrs or new net make sure you change the water)
- Weigh your hay, one slice might look the same as another but they can weigh completely differently
- Split your feeds and if possible feed 2 or 3 times a day rather than just 1 large tea.
- If you really feel your horse needs hard feed then try Happy Hoof or Healthy Hooves. These feeds are designed for horses pron to Laminitis. They are low in sugar but high in fibre.
- Instead of putting your feed in a bucket, try a feed ball. The horse has to work for their food and it lasts longer.

When turning out and your yard allows it, try strip grazing. Turnout at night rather than the day or try a grazing muzzle (Fieldguard are a good make)

Exercise - If you can't ride for whatever reason try lunging or even taking him for a walk in hand. Also exercise isn't just about cantering around until your horse is sweating and out of breath. Get a few lessons from an instructor or get lesson plans online so you have a structured routine. Don't forget that you can still school while on a hack. Use hills if possible.
Remember that if your horse isn't fit don't expect him to do an hour in the school straight away. It's like asking you to run a marathon without proper training.
Build him up.

The weight won't drop off over night but keep an eye on his weight with a tape (use the tape on the same place at the same time of day) and keep a log of his weight. If something isn't working then change it. There is no fixed rules to weight loss.
 
I feel for you, it's hard trying to keep a good doer's weight right!

This is how we manage our horses:

1) Weigh them (a weight tape may not be 100% accurate, but will give you a good idea)

2) Get a spring to weigh their hay, like this

3) Feed them 1.75% of their bodyweight per 24 hours. If they need to drop weight, we reduce this to 1.5%. To put weight on, we increase it accordingly.

4) If they're turned out at grass 12 hours a day, we average they'll be eating of 5kg/11lb of grass during this time.

5) So, if he weighs 550kg, 1.75% of his bodyweight = 9.63kg. 5kg of grass per day means you'll need to be feeding 4.63kg of hay overnight. You can fill a net & weigh it. Small-holed nets are good and will help slow down how fast he eats it.

Bear in mind that if you're currently feeding two nets, he's probably getting double the amount of hay he needs, which would explain him being overweight.

6) If you're grazing is poor, you can supplement his diet with half a handful of unmollassed chaff and a scoop of general purpose supplement (we use Equivite). We certainly don't feed our good doers anything else, they just don't need it (and it's money down the drain!).

Combined with exercise, it works for us!

If your grass is rich, you can always use a grazing muzzle to restrict his intake. Soaking his hay in water overnight may also help remove some excess sugars (although this is debatable!), but it will also remove some nutrients, so make sure you feed a general supplement if you do this.

Hope it helps! It's definately the simplest way, we find. Once you do it a few times, you know by eye how much 5kg of hay looks like, so you don't need to bother weighing every night.

Hope it helps, wish you all the best with him :)
 
I think he looks fine.

Remember when you put him on a feed plan you don't have to stick to those amounts all winter, you can up it amd reduce it as you see fit too.

I think even though you say you are novice, you need to trust yourself a bit more and try not to listen to people butting in too much.
They may have good points but don't take other peoples advise if you are unsure.
You know your horse and he is still alive and looking well after two years so i wouldn't worry.
Will a cob or a good doer, i'd let them drop off slightly in the winter so when the spring grass comes through they put ono the weight to bring them up to what they should be.
Naturally in the wild horses lose weight in the winter and then put it on in the spring and summer, how many over weight ponies do you see on the forest or moors!!!!????
We have fat horses as we maintain a nice weight during the winter months then they explode come the spring.

Being the 'novice' on the yard you'll also be the object of the well meaning know it alls.

Trust yourself. x
 
I sympathise - I have a native who is prone to being overweight but I was told he was too thin coming out of winter. I've upped his hay and he's put weight on - but now I'm terrified of the spring grass!

A few things I have learned from my lad along the way:

Weigh your hay: if a horse is overweight they should be getting 1.5%BW forage.

To make hay last longer double net it or use an Elim-a-net (I use these, google them, they are awesome!)

I restrict my lads grass intake by turning him out for 4-5 hours a day only in the summer (YO brings him in) - sounds cruel but seems to work (grazing muzzle rubbed his nose - although we're moving yards in a few weeks and I think I'm going to try a grazing muzzle again this summer).

Work, work, work! Over spring / summer I try desperately to work my boy 6 days a week and make him sweat!! At his new yard they have a horse walker so he'll have to go on that too!

I find with my lad I can control his weight to a certain extent with hay. Like I mentioned he got a bit skinny so I just upped his hay and he put the weight on - I've nevre had to give him supplementary feed for weight gain. He just gets a handfull of hifi lite and his spillers balancer (lite!).

If you want an unbiased opinion and expert advice there are professional nutritionists who can work with you to devise a diet etc. and they are not affiliated to a feed company. There is a lady called Clare McLeod who has a website - she's very good and I think also owns cobby type horses so certainly will know where you are coming from.

:)
 
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