He's obese!!

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Buzyboy

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My boy is always a VERY good doer, he literally smells grass and becomes obese but over the last few days he has really ballooned!
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Does anyone have any ideas how i can get him looking a bit more slimer? He has never been skinny since ive had him. He is in limited grazing and gets a strip of grass everynight or every second night. I cant put him in a stable during the day, and i only feed him a very small handful of chaff and an apple to mix suppliments in with. Helpp please! thanks in advance
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Please don't panic yourself!! We have had a second flush of goodness in the grass in the last few days which is why he's bigger. You are doing the right thing in keeping him off it for a few hours a day at least. It is only wind and water, and as soon as the onset of winter comes it will wear off!!
 
He gets worked 5 or 6 times a week for a hack or scholing, usually about an hour- hour and halfish. Im hoping he will reduce his size over the winter!
 
I have found a really `mean` paddock with a small haynet filled with half and half of hay/straw mix during the day and a well grazed larger paddock at nigh, is finally working.
I feed Good Doer (couple double handsful) by Dengie every few days (mainly for the mineral/vit balance and as a tummy filler), and some days he goes out in the slightly bigger `mean` paddock with his best mate, who is an ex- laminitic horse.
He is ridden 3-4 times a week sometimes 5 mostly an hour or two each time or 20 mins schooling/ 20 mins hack to s/school and back.
 
Grazing muzzle? My friend with a ighland is bringing him in all day with very little to eat, then puts him out all night with a grazing muzzle on in a very restricted paddock with a companion fatty. He is now losing weight.
Drastic but better than laminitis.
 
I would keep an eye on him, but not worry too much, as said above - its just wind and water! My gelding now looks like a pregnant mare as they have just moved to a new field to give their winter one a rest. When he weed the other day it was pretty much like water - something you definitely notice if the grass is lush.
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I amd trying to keep mine slim, but otherwise mine is not fat, just has a belly.
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Set up a racetrack system, better than anything else I have found for weight loss/maintenence without gain. Keeps horse fitter than on restricted grazing too.
 
If he gains weight on fresh air then as above a track round the outside of your paddock or similar really helps or a bare paddock and soaked hay.
If he is gaining weight don't move the fencing anymore to strip graze.
 
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