How's he looking

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Cash

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Apologies for the rubbish photos- couldn't get him to stand on all four legs for the second lot, and have managed to cut off his head in the first!!
First photo is from the day i got him.
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Then 2 from yesterday:
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Does he look any better/worse/about the same? He's pretty fit (I ride for 1.5-2 hours daily, and 2.5 hour hack yesterday) and is a rising 9yo ex racer TB. I'm trying to get him less ribby at the moment, and building up his topline as he's accustomed to scooting along like a giraffe (albeit a very pretty one :) ) by lunging and lots of stretching and suppling work in the school.
Thanks
 
He has lost a little bit but nothing noticeable, I would say he has lost shape around his back end more. The topline has developed but I had a look at my mares pics when I bought her from the sales and she was really toned and fatter but dont forget youve just been through winter so for a TB to come out the other side looking like that, youve fed him well and he looks shiney and in good health.

x
 
I think he looks healthy-yes he's lost a little weight. Have you been doing more exercise since its being getting lighter?
I think he looks well though, coat is shiny not dull. He's gorgeous by the way
 
Well, I'm going to switch to haylage full time in next couple of days (he's currently on half hay, half haylage so it's a more gradual change) so hopefully that'll make a difference. He has been being funny about his hay, as some might have read from my previous posts.
 
I wouldn't worry that he has lost a little weight - I can bet you your ex-racer looks a lot better than anyone else's coming out of winter - yours looks positively fat compared to my boy! 1.5/2 hours exercise in the school sounds like quite alot but hacks that long are perfect for building up muscle, especially walk! I dont know but maybe that long schooling is actually detrimental to his muscle development rather than good because he is sort of wearing it off? I dont know...may be speaking absolute rubbish but maybe stick to short positive sessions in school and nice long hacks? :D
 
A nice looking horse, but he looks tucked up a little in the second photo, although he is resting his hind leg which could make it look worse. Have you tried feeding more, as you are working him reasonably hard, assuming you're trotting and cantering and not walking for 1.5 to 2 hrs daily. If he were mine, I would add another feed of top quality build up type feed and see if that makes a difference. His coat is nice and he has lovely eyes.
 
Elliep25 said:
I think he looks healthy-yes he's lost a little weight. Have you been doing more exercise since its being getting lighter?
I think he looks well though, coat is shiny not dull. He's gorgeous by the way
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(Sorry- should have said in original post- I've only had him 2 weeks).
I'm doing about the same amount of exercise as his old owner did, and similar workload too if that makes sense.
 
I didn't realise you had only had him 2 weeks - that probably explains the slight weight loss. Moving etc, change of environment and stress are bound to cause weight loss. I wouldn't worry about making comparisons just yet. :D
 
petethepainter said:
I wouldn't worry that he has lost a little weight - I can bet you your ex-racer looks a lot better than anyone else's coming out of winter - yours looks positively fat compared to my boy! 1.5/2 hours exercise in the school sounds like quite alot but hacks that long are perfect for building up muscle, especially walk! I dont know but maybe that long schooling is actually detrimental to his muscle development rather than good because he is sort of wearing it off? I dont know...may be speaking absolute rubbish but maybe stick to short positive sessions in school and nice long hacks? :D
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Oh no i don't school for longer than 40 mins max- most days I go round the tracks round the paddocks, then go into the school for a bit. I don't want to school for too long as I know it's not good for him, in terms of strenuous work and him getting bored/tired. I try and work with an aim for each schooling session, and stop when I feel we've made a little progress, or reinforce what we worked on in our last lesson.

hessy12- I'm currently in the process of changing his feed too (like the hay, I'm gradually phasing out his old feed so it's not a digestive shock) with the advice of his old owner and helpful people on here. He's now on Alfa-A Oil, Spillers slow release cubes (think that's what they're called?) and Speedibeet.

Is it really awful how much weight he's lost in 2 weeks? :( :(
 
Noooo I had to look through photo's as I thought at first they were all taken at the same time. I think you're being a bit harsh on yourself, like petethepainter said he's probably still settling in TB's are very sensitive to change. He looks like he's coming on nicely, well done. x
 
I think you're doing OK! It's not unusual for a Tb type to drop off a little after a move, but it sounds as though you're on top of the situation. Good luck with him. He looks nice.
 
Stop stressing lass :)

He's lost a bit, but as the others have said, he's just moved homes and routine, etc. Plus, the work you do may well be different to how he was worked before. D1's and my schooling sessions definately used to be different in terms of energy expended (by both horse and rider) lol.

You're getting his feed sorted and he's going onto haylage, and soon the grass will be through and thriving.

Have a hot choccy :)
 
Is it really awful how much weight he's lost in 2 weeks? :( :(
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No, it's not really awful, so don't give yourself a hard time. As others have said, it's perfectly normal for a horse (especially some TBs) to lose weight following a move, and two weeks is no time at all. Changing over to 100% haylage and some turn out on the spring grass should do the job, so don't panic :)
 
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