How's my TB looking please (first one in a while! :o )

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Cash

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Haven't done one of these in a while :D
I think I last did one a couple of weeks into summer, and general consensus was that he was a little on the round side of ideal, but still ok.

Weeell, he was very fit and looking good for the majority of the summer hols, but in the last part of holidays he was on box rest/restricted turnout (stable sized pen) for three weeks for several reasons (all now rectified, he's back in work and feeling very well! :) ). I was away for nearly all that time :o and unfortunately when I came back he was quite fat! :o Has got better in the last 2 weeks or so but still a bit fat, I'm feeling?
This is him yesterday (apologies for bad decapitated photo):

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What do you think? I know you can just about see his ribs, but to me he looks plump?! Having said that, i know it is better for him to go into autumn winter a little over than under as he is bound to lose weight/condition (he looked pretty poor when I first got him in March).

Would also like to ask opinions along a similar vein. Was looking back through my pics of him since I got him in March (have been taking one every few weeks, it is v interesting- and makes me very proud! :o - to see how he's changed and muscled up) and found the one that IMO shows him in his best condition. Believe it was taken late April/early May. Would be interested to hear what you think- does he look good in this one? Do you think he should be skinnier/fatter? I know he could have a lot more topline, especially on his neck- that is still a work in progress!

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Thanks for opinions on either (or both!) photos :)
 
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I'd still like to see him more covered personally lol!

Not hugely, but just a fraction more till the 'ribby' look goes.

If that throws a spanner in the works lol?!


:)
 
I think in the first pic he looks good, has a bit of belly but that will just be due to the box rest/restricted turnout plus lack of exercise! He is in nice condition in the second pic apart from the lack of muscle on neck as you have already mentioned. Hes lovely btw you cant beat a good TB :)
 
he looks lovely, a lot like my TB. i would say if you know he loses condition in the winter, then you definately need him on the fat side now going into winter.

he looks perfect at the moment, what are you feeding him currently?
 
Lol, that's interesting Binky as I don't think he needs any more on at all :o It just looks to me that even though he is ribby, he still looks fat? :o It's really good to hear other opinions though! :)


nikkiperry- thanks for your opinions :) I definitely agree re first pic.

(Blowing my own trumpet here :o but here's what he looked like the day he arrived- I am proud of how he's come along!):

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I think he looks good, especially if you haven't been working him much recently. As other posters say, I would like plenty of condition on my TB going into Autumn and Winter which I have at the moment but I can't put a rug on him because he's having treatment on sarcoids, one of which is on his chest. Lovely fine coat now, bet I end up with hairy monster!

Can I just add, your horse is a very deep chested sort so I think his ribs will be just visible even when he has got a good covering!
 
alfirules said:
he looks lovely, a lot like my TB. i would say if you know he loses condition in the winter, then you definately need him on the fat side now going into winter.

he looks perfect at the moment, what are you feeding him currently?
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Thanks :)
At the moment he is on 1-2 scoops a day (depending on work done) of Equilibrium Senior -he is only 9 but the high fibre, low sugar type is well suited to him!- and a scoop of pony nuts with evening feed. Oh and carrots :)

In winter I reckon I'll be adding sugar beet and upping quantities of pony nuts- though that's just initially, I will obviously adjust depending on how he looks and feels.
 
kirstyl said:
Can I just add, your horse is a very deep chested sort so I think his ribs will be just visible even when he has got a good covering!
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Oh that's interesting, hadn't heard that before, thanks :)

He has had certain points where his ribs haven't been QUITE visible, though:

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i would say he looks fine - very fit and muscly! I wouldn't want to see him any thinner though! For winter, i'd be looking for him to gain a bit
 
Thanks coss :) Am beginning to think I'm over-examining and thinking he is fatter than he is! :D

Binky- ATM he is nekkid during the day, and when brought in at night (yard rule) he wears a cotton sheet or light fleece if forecast is below about 11 degrees or so. He has worn a (very) LW stable rug when forecast was for 9 degrees :eek:
 
Bloody hell....have you heard yourselves:rolleyes:?THIN...my backside,wouldnt want to see him any thinner going into winter??wtf....are you serious,here is a horse that is in ideal condition,looks well,and if he is anything like mine will stay as is throughout the winter(not all horses drop off through the winter you know)!
Dread to think how fat your horses are if you think this guy is on the lean side:confused:
 
