Getting weight off - horse.

[maxapple]

My tb is FAT!

He is out overnight and comes in at 7am until 2pm for a rest, where he gets a hay net that he just picks at (so not ,uh point soaking it) and a handful of happy hoof so he doesn't protest when my pony is fed.

He's never rugged unless its chucking it down and is exercised 4 or 5 times a week. He was semi retired but is now back in a bit more work, mainly an hour hack 4 times a week and I'm reintroducing a bit of schooling and the odd bit of jumping. I've just found someone who can ride him twice a week (as I have another one to exercise too) so hopefully that will help.

Not sure how else to get the weight off him. Can't restrict grazing as he's out with my other pony and they are inseparable. Whenever I ride my pony I bring him in also, so some days he is in for longer. I don't want to muzzle as he's so accident prone and he's alone over night which would worry me! I can't keep him in even longer as my pony needs to be out (he has sweet itch so the longer he is in e more he scratches!!) nightmare!

They are just on really good grass which is why he is a fatty.

 

[sophiebailey]

If he copes alone overnight would he not be able to cope in a seperate fatty strip in the field? I have two inseparable horses that are content enough to be over the electric tape from each other whilst fatty has his time in the fat paddock

 

[Lolo]

Do you have enough electric tape to make a circuit, so he's forced to move about to get grass rather than being able to amble from one patch to the next easily?

 

[Tiffany]

Can you not strip graze your TB in the same field as your pony?
My ID mare has lost weight in last 6 weeks simply by reducing her intake of food including grass and exercising her more.

She wears a Shires luxury grazing muzzle lined with sheepskin at night. All fasteners are velcro so if she got caught up it would pull off.

Good luck

 

[Orchardbeck]

Second Tiffany's suggestion- my fatty mare has also lost weight wearing a shires deluxe muzzle in a postage stamp paddock overnight, in with hay during the day. She does occasionally pull the muzzle off over her ears, that's why I don't dare let her have any more grazing space, but will increase the strip by a foot or so if it becomes sparse.