Fat pony panic

O

Orangehorse

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 November 2005
Messages
14,150
Visit site
Every time I look at granddaughter's pony he seems to have put on weight. I had my doubts when we bought him if she had enough time to give him sufficient exercise and I guess the answer is no. He is too small for me to ride (well if I lost 3 stone, which I suppose is an incentive). He should be out pulling a cart all day, not just having a bit of trot round for an hour or so 3 times a week.

I could take him out for a walk, but could I do it and how far and how often.

He is only on chaff and an supplement. and still in at night as he was clipped out and the nights are still a bit cold, although he should be out 24/7 soon. They are turned out in a paddock where there is very little grass, but I guess it is growing and they are eating it as it grows. He is turned out with a skinny old pony.

Would putting in a track system help? How wide should the track be? It isn't a large field, only a paddock.

I think you can gather that I am in a bit of a state. In fact, of all the stresses in my life at the moment, the pony is number one stress.
 
Any hills you can long-rein up? Or can you stick him on the lunge a few times a week? Is this grass too short to muzzle him? As he's fully clipped - are you rugging? If so I'd drop the rugs when he's in, it's not cold enough at this time of year that they can't keep warm, especially if they have a good layer of fat already. What is he fed when in overnight? Can you give very well soaked hay or mix with straw?

Or could you find a small competent rider to give him a good workout a couple of times a week?

It's hard - I've always struggled to truly 'work' the weight off my good doers unless they were out galloping 3 times a week or doing 2 hours decent work daily, which frankly I don't have time for. So I've always had to go down the tough love approach of being quite restrictive with grass. Mine is currently out 3pm-8am on a pretty bare field, though he can find bits to nibble on, but he is hungry. He comes in and has a net during the day. His weight is spot on though so I'm having to stick to my guns that he doesn't need any more.
 
I would chuck out so moving, fly sheet if fully clipped to protect from rain, track round edge of field, feed soaked hay and maybe see if anyone can lead him off a larger horse out riding.
 
I found that huge trugs of plain oat straw chaff got the weight off a big horse who was obese when I bought her. She had previously been working in a RS and the private owner I bought her from seemed to have continued to feed her as if she were still working. I gave her very little bucket feed, a measured amount of haylage and let her fill up on osc, overnight. I did put her out in February without a rug even though she was clipped
 
They are bedded on barley straw and seem to prefer that to the hay! He is always munching in the morning despite an empty hay net! I can cut down the hay, and let them fill up on straw, they have been eating it all winter so digestion is well used to it.
 
I found a semi track system helped. Any strip grazing is a long thin rectangle just wide enough so no one gets kicked. the water is at one end, and any extension is done the farthest away from the water so they have to walk to the trough at least twice a day. Eventually it extends all around the four acres.
I have two fatties and previously had one with EMS and it kept it controlled with the least effort, they also look fitter.
If you need it really bare I always have a round bale of straw netted so if they are really hungry they pick at it but never binge.
The trouble with lunging is you then have a perhaps slightly thinner pony but its fitter, and they have more stamina when naughty.
 
There is always the option of having him broken to harness - something you and grand daughter could do together (ponies can pull far more weight than they can carry). This was the traditional answer for outgrown family ponies and in my case has given me much pleasure and useful purpose to several animals whose competition days were over.
 
I have a track round an acre in the summer and it keeps my Shetlands trim, just because they move a lot more. They live with a 12hh cob who needs a little more so he gets to go out on grass while I'm there and they do have hay too. It's a very basic track with tape and polyposts. It gets strip grazed into the middle one side at a time instead of their hay ration every other day or so and in the winter I take it all down. The added benefit is the field gets a rest too, or at least the middle. it's just wide enough that they can't get trapped by the cob, so about 8ft wide most of the way, with wider corners.
 
New Forests Rock said:
There is always the option of having him broken to harness - something you and grand daughter could do together (ponies can pull far more weight than they can carry). This was the traditional answer for outgrown family ponies and in my case has given me much pleasure and useful purpose to several animals whose competition days were over.
Click to expand...
This sounds a better longer-term plan, and if he is already a sensible child’s pony, good on the roads, fairly unflappable, unlikely to take much ‘breaking’ to harness at all. I know people who’ve just put this type of pony straight in (open bridle), couple of turns round the field then straight down the road with zero issues - altho’ more groundwork and habituation is clearly more advisable. Hope you get something suitable sorted out.
 
My Appy got fat eating her straw bed - cut right back on the hay if he's on straw. Or better yet chuck out 24.7 with a lightweight on.

The same Appy is muzzled. She's not getting much through it but she's also not skinny
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top