Hows He Looking?

Kadastorm

Kadastorm

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17 February 2011
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As some of you know, i bought a very fat pony last year. As soon as i got him he went on a diet and started work as he was unbroken. Ive worked hard over the last 8months, restricting his food without starving him, clipping through winter but lightly rugging so that he wasnt freezing to death. He's now in work 5days a week and sometimes worked twice a day with a mixture of flat, jump and hacking.

Vet came out to see another pony the other day and spotted mine. he said pony was still obese and to starve him for a while before the grass came. i dont believe in starving as it can cause more problems than good and he gets really grumpy when he has no food at all. He is on adlib hay in the field as there is not a blade of grass in sight. he is also on sarc-ex supplement twice per day so comes in and has a handful of chaff with that.

Any other ideas on what i can do? To me, he looks 10000x better than he did, you can even feel ribs if you push hard enough :o

Before:

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Gemz2589/schoolingponies20122052-1_zps317d8165.jpg

Now:

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Gemz2589/67812_10200961842392909_1155295757_n_zps9dfa4984.jpg

and just because:

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Gemz2589/423749_480872695297339_2049499722_n_zpsfd6d2c1d.jpg

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Gemz2589/PUMBA212121212121121_zpsdee3aed6.jpg
 
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I don't think he looks obese at all, he looks half the pony he was - well done!

He looks lovely and fit in the photos of him being ridden

I would ignore the vet and keep doing what you are doing, it is obviously working. Just be extra vigilant when the grass starts coming through. :)
 
I think he looks fantastic!!!!!!! Give yourself a good pat on the back he looks beautiful!! he looks great when your riding him, he looks to have lovely paces and a natural jump! Keep doing what your doing :)
 
Wow! He really is half the horse he was. I would ignore the vet in this instance. You've had this result in 8 months, you may find he plateaus. I would then add some cinnamon into his feed to kick strat his metabolism again, but I'm guessing over the summer he will be in a bit more work, which will get the weight off. I'd watch when the grass comes through that he doesn't start to put the weight on. Weigh tape him weekly to watch for any extra weight going on and handle it if it does.

I don't think he needs to lose a great deal more to be honest.

I have found at least with the vets round here, they like them looking a bit too lean, which I don't mind for this time of year when the grass is coming through, you can just see my lots ribs coming through at the moment but not massively so and they will cover over again when the grass comes through.

Keep on going you're doing great with him.
 
He looks well. The only thing I'd say is that with our good doers out in winter ad-lib hay in the field is far too much. They do better if they get a known weight of hay.
 
He looks amazing - well done! I do not agree with your vet. Keep going as you are but manage the transition to grass carefully :)
 
He looks pretty good to me! As the owner of a very good doer who arrived overweight, I feel your pain. Maybe consider soaking his hay and/or cutting with straw, to provide bulk without calories if you want him to lose a little more?
 
Em -123, ive never heard of using cinnamon but just looked it up and decided to give it a try. thankyou!

Thankyou all for putting my mind at rest, i did think he was being a bit harsh!

He will be moving paddocks soon and am worried about the grass. hoping he can go into a starvation paddock with sections of hay rather than adlib. if not, i will strip graze and probably have him in during the day and out overnight! The battle of the flab continues!
 
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