How's my fatty looking?

BallyK

BallyK

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Thanks in advance.

My girl pilled the pounds on last summer and by the end looked rather fat!! :o
She has been on a diet since October and I think is looking slimmer but still has a way to go!

She lives out 24/7 is clipped and wearing a lightweight rug she is ridden 5 times a week for about an hour each time from schooling to hacking. She is fed topspec light and a tiny handful (more like a sprinkle) of chaff.

I think she still has a way to go especially with toning her belly muscle up as she still has a belly but hopefully now I have her working over her back more this will start to tone up.

I'm just wondering what you all think as spring is not long away and really need to get her slimmer for the grass coming through!

Anyway pictures.

This was in October before the diet.
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And now. Please excuse the wonky clip lines!! :o
IMG_3480.jpg


Thanks x
 
Been working her 5 times a week since January as didnt have anywhere indoors to ride till then.

I know we still have a long way to go and she still has a lot to lose.

Kx
 
Wow yes the tummy is getting smaller, the latest one looks similar to my mare. I had been hoping she would lose more over winter but despite restricted everything she has managed to hold onto her baby tummy (she was a brood mare before she came to me). I have only used a lightweight rug this winter, she is clipped and last night I left her unrugged to try and squeeze a few more calories out before spring:)

You're doing a good job there, keep going! :) :)
 
Definite improvement there. Have you got her field set up with fencing in a maze? If you can do that she'll need to move about more, burn a few more calories. Just a suggestion :)
 
Spudlet said:
Definite improvement there. Have you got her field set up with fencing in a maze? If you can do that she'll need to move about more, burn a few more calories. Just a suggestion :)
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Thanks for the suggestion. Dont have that set up. the field is massive, 16acres, and on a hill so they are constanly going up and down the hill and are always in a different palce in the field. But I may think about how we could do something like that in the field and talk to my YO about it.

Really looking for any more suggestions on what next to try as she really does live on fresh air! And with the really mild winter we've had the grass really hasn't died down much and will be back soon!

Thanks Kx
 
BallyK said:
Been working her 5 times a week since January as didnt have anywhere indoors to ride till then.

I know we still have a long way to go and she still has a lot to lose.

Kx
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Keep up the good work.

Hack, hack and hack some more. Make sure you incorporate some canter work in to the hacks.
 
WandaMare said:
Wow yes the tummy is getting smaller, the latest one looks similar to my mare. I had been hoping she would lose more over winter but despite restricted everything she has managed to hold onto her baby tummy (she was a brood mare before she came to me). I have only used a lightweight rug this winter, she is clipped and last night I left her unrugged to try and squeeze a few more calories out before spring:)

You're doing a good job there, keep going! :) :)
Click to expand...

I had hoped Bally would lose more over the winter too but as you can see the belly is still there!! I am considering taking B's rug off too specialy cause ts been so milld!

Kx
 
I'd say go for it! I worried last night thinking she might be cold ( stressy I know but I am used to lots of rugs on horses! ) but she was absolutely fine this morning. She has same clip as yours. If the temp is about 5 or over I would go for it, it definitely makes a big difference.
 
WandaMare said:
I'd say go for it! I worried last night thinking she might be cold ( stressy I know but I am used to lots of rugs on horses! ) but she was absolutely fine this morning. She has same clip as yours. If the temp is about 5 or over I would go for it, it definitely makes a big difference.
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Thanks I think I may go for it!

Kx
 
Definately looking better :) but agree whip off that rug now its milder :) and get out there hacking and have some fun, find some nice canter stretches.

Good luck, its hard work but you'll be so proud when the job is done.
 
Significant improvement - but still a long way too go. If you can't set up a maze as Spudlet suggests, she will need muzzled when the grass comes through really. I'm not a fan of muzzles, but when there's no alternative...

It's all uphill from here, sadly - the closer we get to spring, the harder it will be to shift weight (and keep it off!).
 
I did think about a muzzle but I have massive reservations on this as Bally is a cribber and does this on the fence posts in the field mainly after a feed but wil do it throughout the day too. I feel she needs to do this a and would become stressed if not able to really. So not sure weather muzzling her would be good or bad?

Anybody had any experince of muzzling a cribber/windsucker?
 
