Fat horse slim - EMS CAN be reversed!! ?

Floofball

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Well we’ve only gone and done it! EMS has been reversed! It’s only taken 3 years ? just thought I’d share my fat horse slim story ☺️

Top photo was 2016 and approx 680kg! George has always been a very ‘good doer’ and has nearly always been on a diet. Due to personal circumstances I took my eye of the ball in 2016 so as soon as time/life allowed we got back on a mission to get the weight off. In 2017 we were doing more exercise than we ever had, yet his weight hardly changed so I asked the vets to test for insulin resistance - he was off the scale ? and so began the weighing food, soaking hay, small holed nets, strip grazing onto a grass track, muzzling etc whilst also trying to rehab/manage lameness issues (he’s never had laminitis amazingly!)
I managed to get quite a bit of weight off him over the next couple of years but never managed to get him under 600kg. Due to a new intermittent lameness and the awful wet weather last year I decided to take his shoes off and see how we went. He was immediately sound ? so I wanted to keep the shoes off. We were breezing along till the grass started coming through in the spring and I knew I needed to get him off it but didn’t want him just stood on the woodchip or in a stable so I sent him off to a grass free track livery. It was quite stressful for him at first, a completely different way of life - but you could see the weight coming off! He has access to food 24/7, the company of a herd and is moving about more than he has ever done. Vets always said there would be no point retesting till you could ‘see ribs’ I never thought I’d see his but when I could feel them quite easily I booked for them to come and do a resting insulin, just out of curiosity really. I was SO thrilled when they phoned with the results (4!!) Vets were very complimentary as although it is well known that insulin dysregulation can be reversed and the metabolic system ‘reset’ with weight loss and management, it is, in their words, ‘very rarely achieved’ !
Bottom pic today 565kgs and NOT metabolic ??????
Having felt so guilty for letting him pile on the pounds I’m super proud that I now own a normal healthy horse ☺️ and I’m now looking forward to enjoying a sound (??) healthy horse for the foreseeable ??

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Beachbabe

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Absolutely thrilled for you, so so pleased for you. Must admit the only time ours looked fab was when they were on a track system. Yours looks sooooooo amazing.
 

Ish2020

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That’s brilliant transformation I would actually say he is a little underweight . If it was winter then I would understand but it summer time and we are going into soon winter horse naturally lose weight in winter. Before someone jumps on me for saying it I only saying this to be careful and keep a eye on his weight .
 
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Floofball

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Wow guys! Thank you so much for your messages ☺️ It’s definitely been a marathon not a sprint ? I have shared this post on social media and been quite surprised at some people responding that they didn’t think he looked overweight in the top photo ? I was apprehensive about posting as I know what a touchy subject it can be ? He’ll be coming home soon and reintroduced to grass carefully but I can treat him like a normal horse now - obviously won’t let him get fat again but don’t worry @Ish2020 he’s already started supplementary feeding, as although this amount of weightloss was needed to kickstart his metabolism I don’t want him to lose anymore ?? I intend to build him up with muscle this time so long as he stays sound ??
 

scats

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Wow guys! Thank you so much for your messages ☺️ It’s definitely been a marathon not a sprint ? I have shared this post on social media and been quite surprised at some people responding that they didn’t think he looked overweight in the top photo ? I was apprehensive about posting as I know what a touchy subject it can be ? He’ll be coming home soon and reintroduced to grass carefully but I can treat him like a normal horse now - obviously won’t let him get fat again but don’t worry @Ish2020 he’s already started supplementary feeding, as although this amount of weightloss was needed to kickstart his metabolism I don’t want him to lose anymore ?? I intend to build him up with muscle this time so long as he stays sound ??

I think the issue lies in the fact that the majority of horses on livery yards, particularly in the summer, look like your top picture. It has become so normal that people don’t recognise it as overweight. I’d even say that your ‘overweight’ picture is actually on the lower end of the scale as to what I see local people posting on Fb. The trouble is, when people see a fit, healthy horse, they think it’s too thin.

I am in a constant battle with Millie. I know she’s carrying too much weight and it’s really hard work trying to keep it under control as she’s a serial muzzle remover and walks through electrified fencing. Hats off to you, your horse looks fantastic!
 

JennBags

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He looks amazing, I wouldn't recognize him as the same horse.
Thinking about setting up a track around my fields as my horse is overweight, although he's not got EMS, he does need to lose weight.
 

IrishMilo

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I have shared this post on social media and been quite surprised at some people responding that they didn’t think he looked overweight in the top photo

I was thinking when I first read this that if someone posted this on FB but the other way round, i.e. 'Skinny and neglected when I got him and now!' people would be saying how amazing and how much healthier he looks.
 

SEL

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Cracking job! I saw your post on FB because I follow the Track and wished mine could drop that much. Mine is definitely more your first picture....

I think for both humans and horses we've got so accustomed to seeing excess weight that we've forgotten what fit and healthy looks like. I can't remember when I last glimpsed ribs on any horse at our yard!
 

Floofball

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I think for both humans and horses we've got so accustomed to seeing excess weight that we've forgotten what fit and healthy looks like. I can't remember when I last glimpsed ribs on any horse at our yard!

Been a very long time since I’ve seen my own ? need to put myself on a track!!! Think I’ve put on in lockdown what George has lost ?
It is sad that I was quite worried about posting, even though everything has been done with George’s best interests at heart and under veterinary supervision. I’m bloody thrilled with what we’ve achieved and to be honest the vast majority of responses have been very positive ?? I have also felt humbled about people’s honesty about not recognising there was anything wrong with the first pic and that they have learned something ? definitely worth my paranoia about both pictures ?
 
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cauda equina

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I like the saying - Nothing tastes as good as thin feels
It probably applies to horses as well as humans, although the horses would never admit it

My boy thinks I'm a rotten stinker for putting him on a diet, but already he's moving so much better.
Yours looks fab. I am hoping for a similar transformation for mine, but it's a long old road
 

Apercrumbie

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Just amazing - well done! I want to show the top picture to every showing person who claims that their horse is in "show condition".....grrr!

(ETA, obviously it's not just the showing community that has an issue with weight)
 
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