Fat or big boned? Guess my weight.:)

TGM

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2003
Messages
16,466
Location
South East
Visit site
To be honest, his weight on a weigh tape is irrelevant. It is the amount of fat carried, as determined by condition scoring, which will actually tell you whether he needs to lose weight and if he is at risk of laminitis.
 

TrasaM

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 May 2012
Messages
4,742
Location
Midlands
Visit site
To be honest, his weight on a weigh tape is irrelevant. It is the amount of fat carried, as determined by condition scoring, which will actually tell you whether he needs to lose weight and if he is at risk of laminitis.

Weight tape result was just to show how inaccurate it is. I did have a good pinch and poke at him today and there is very little fat under his skin right now.
 

cptrayes

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 March 2008
Messages
14,749
Visit site
5b2607b2-ed44-48a9-b372-f2764d1d249a_zpsd1f9731d.jpg


Picture :)


I don't know what he weighs but I think he has four sore feet :(
 

Spencer93

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 October 2013
Messages
94
Visit site
Looks like my mare, shes a 16 hander or the legs of a 13 hander. All out equals to 14.2 but she always looks overweight and ridiculously long in the back cos her legs are so damn short! He does look a bit on the chubby side to me but its hard to judge without seeing him in person
 

Nicnac

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 May 2007
Messages
8,078
Visit site
Weight tape had him at 480kg. He gets weighed regularly though so he was 550kg in December and has lost weight since then. Will get his exact weight at weekend at vets. Shows how inaccurate tapes are.

So what do I win?!?!?
 

Greylegs

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 December 2011
Messages
3,221
Visit site
He's taller than my stocky, short legged highland (14.2) who weighed in at a whopping 615kg at one point, but is now a fair bit lighter (had him properly weighed on scales, not a tape). So I'd say your boy must be about that, but probably tapes at about 580ish. Sorry, but I'm another who'd say he's a bit on the heavy side.
 

Angus' yard

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 December 2012
Messages
175
Visit site
I think weigh tapes are just a useful guide to keep an idea on whether your horse' weight is going up or down. We've started weigh taping our porker regularly, and whilst he certainly looks at lot leaner, and has lost his apple bottom it's good to see from week to week that the weigh tape is a smaller number.
 

TrasaM

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 May 2012
Messages
4,742
Location
Midlands
Visit site
He looks rather round, but pics can be deceiving. Can you feel ribs easily?

Yes, ribs aren't visible but there no fat on them anymore. Can just about pinch his skin.
Greylegs.. Shock horror 600+ no no :D Hes now about 540kg ..taped at 480kg today ..if I read it correctly. Mind you it was also suggesting he should be 18.2h .. So as wagtail said, way under height
 

Highlands

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 May 2012
Messages
2,409
Visit site
Weight tape had him at 480kg. He gets weighed regularly though so he was 550kg in December and has lost weight since then. Will get his exact weight at weekend at vets. Shows how inaccurate tapes are.

Exactly the tapes are inaccurate, my highland who is 14.2 at his fattest was 565kg
 

fatpiggy

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 December 2006
Messages
4,593
Visit site
Weight tape had him at 480kg. He gets weighed regularly though so he was 550kg in December and has lost weight since then. Will get his exact weight at weekend at vets. Shows how inaccurate tapes are.

I was told that tapes were plus or minus 10% out. I think they are a useful tool for monitoring weight gain or loss. I don't know what I actually weigh, but when my favourite jeans get too tight (or rather rarely) too loose in the waist I know I need to take action :)
 

TrasaM

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 May 2012
Messages
4,742
Location
Midlands
Visit site
I was told that tapes were plus or minus 10% out. I think they are a useful tool for monitoring weight gain or loss. I don't know what I actually weigh, but when my favourite jeans get too tight (or rather rarely) too loose in the waist I know I need to take action :)

If we apply the jeans rule to Asbo then he's come down my at least 4 notches since December. I had him on the 3rd hole on each side yesterday without much effort.. Yay :)

Ignorant Oik bit me today. He was in a mood because the other boys were all playing together and he wasn't allowed out with them. So to show his annoyance he bit my forearm as he brushed past me. He got slapped on the nozzle for it! I've also has to replace his reins as he managed to break them yesterday AND he's thrown a shoe with his antics in the field yesterday.

It's definitely been interesting hearing peoples reaction to his perceived size. I looked back over his old photos and in the two years I've know him he has really bulked up. I don't mean got fatter btw ;) his weight now is pretty much ok.
 

NZJenny

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 August 2013
Messages
1,793
Visit site
To me he looks like he has spent the winter slobbing out on the couch. The lack of muscle tone and saggy belly suggest some exercise is much needed.
 

TrasaM

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 May 2012
Messages
4,742
Location
Midlands
Visit site
To me he looks like he has spent the winter slobbing out on the couch. The lack of muscle tone and saggy belly suggest some exercise is much needed.

Unfortunately due to various problems with his feet and back end getting enough exercise to maintain muscle has not always been possible ..also no school and muddy field added to the problem. He'd also been rested due to vets advice for a few weeks :(
 

mudmudmud

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 January 2014
Messages
93
Visit site
Looks over weight to me and there would be no way in hell I'd put him near any spring grass! Poor lad doesn't look too comfortable.
 

ester

Not slacking multitasking
Joined
31 December 2008
Messages
60,291
Location
Cambridge
Visit site
Only just seen this thread after the last one OP, I think in the pic you can see a shadow of the last couple of ribs so I can see why the vet perhaps suggested he was underweight when lighter. However, I do think it would benefit him to be as light as poss. He also looks uncomfortable feet wise as others have put very well.
 

NZJenny

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 August 2013
Messages
1,793
Visit site
Unfortunately due to various problems with his feet and back end getting enough exercise to maintain muscle has not always been possible ..also no school and muddy field added to the problem. He'd also been rested due to vets advice for a few weeks :(

That does make life difficult. How is it looking for him long term work wise?
 

TrasaM

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 May 2012
Messages
4,742
Location
Midlands
Visit site
That does make life difficult. How is it looking for him long term work wise?

I think if the weight can be kept off him and the underlying issues identified and addressed then good outcome hopefully. Problems have been intermittent over the last year ( last march I think he started to go lame) Owner will be very happy to get him ok to hack out a few times a week so not a huge workload awaiting him.
 

mtj

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 December 2002
Messages
1,321
Visit site
From my experience suggest you listen to your vet. I have an old fashioned warmblood that folks who don't know the difference between fat pads and a grass belly, refer to as fat. Note grass belly kept in check with muzzle. When a feed rep visited yard to do a weigh in and body condition assessment, my horse was 5/10. In fact slimmer than some of the horses belonging to those who reckoned he was fat. They have stopped making comments.......

Regarding the stance, yes, I do associate this with discomfort, and have seen this shown by horses with navicular syndrome.
 

TrasaM

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 May 2012
Messages
4,742
Location
Midlands
Visit site
What's been wrong with his feet?

The foot problem surfaced in November I think. He's always been barefoot with lovely hard feet then he started getting tender on hard and stony surfaces. He had blood tests done and these were all normal. Front shoes were out on to see if it helped and at first it did seem to. However he was checked last week by farrier and he was still tender in front. Next step is back to vets but as I says before his owner is very unwell still so it'll have to wait until she can get about. However the clock is ticking insurance wise.

Mjt.
Vet said horse was underweight at 518kg. That was this time last year. He did not look well at that weight. Ribby is not a good look for cobs :(
His correct weight is around the 530kg mark and he's not far off that now i think.
 
Top