fat welsh sect C help needed

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oldie48

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Hi my lovely new companion pony is a 13.2 Sect C. Very well bred and an absolute sweetie, aged 12, not ridden and IMO much too fat! I gave him a good groom and he's got fat pads on his bum, he's cresty and is a def 4 (if not higher) on condition scoring. I have no experience of fat ponies or horses so would really welcome your advice. Our winter grazing is big (7 acre) but has been well frosted (Mr B isn't really interested in grazing it as I don't think he finds it very filling). Pony is in from 16.30 - 09.00ish next morning. He's unrugged. I make late cut haylage and he gets a small haynet (doubled, one inside the other to slow him down)overnight and a small token feed of Hi fi light + a bit of unmolassed sugar beet morning and evening. I need to have him in a similar regimen to Mr B who is a 16.2 7/8th TB. (yes I know but I am asking for advice). I am intending to lunge him as he's fine to lunge. Grateful for your experienced advice!
 
I mentioned it in jest the other day but seriously, a grazing muzzle will be your friend as it means he will be able to go out with B rather than be stuck in a separate paddock ;)
 
I would stop the bucket feed and give him plain oat straw chaff to eat overnight. My made lost loads of weight using oat straw chaff in huge trugs. She ate 2 bags of Honeychop every week!
 
Ok where do I get Oat straw from? yes will resort to a muzzle if he's still fat once the spring grass comes through but equally could put him in a small sectioned off paddock next to Mr B . He actually has very little bucket feed but I could drop it completely. Can I soak haylage, actually I don't think it's much different to hay as it's late cut so that might be an idea!
 
Thanks for your help. New regimen in place today, no bucket feed, soaked haylage and a muzzle if needed when the grass gets growing again. And, I'm going to get him doing some in hand work + lungeing to up his exercise.
 
Get a teeny holed net is my advice. My cob lost 100kgs while on box rest and was never without soaked hay. I think restricting them too much just makes them hang on to the flab. I used a Tricklenet for picking at along with a small normal one to satisfy hunger.

During the day I'd either use a muzzle or create a track round the edge of the field for him. This will encourage movement.

It doesn't seem to make much difference to mine what exercise he gets as long as it's regular. Even a 15 minute walk every day gets the weight down so yes by all means lunge or long rein him, bearing in mind he's going to find anything faster than a walk hard at first.
 
Could you lead him out off yours too? Also if he is fat paddy I would have him on some magnesium oxide.

In some ways muzzle better than a small paddock with regards to movement, even better stick him on a track round the edge of your other boy ;)
 
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