I think he is fine. He has a big bum etc but that looks more like muscle not fat. Being a bit more well covered would be fine, but he looks in 'hard' condition which is fit but with good muscle cover, looking ready to start the hunting season :)
 
hadfos said:
Bloody hell....have you heard yourselves:rolleyes:?THIN...my backside,wouldnt want to see him any thinner going into winter??wtf....are you serious,here is a horse that is in ideal condition,looks well,and if he is anything like mine will stay as is throughout the winter(not all horses drop off through the winter you know)!
Dread to think how fat your horses are if you think this guy is on the lean side:confused:
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It seems to me that on occasion the backlash against obese horses/ponies has gone to the other extreme with people viewing horses on the thin side as ideal. This horse is a good weight. Most, and I accept, not all, TBs drop condition during winter hence the profusion of "what to feed my skinny TB" posts. If this horse were mine I would be happier to see a bit more condition on it going into winter especially if this year is anything like last.
 
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I think he looks fine for a riding horse, a bit of a saggy tum from his rest. But really please TB legs are not designed to carry weight, they are athletic horses and I agree with whoever said he was deep. One of my TB's is pretty sprung ribbed, and even 2 years ago when I had him out doing some showing (where he still looked like a bloody racehorse!) I could still see his ribs, now I work on energy level whilst ridden and coat condition and he is leaner than most folk like, but to go pointing I need to trim him down by about half again and yet he still looks like the incredible hulk compared to the others in the paddock!
My other TB is a cribbing weaver and looks like a barrel!
 
LauraElise said:
It seems to me that on occasion the backlash against obese horses/ponies has gone to the other extreme with people viewing horses on the thin side as ideal. This horse is a good weight. Most, and I accept, not all, TBs drop condition during winter hence the profusion of "what to feed my skinny TB" posts. If this horse were mine I would be happier to see a bit more condition on it going into winter especially if this year is anything like last.
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I can assure you that my opinion of this horse,or any other, has nothing to do with any backlash against obese horses etc,and i most certainly havnt gone to the other extreme either:rolleyes:!You have said yourself this horse is a good weight,why if he is a good weight would you want to see more condition for the winter?Good routine,good feeding,good rugging will maintain a horses weight throughout the winter,Tb's included!
Guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one :D
 
Baggybreeches said:
I think he looks fine for a riding horse, a bit of a saggy tum from his rest. But really please TB legs are not designed to carry weight, they are athletic horses and I agree with whoever said he was deep. One of my TB's is pretty sprung ribbed, and even 2 years ago when I had him out doing some showing (where he still looked like a bloody racehorse!) I could still see his ribs, now I work on energy level whilst ridden and coat condition and he is leaner than most folk like, but to go pointing I need to trim him down by about half again and yet he still looks like the incredible hulk compared to the others in the paddock!
My other TB is a cribbing weaver and looks like a barrel!
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"But really please TB legs are not designed to carry weight, they are athletic horses "
Couldnt agree more :D
 
he looks an almost ideal weight currently,to me, wouldnt want him any thinner at all,and IMO could gain a bit and not be F-A-T!!!! mines a lot bulkier, but not over-topped by any stretch of the imagination, ok he's hard fit and muscled up but still carrying a lot more fat, and doesnt look porky.

"If this horse were mine I would be happier to see a bit more condition on it going into winter especially if this year is anything like last. "

agree with this. (whispers that i dont like ribs!!!)

this is the closest iv got to a stood up pic of my boy, from this summer,i wouldnt want him to lose anything at all:
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Only asked about the rugging as my lad also had the 'ribby' look 2 weeks ago, so gave him one warm feed a day and popped a rug on him and the ribbyness stopped virtually straight away with him.
B's carrying a bit extra at the moment, but it's starting to drop in temp and shall be winter in no time soon, so want him to have 'extra' reserves for it as he went a bit light last year coming out of winter [even on ad lib haylage, 3-4 feeds a day, rugged to the eyeballs, etc]. Nature's way of coping to have extra reserves anyway. He's still fit as a flea.

I never said her him to be fatter or belly to expand, just a bit more cover until the ribby look has gone, would be my thoughts if it was mine :)
 
Thanks for replies everyone, it really is interesting to hear everyone's different opinions.
I guess I am paranoid about him being fat (especially as I know that as a TB he's not designed to be heavy) but as soon as it gets chilly I will be paranoid in the other direction! :o :D
 
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