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BenjaminButton

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17 August 2013
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I'm new here, and this is my first post. I have something to confess... I let Ben slip off the fat club bandwagon. But with a show coming up, he needs to get back on it to prevent anymore "fat camp" comments from the judges. He's a body condition score of 4 and weighs roughly 523kg on the weigh tape, so I'm not quite sure how accurate this is. He's a 14.2hh cob, and he lives out 24/7 on grazing that is quite long but they're moved onto it gradually by moving the fence line. I'm looking for an exercise regime that is effective and easy to stick at! All advice welcome!
 
Hello! Could you muzzle at all? I have a very good doer and at the mo, the fence line is not moving and I put a bit of soaked hay out in little piles to get her to move a bit. Exercise - hill work where I can. In the school I try to mix it up and try and vary with things like polework x
 
Hi BB and Welcome :-)

What work is Ben doing now? Is he getting any feed etc on top of the grass? Do you have an option to stable? Do you use a grazing muzzle?

My girl has sneaked a bit of weight on too and I'm trying to get on top of it. She is out 24/7 with no extra feed apart from the odd treat on a paddock with not that much grass, although it's not bare either. She gets worked 6 days most weeks for between 30 minutes to an hour a mixture of jumping, hacking and schooling. I've been trying to ride for longer and add more fast work. She always seems to get her muzzle off so now I'm thinking I'm going to have to resort to bringing her in to get a bit of the weight off.
 
BB doesn't wear a muzzle, he likes to "hang himself" off of fence posts by his muzzle in an attempt to get it off. He spends all his time trying to get it off and it became quite dangerous for him so I took it off. If I'm honest Ben does hardly anything. I need to get out and ride more or even lunge him but I struggle to find the time.

He isn't fed anything else apart from a section of hay (between 2 of them) so they stand still whilst they get fly sprayed in the mornings, and the odd apple or carrot here and there.
 
BenjaminButton said:
BB doesn't wear a muzzle, he likes to "hang himself" off of fence posts by his muzzle in an attempt to get it off. He spends all his time trying to get it off and it became quite dangerous for him so I took it off. If I'm honest Ben does hardly anything. I need to get out and ride more or even lunge him but I struggle to find the time.

He isn't fed anything else apart from a section of hay (between 2 of them) so they stand still whilst they get fly sprayed in the mornings, and the odd apple or carrot here and there.
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If he gets little exercise he is not going to lose weight or be fit enough to compete so you need to find the time to do something with him each day, even just 20 mins briskly walking under saddle will help get him started, if the judges are commenting that he is too fat I do not see the point in going to shows if you do not put in the work to prepare them properly.
The long term damage you may be doing by not having him fit enough to do the job required will start to take it's toll if you are not careful, I do not see why they need any hay, tie up or hold them to put on fly spray, cut out the treats and get him working.
 
be positive said:
If he gets little exercise he is not going to lose weight or be fit enough to compete so you need to find the time to do something with him each day, even just 20 mins briskly walking under saddle will help get him started, if the judges are commenting that he is too fat I do not see the point in going to shows if you do not put in the work to prepare them properly.
The long term damage you may be doing by not having him fit enough to do the job required will start to take it's toll if you are not careful, I do not see why they need any hay, tie up or hold them to put on fly spray, cut out the treats and get him working.
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I took him to a show at the beginning of summer just after I finished uni and he was fit. I then started working three jobs, fitting BB in around the jobs. Took him to a show in mid July and the judge was the same one, and she said he'd put a bit of weight on since the last time she'd seen us. We qualified for the championship which is at the end of September and due to picking up extra shifts at work, I've not had time to ride BB as much. I am fully aware of the damage I could be causing BB but I've come here asking for advice on an effective way for me to help him get the weight off. I am committed to prepare him properly but when you're 21 live on your own, have a car to run and uni books etc to pay for its hard to turn down the extra shifts.
 
He needs more work. It's not really rocket science; lots of hacking and schooling, making sure it's quality work and not slopping along.

If you struggle to put the hours in on him - and I know how that feels - what about finding someone who can exercise him a few times a week? Even if someone could hack him out twice a week for you it would take a bit of pressure off you. What about someone from the university riding club? They're often excellent riders who can't run a horse of their own full time; worth looking into.
 
Could you have a sharer? Even an informal arrangement with a friend at the same yard might help... with weight and some of the costs potentially. Obviously you'd have to be careful about anyone wanting to do too much too soon so perhaps a slower happy hacker might be good to get him walking out?
 
I actually completely feel for you as I have the same problem with my oldie
She's overweight and now can't be ridden so rely on lunging!! She also manages to get every muzzle off I try ... If I put her on a diet she still somehow carries the weight!!! She has a really thick crest and always has, the vet has been out to check her and she hasn't got cushions which is amazing at her age! She's a old mare that's done her time and happily living her days out in field .. We over the years have tried everything to get her crest off even when she was worked in a riding school she was fat and now she doesn't get anywhere near that work because of age .. It's a constant struggle! I'd rather have a lean horse than a fat one as its near impossible to get the weight off once its on...good luck and don't be to hard on yourself !!!!
 
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