Horses losing condition in the winter

Horses losing condition during the winter is usually down to poor management

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Trot_On_Dressage said:
Havent read all the posts so apologise if this has already been said. Totally agree with this. Horses naturally lose weight in the winter. This is normal and what all creatures have endured over million of years. Im not talking about being thin or ribby just losing that summer grass belly. I am a usual reader of the posts on here and everyday someone is going on about how today soooooo many horses get lami etc and it must be down to what we feed them as didnt happen 50 years ago. Where the truth is probably down to horses being well fed and well rugged all year round. Pony gains to much weight through summer, then winter comes and there still being well fed and 3 rugs on so dont loose any weight, then next spring comes and more grass= fatter pony etc etc. Im not saying we shouldnt be feeding our ponies or not rugging them but i think the increase in laminitis we have seen over the years has a lot factors involved, and this is one o them!

Again, sorry if anyone else has said this!
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Apology accepted ;)
 
MaisieMooandCometToo said:
Oh dear, I must be an awful horse owner.
My experience is that winters are hard. My pony isn't a particularly good doer at the best of times (despite being a section D!) so come winter when there's no grass in the field, the weight starts plummeting. However stabling isn't ideal due to his COPD and hip injury. I have found that our current yard's regime of alternative turnout, whilst whined about by other liveries, is the best for balancing his needs. He gets adlib haylage one day and he gets to stretch with fresh air the next, both days with high energy feeds. He refuses to be clipped which is a nightmare as he works a fair amount throughout winter so he's rugged to prevent the growth of an uncomfortable mammoth coat and it also prevents him from shivering off any fat to keep warm (but please don't think he overheats, he never comes in with sweat under his rugs and if he ever did he would have the next weight down on him!!) Last winter was quite successful, yes he was skinnier than in the summer and yes it's damned hard work keeping him in condition but I've never seen him without a shine to his coat.

Our mare thankfully just has to be fed a bit more and she's more than happy to chill in a stable if need be (such as when it's her turn to be in the muck heap field!!)
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Sorry, this counts as neglect :( - though not in my book, obviously ;) I think you need to have him pts as apparently that would be kinder and release both you from further accusations and him from further suffering. I think you may find you haven't tried hard enough to accomodate your horse's needs, basically and that = neglect.
 
CrazyHorse! said:
I Agree With YouCompletly, There Is No Reason, I Have A 23 Yeah Old Arab Mare, And Shes Is A Beautiful Unblivable Condition!
I Dont Think She Has Ever Been Wintered In, Well, Atleast No In My Books (: Im Thinking That Next Summer I Do Need To Stable Her, Only Due To Her Age, And Since We Live In Northern Ireland, Not The Very Best Of Winters (: But Then Again, She Still Will Be In An Amazing Condiontion, Theres No Reason Why She Shouldnt Be! (:
Clo
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How difficult was that to type because it was flippin hard to read - even harder than YorksG's post with no vowels and even one missing!
 
brighteyes said:
Sorry, this counts as neglect :( - though not in my book, obviously ;) I think you need to have him pts as apparently that would be kinder and release both you from further accusations and him from further suffering. I think you may find you haven't tried hard enough to accomodate your horse's needs, basically and that = neglect.
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I was considering this option, I mean he is 12 now so is obviously getting a bit too old to be worked anyways. I don't think I could put him through the unbearable suffering he must be in and lets be honest, it costs a bomb to keep him ticking over :rolleyes::D

At least I hope you were being sarcastic??!!
 
CrazyHorse! said:
I Agree With YouCompletly, There Is No Reason, I Have A 23 Yeah Old Arab Mare, And Shes Is A Beautiful Unblivable Condition!
I Dont Think She Has Ever Been Wintered In, Well, Atleast No In My Books (: Im Thinking That Next Summer I Do Need To Stable Her, Only Due To Her Age, And Since We Live In Northern Ireland, Not The Very Best Of Winters (: But Then Again, She Still Will Be In An Amazing Condiontion, Theres No Reason Why She Shouldnt Be! (:
Clo
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brighteyes said:
How difficult was that to type because it was flippin hard to read - even harder than YorksG's post with no vowels and even one missing!
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psssst It's magic! IF YOU TYPE IN ALL CAPITALS THE FORUM DOES IT FOR YOU TO SAVE PEOPLE'S EYES FROM THE SHOUTING, THEN YOU JUST NEED TO FORGET YOUR GRAMMAR AND SPELLING AND BOB'S YOUR UNCLE.

Edited to add. PMSL - my bad, no it doesn't:D ROFL. In Which Case You're Right It's A RIght Blighter To Type.
 
Having just spent way too much of my evening reading this online comedy, all I can say is HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!

What a load of bollards!
 
