How to get rid of fat pads - help needed

sonjafoers

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I have a miniature shetland who has a large fat pad which covers his back & comes halfway down his sides, it developed last summer when I moved yards and there is a visible ridge line where this stops so it's an obvious pad of fat.

I really need some help with getting rid of it as I seem to be trying everything with no success.

He lives out and has been muzzled for about a month now with the muzzle being kept on for 20 hours a day. For the remaining 4 hours he comes in for his exercise and is then stabled for a few hours to give him some time without it.

He is led off another horse for an hour 4 or 5 days a week. We have built up to this and can now do a full hour which for him is mainly trot as he has to keep up with the horse I am riding. It involves plenty of hills and often a ride across the moor where my ridden horse trots and he gets a good canter alongside.

He gets Formula4Feet as his only feed, so a tiny amount of pellets to give him his vitamins and keep his feet strong for all the roadwork he does.

I kept him unrugged all winter in terrible wind & rain in the hope he might lose the fat in the cold & wet but it had no effect at all.

I have tried a supplement called LamAlert by Superfix with no success and am now at my wit's end.

He doesn't have a cresty neck and although my farrier keeps telling me about the fat pad he has shown no signs of laminitis.

Please help!
 

Pinkvboots

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You could have him tested for Ems, magnesium oxide can help break down the fat pads can buy on natural horse supplies, I feel your pain my mare gets fat pads and it is a constant worry but have have found the mag ox does help.
 

touchstone

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You could try additional magnesium oxide, I'd probably try bringing him off grass into a bare paddock with soaked hay for a while it can be surprising how much some ponies can get through a muzzle, or set up a track with electric fencing around the perimeter of the field (muzzled until the grass is gone) to make him move more. These good doer ponies are a nightmare! - good luck!
 

fattylumpkin

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I'd get him tested :) you didn't mention how his weight is in general, but if your boy is even a little bit overweight the fat pads will be the very last things to go. For every kilo they have on the outside, there's a kilo inside that needs to be lost first.
 

Polos Mum

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How is the rest of his weight, could he still be getting too much with the muzzle? if he's still fat/ getting fatter you might need him in more on soaked hay to even further reduce the calories.
What type of muzzle some the tinies seem to be able to move to the side and still eat quite a bit!
 
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|Don't know how old your pone is but an old pone at my last yard had fat pads on bum and shoulders and he had cushings,sorry don't mean to alarm you,
 

Mrs C

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Sounds like you're doing everything you can! Only thing I can suggest is cinnamon is supposed to help with weight loss. Natural horse supplies sells it as well as other options such as herbal slim which includes mag ox
 

amandap

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Dry lot/ section of the yard and soaked hay?
This would be my approach (I have yards set up though) if possible but feed soaked hay when in and perhaps have him in longer so less grass and more soaked hay.
It seems a less common fat distribution, what does the vet think?
 

amandap

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I meant to add a huge well done on your hard work. The more I think about it the more odd the fat pad seems, especially with no crest and presumably a soft, wobbly crest area.
 
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_HP_

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Are you sure it fat and not muscle. That's a lot of work for him to still be carrying fat. Does he work in an odd outline because he is being led perhaps ie with his head up high and his back hollow. How does he look everywhere else?
My little mini get's what looks like fat pads on his bum either side of the top of his dock but it's actually rock hard muscle from rubbing (sweet itch).
Otherwise I would keep up the work and restrict his intake more and soak any hay to within an inch of its life
 

sonjafoers

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Thank you everybody for your replies.

I moved yards last summer & he did get very fat and because I'd never had to deal with this before I probably did too little too late. It wasn't until my farrier gave me a good b******ing that I moved onto the regime I am on now.

He couldn't exercise as much over winter because his feet were constantly wet in the bad weather and I didn't want to make him sore, so although he did go out he has only been back on his current routine in the last month. He has definately lost a lot of weight since last summer, probably about 40kg and in general his weight looks ok - he has some shape, has a visible waist and his neck isn't hard at all. Unfortunately _HP_ I don't think the pad is muscle although I'd love it to be! He is always led on a very slack line because he cuddles up to whichever horse he is led from and I have to prod him over with my toe so I keep him slack so he can move across.

I spoke to the vet last summer and asked for him to be tested for cushings/EMS but the vet said he didn't think he was a suitable candidate as he is only 6. I questioned that age wasn't the only factor but he didn't feel he needed to be tested and just told me to manage his weight.

I will try the mag ox and try to restrict his grazing further as I really can't increase his exercise much more.
 

JLD

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I think you need to speak to a different vet ! Medical belief used to be that only old people got type 2 diabetes and how wrong that proved to be and it is a similar type of problem. My vet is very hot on EMS and laminitis and thinks any quick or hard to shift weight gain should be tested. Apparently metformin can be helpful in the short term to help with weight mobilization and help prevent the onset of lami in these cases
 

CazD

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My pony had terrible fat pads and it was almost impossible to get her to lose weight. She was diagnosed with EMS at Christmas (she is 11). Vet prescribed Metformin for about 4 weeks and that really kick started her weight loss. She now looking good and keeping the weight off.
 

sonjafoers

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Thank you guys, one of mine has her jabs next month so I will speak to the vet that comes and ask about the blood tests/metformin.
 
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