How to get a fat horse to loose weight?

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WaterHorse

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I have a loan horse (cob) he's huge!
He has just been in a field for a couple of months and just gained loads of weight.
- he's out 24/7 and only eats grass
- he's exercised 30 minutes 3-5 days a week.
Any tips for weight loss and fitness
Thanks
 
Ideally, get him off the grass during the day and give him soaked hay. As he's fat, exercise him every day. A hack mostly in an active walk can be surprisingly effective. It's better to do a little every day, rather than lots a few times a week.
 
Increase exercise decrease food.

I would be increasing the length of your hacks making him walk briskly into the bridle and doing as many hills as possible.

I would exercise him 6days a week too. Mainly hacking if he is unfit but if you are short of time lunging is good.

Then I would suggest a muzzle in the field and some time off the grass during the day with a small double netted soaked haynet.
 
I'd exercise him 7 days a week, and twice a day if possible. You don't have to go mad, walking is great exercise, and hill-work where you can.
 
My porkies are in during the day with soaked hay, worked for a minimum of an hour. Mine are eventing fit though, so go out on long trot/canter hacks.

Looking to make sure you increase his respiration rate when he is ridden
 
As everyone else has said, more exercise and less food. My Haffy has lost 130kg since I bought him, he was massively obese! He was turned out 24/7 in a bare paddock and given old hay and oat straw alongside a low cal balancer. His exercise started with lots of walking as he was far too fat to do anything else and I couldn't get a saddle to fit him! As he lost the weight we managed to get a Wintec xxxw saddle on him and we'd hack every day in walk for an hour. It really did help and as the weight came off we upped the work. Now, 2 years later he has gone from obese, too a little too thin to a power house of muscle. You need to make sure you make them breath hard and sweat which will be easy in the beginning!

He now gets worked 6 days a week, including schooling, hacking hill work and lungeing and it keeps him trim and fit.

Do you have any pictures OP?
 
My horse is a case study for Baileys Fat Club. There is a Group on Facebook with lots of information for all. Just search Bailey's fat club!
 
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