help with weight loss

bugbee717

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the mare i am now looking after, is very fat she weighs 396kg on the weigh tape, she is now off the grass.

we had the vet to her last week as she was lame on the back right, the vet does not think she is laminetic (sp), her feet were very long, we had the farrier out on saturday, him trimmed about 2 inchs off each foot.

i am feeding her from a very small haynet about the size of a tesco bag it less then than a quarter full she is not even eating it.

what else can i do, all but give her nothing
please help
 
Well if she is not eating anything at all the first things I would do is take her temparature? If she is running one that could be your answer and you;ll need to get the vet.

Have you tried her on anything else at all, just out of interest to see if she'll eat that?
 
she does not have a temp, she would eat the grass if she could get to it, the vet gave some bute the other day it was put with a little happy hoof, and that went down well, she is still pooing each day
 
If she's not eating I would get her teeth checked. Also how long do you soak your hay for, as the longer the better as it gets rid of the sugars.
 
maybe she is just a "good doer"....... if this is the case..... is she so lame she cannot be exercised? even just walked out in hand?

as, as with humans, if she stays a fiarly constant size despite food, the best way to lose weight wil be exercise!
 
That is a huge weight for a 12hh pony...eeekk
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Is she eating ANY hay at all? If so, then I would imagine that because she is not moving about that the weight will take a while to start shifting, but it will....keep at it and as soon as you can get her out and about then do (on vets advice obviously).
If your grass is good, muzzle her but if you have a dirt paddock or similar then use that with soaked hay.

Also, how long is the hay soaked for and do you rinse it off afterwards...some don't like it if its too stewed...especially in this weather.

With my fatties, I soak the hay all night anf rinse through..

Good luck
 
Is she stabled or turned out? If out, she may be full so not interested in hay. If stabled, what is she bedded down on? If straw...she could be eating that...
 
Instead of hay try her on dengie hi fit lite. I would be concerned if she is eating nothing at all. I had a pony with lami many years ago and brought her in and virtually starved her (on vets instructions). She stopped eating completely and her whole system failed and she died . With hindsight I think she suffered from hyperlipaemia (sp). In your situation I think I would be having a word with the vet again.
 
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