BallyK said:
I did think about a muzzle but I have massive reservations on this as Bally is a cribber and does this on the fence posts in the field mainly after a feed but wil do it throughout the day too. I feel she needs to do this a and would become stressed if not able to really. So not sure weather muzzling her would be good or bad?

Anybody had any experince of muzzling a cribber/windsucker?
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I've never muzzled one, but it's not different to using an anti-crib collar - and not all cribbers become stressed and display displacement activities when wearing collars. I know several who have adapted to them well.

I would try it and keep an eye on her and see how she reacts. She shouldn't wear one 24 hours a day anyway, so she may just crib when she isn't wearing it. The shires type ones aren't expensive (c.£12 - cheaper on ebay I'd think) so you'd not lose much if you can't find one to borrow and try.
 
She's definitely losing weight, but I think you will struggle with her belly if she cribs! How about making her a little starvation paddock for when the grass comes through?

The Shires muzzles are made from a sort of heavy duty canvas and I think you will find that she will still be able to crib with one on.
 
She is still rather on the large size isn't she, despite looking better than the before pic. I know it's not easy but I would be getting her off a 16 acre field and muzzling her, otherwise it's going to be all downhill when the grass comes through (grass starts growing at 10 degrees ad it was 11degrees here today)

Good luck
 
Thanks for all your replies. I know we still have a long way to go and that she still has a lot to lose. I do wonder if the cribbing plays a part in her belly as even at her skinnest she has always had the belly! And she once was really skinny hard to believe but she was!

Once the grass grows she will be moved into a starvation paddock for the summer, as 16 acres of grass is not good for her!

I think I will get her muzzle and see how she goes with it plus remove her rug and up her excersie now the lighter nights are coming.

Its not easy and has certainly been a struggle to get her weight down but I am willing to do and try anything and I can see some improvement but not enough really. :( We will get there.

Thanks
Kx
 
BallyK said:
Its not easy and has certainly been a struggle to get her weight down but I am willing to do and try anything and I can see some improvement but not enough really. :( We will get there.
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Don't get disheartened - you are aware of the situation, you have taken steps to improve it massively, you are prepared to ask for, take and use advice to improve the situation further and, provided you can stick to those plans (i.e. she doesn't get stressed in a muzzle / break out of starvation paddock etc!) you WILL get there.

Look on the bright side - the spring willl bring grass, yes, but it will also bring more daylight and good weather for you to enjoy riding her and getting more weight off that way :)
 
Wow pot belly! Well done for getting to work on the reduction! Still a way to go. I have a good doer out 24/7 and when he was worked it probably kept the fatness at bay. Mind you also never rugged etc so was burning calories in the cold.

I would cut out ALL feeds etc just keep it simple and if you want to give a token handful(mine sometime was seriously happy to get 5 pony nuts in a trug)!! If she was slimmer then a bit of feed after a hard work in winter is enough for this kind of horse. But save your money she does not need the feeds.

Watch the frost etc too this weekend and I would still restrict the grazing(muzzle/ electric fence? and throw a salt block/mineral block on the ground in a dryish area(not one of those molasses ones..mine would have gobbled it up overnight & did).

If you restrict grass you could still give a slice of hay if it gets cold etc??

Dont believe in starving but restrict it right down... good luck she is much improved.
 
JFTD said:
Don't get disheartened - you are aware of the situation, you have taken steps to improve it massively, you are prepared to ask for, take and use advice to improve the situation further and, provided you can stick to those plans (i.e. she doesn't get stressed in a muzzle / break out of starvation paddock etc!) you WILL get there.

Look on the bright side - the spring willl bring grass, yes, but it will also bring more daylight and good weather for you to enjoy riding her and getting more weight off that way :)
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Thanks. Sometimes its hard not to get disheartened but I do think we are on the right track just got a bit to go! Yip and hopefully with the nicer weather and lighter nights we can ride for longer and get shifting the weight.

Thanks
Kx
 
I think considering you have only been working her since January you are doing really well. My YM has an overweight dales pony at the moment and she was told to
Just give him 5 equi bites per day to make sure he was getting all his vits and cut out hard feed. We have also been hacking him more (3 times a week up to 2 hours) and another lady has been having a 45 minute lesson on him and it has dropped off although he too has a way to go. Well find keep up the good work she will thank you for it in the long run x
 
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