Help with overweight pony

L

littlen

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 August 2006
Messages
830
Visit site
Hi,

Has anyone got an excersise plan for overweight pony to try and make him loose some weight?

He gets no hard feed at present but is in a field with a lot of grass. He is muzzled but constantly gets it off.
I have tried taping it on, plaiting it into his hair, headcollar over the top etc and he always gets it off. I have tried a greenguard and shires ones and he removes both within hours. I don't know how he gets it off either...

He won't stable so has to be out 24/7.
There is no option of a different paddock either, and if he is kept in he comes through the stable door or fencing. The yard owner has no fat paddocks at all (and isn't very accomodating) as it is just one herd all out together. I can't move yards either as he stresses with routine change.

Due to this he is piling the weight on quicker than I can get it off!

Realistically how much do I need to work him and what is best to use the most calories?

I am worried about laminitis but am doing everything I can think of to prevent it. I would stable him if possible but he climbs out, argh give me a poor doer any day!
 
can you tape part of the paddock off for him? otherwise it sounds like you have to move unless you can ride for a couple of hours a day. I have a problem with one pony pulling off another's muzzle atm (and fly masks when I use them).
 
If you can't keep a muzzle on, and you aren't allowed to move fields, move. After all if he gets laminitis how will you deal with that? I tie the greenguard muzzle onto a normal headcollar, if u put the headcollar on tight enough he shouldn't get it off.
 
How tight is the muzzle have you got the throatlash tight enough and in the actual throat area. Is the Velcro coming undone if so you can vet wrap it? Could someone be taking it off as they think it is cruel? I vet wrap the clip on my ponies muzzle to prevent people from taking it off.

Have you tried the best friend grazing muzzle they have a version which called have a heart which is meant to stay on better.

I have a similar sort of pony and he is muzzled and I have found the muzzle needs to be on tight, with the throatlash bit on tight and in throat grove same place you would put the throatlash on the bridle and you need to deter people from taking it off too.

My pony is exercised every day and lives out and is muzzled all the time he is in the field and I still struggle with keeping his weight under control. I think you need to find a way of keeping the muzzle on as even if you exercise him loads it still might not be enough if there is loads of grass.

Could you put up a grid on his stable to stop him climbing out?
 
Ditto the others - he really needs to have his grazing restricted as well as his exercise increased. My pony recently had 2 weeks off, and even though he was muzzled all the time he was out, and coming in for 3 hours a day (to have a break from the muzzle) he still piled on the pounds.

Now he's back in work, and on a very strict regime of into the stable at 7:30am to a pile of hay which has been soaked for 12 hours, worked at 6pm (either long reining or riding - he's being worked every day at the moment) and turned out again at about 7:30pm with his muzzle on (which has had all buckles, clips, velcro, etc vet wrapped to deter people from removing it). He's been on this routine for a week now and will likely remain on it for the rest of the summer as our grass is just so rich and plentiful this year.

Good luck - managing good doers is such a palaver!
 
Thanks everyone.
We aren't allowed to section any paddock or alter the grazing in any way. There is one herd and all horses go out together on rotated grazing every 3 months, so different field once the original field is grazed down so it is never ending.

Unfortunately, moving yards is not really an option due to a lack of yards in the area that offer any sort of turnout and also location and cost wise.
The horse is a very stressy type that takes ages to settle somewhere new and is bullied in the field. He is finally happy and settled at this yard after trying lots of them so is rather not move if possible.
He will stable, but won't stay in it without sweating buckets, rearing, door kicking and eventually going over the door. If he got lami I would have to lock him in with the top door shut and sedated but obviously id rather not at this point.

I have no idea how the muzzle is coming off! I have the headcollar on tightly with the muzzle tied to it and all buckles etc vet wrapped up, but he takes the whole thing off over his head. Perhaps I need a much tighter one but then it would cut into him!

I am currently working him for roughly 3-4 days per week but I will try and up this!

Give me an underweight pony any day...
 
Iv had both bad doers and currently all 4 are good doers and I don't know which I perfer tbh, at least u aren't spending loads on feed but have a constant battle with weight instead. It sounds like your best option is to make sure the muzzle stays on so u will have to experiment. Iv got 2 in greenguards and 2 in shires and none get them off now but my mare has every strap on her shires taped up with tail tape and tied onto her headcollar and make sure the headcollar is very surcure and now it don't move. My gelding sounds the same as yours in the way he won't be stabled and even jumps at a full grid until it falls out with him on top. It really isn't worth stressing them out that much so go play with muzzles :) have fun
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top