MaisieMooandCometToo said:
I was considering this option, I mean he is 12 now so is obviously getting a bit too old to be worked anyways. I don't think I could put him through the unbearable suffering he must be in and lets be honest, it costs a bomb to keep him ticking over :rolleyes::D

At least I hope you were being sarcastic??!!
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I most certainly was, but I can see your points above and am reconsidering... :D
 
Sorry to resurrect, but just had to say, after the hiding the OP got...49.15% agreed with her. Not to mention the 12.29% who were out and out, yes it's the owner's fault/responsibility. Bullyfest! Hope you're all happy you derailed a potentially very decent discussion.
 
I never have any problems with my stressy tb losing weight in the winter, everyone always comments on how well he looks all winter. I ensure he eats a hi fibre diet, corn oil and ad lib haylage and is rugged suitably.
 
skewby said:
Sorry to resurrect, but just had to say, after the hiding the OP got...49.15% agreed with her. Not to mention the 12.29% who were out and out, yes it's the owner's fault/responsibility. Bullyfest! Hope you're all happy you derailed a potentially very decent discussion.
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I think you'll find 49.15% only partly agree with the OP.
As for the rest... I could comment, but then you'd make up an amusing little acronym to ridicule me with.... ;)
 
It is totally natural for a horse to lose condition in the winter and in the case of native breeds should be actively encouraged.

If however you have a thoroughbred type serious loss of condition can be avoided with good management.

It is not the end of the world though!
 
Wagtail said:
Strange how the majority have voted for the third option (as I have) then isn't it? That it is usually down to bad management with a FEW exceptions? I think I have obviously touched a few nerves. I simply offer my opinion as an option. Of course you are free to do what you like, without a conscience if you know you are right. Right? but I think a few people here protest too much.
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It is not an opinion when you try so desperately to ram it down everyone's throats! Please do not put up any more polls on subjects that you cannot take criticism on. YOU ARE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT! You need to realise that dismissing everyone else because you do not agree with what they BELIEVE is not a good debating policy! Your posts are rude and your demeanour is belittleing and P I S S E S people off!!!!!!!
 
At the stud where I work all the horses are barned over the winter from october to march/april. The barns are overcrowded and allthough the horses have ad lib hay by the end of the winter most have all lost a considerable amount of weight and look awfull. Unfortunately there is not alot I can do about it except make sure that they can all get to the hay and water etc. IMO the main reason for the loss of weight is due to lack of proper excercise, bullying and probably not being able to eat as much as they need. So in this situation management is the problem. In the summer all the horses look fab and are much more relaxed and happy as they are out 24/7 which is so nice. keeping horses for commercial reasons is sometimes the worst care they can get but it makes them tough!
 
470+ posts later and this is STILL raging on?

Not been around, it's the end of term next week so been a tad busy elsewhere.....

This comes down to two things I reckon.

Those people who feed their horses to their condition.

....and those people that don't.
 
PapaFrita said:
I think you'll find 49.15% only partly agree with the OP.
As for the rest... I could comment, but then you'd make up an amusing little acronym to ridicule me with.... ;)
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Wrong, Papa. I voted the third option myself (as did almost 50% of respondents) Around 12% felt even MORE strongly than I do that horses losing condition over winter is USUALLY down to bad management. So that makes a majority of around 62% that either agree or feel even more strongly than I do.
 
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BonneMaman said:
It is not an opinion when you try so desperately to ram it down everyone's throats! Please do not put up any more polls on subjects that you cannot take criticism on. YOU ARE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT! You need to realise that dismissing everyone else because you do not agree with what they BELIEVE is not a good debating policy! Your posts are rude and your demeanour is belittleing and P I S S E S people off!!!!!!!
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At first I couldn't read this as it was just a loud noise. All the shouting and exclamation marks. Anyway, when I finally read past the dazzling punctuation, I see that you think my posts are rude and that you are pissed off. Please therefore can you quote where you think I have been rude? I have not shouted or sworn at anyone to my knowledge, and never once attacked anyone. I may have replied sarcastically when people have been rude to me. If I am wrong I am sure you will be able to quote where I am apparently always doing it.
 
Wagtail said:
At first I couldn't read this as it was just a loud noise. All the shouting and exclamation marks. Anyway, when I finally read past the dazzling punctuation, I see that you think my posts are rude and that you are pissed off. Please therefore can you quote where you think I have been rude? I have not shouted or sworn at anyone to my knowledge, and never once attacked anyone. I may have replied sarcastically when people have been rude to me. If I am wrong I am sure you will be able to quote where I am apparently always doing it.
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Well just for a start, you resorted to calling me rude and "histrionic" despite there being no rudeness in my original answer to you, only facts (yes, I took the piss out of that particular reaction originally because quite frankly I thought you were trolling...I still do). And even though I didn't in fact put any rudeness in my post, I STILL apologised for you managing to take it that way...you have yet to do the same to me for calling me names. Darned lucky I wasn't holding my breath, isn't it? ;)
 
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