Ideas on managing a fat companion shetland?

Gloi

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Ended up making a post and rail pen within the field and when it was totally bare just feeding hay and a measured amount of cut grass. Other ponies can still talk to mini over the fence.
 

Orangehorse

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I keep mine in a small pen in the field and feed hay. I think of it as an outdoor stable. They can talk to each other, but the pony is not restricted in movement and can eat the grass which is still growing and gets hay twice a day so has a chew at something. I can vary the size of the pen. I have done this with a couple of small pony companions and so far it has worked OK. I put the pen where the pony has shelter from sun and wind and not right next door to lush grass and clean out the droppings daily. I judge from the quantity and consistency of the droppings if the pony is having enough to eat/too much grass.
 

SEL

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I've never understood why people get small ponies and Shetlands to companion big horses. Their dietary needs are so different!

A fat shetland would be perfect for my Appy. Instead I got an Ardennes expecting him to be just as good a doer - nope, he has the dietary requirements of a TB in full work :rolleyes:

Personally I'd muzzle until the oomph goes out of the grass. Make sure it can be released if it gets caught on anything (get creative with the baling twine if necessary), but they get quite enough through it to manage.
 

Jellymoon

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I had same situation. Tried muzzles (diff kinds) don’t like them at all, and mine live out 24/7, that didn’t work for me, sorry. One shetty got funny about being caught, which was a pain.

So I made a track all round the outside of the field and put the shetties on there, and the skinny one in the middle.

It’s labour intensive and expensive in terms of electric fencing, but worked brilliantly. I made it narrow to start off with the let the horse eat it down alongside the little ones, then he went on the nice grass in the middle. Then if it got too bare and they were nice and slim I’d move the fencing.

The skinny was very happy with that scenario and could still nibble his little friends over the fence. The smalls also seemed to like bombing round the track, which was very satisfying to watch! Get those little tummies going!

I also clipped them in the summer. I don’t think they are likely to get a chill at this time of year, esp if they have plenty of fat on them, but you could always put a rain sheet on if it gets very cold or wet. Or have a shelter.
 

Ellietotz

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I don’t like muzzles. As mare is so attached Do you think tethering could be a short term option? Obviously not work for all but might be a good short term measure for you until able to get some hardcore fencing eg. Chicken wire so Shetland proof and enable you to section off a bit within the track for Shetland. Not sure how you’d attach wire to plastic poles though. Or try stranding every single “bit” on the pole with electric tape and even double fencing the outside so if does get out is still “in”.

Other option is to stable until have fencing and just hope mare copes until fencing.

He either jumps over the fencing or charges through! I'd be worried about tethering as I wouldn't want my mare to get tangled up.
I only rent the fields so I don't think I could do anything more permanent :(
 

Ellietotz

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I know how you feel, i've got a similar problem and I don't love any of the options....how about trying lamalert? I've never used it but a friend swears by it for cresty necks and fatty ponies.

Never heard of it, will it make him skinny? Haha!
 

Bellaboo18

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Never heard of it, will it make him skinny? Haha!
Well I never really believe in these miracle products but my friend swears it's got rid of her ponies fat deposits and cresty neck so thought I'd mention it. Worth a Google?
In contrary to what others say I think minis make great companions other than the weight thing. In general they're easier/cheaper to look after and don't go crazy when you take their mate away. They're pretty hardy too.
I like the track idea too but really I think to fulfill the companion role you want them in together... basically I'm with you it's tough.
 

Ellietotz

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Any fencing won't work. He jumps electric fencing whether he can get over it or not so it ends up being pulled down anyway or he charges through it. He's quite attached to my mare so the moment she wanders away, that's when he pulls the fencing down. It would have to be permanent fencing which I can't do as I only rent the fields. He doesn't seem laminitic, just really really fat. I took the muzzle off for a few hours today and I couldn't catch the bugger to get it back on! He is only on loan, I'm just wondering if its not going to work out. My mare has been so much better with him though and she doesn't get on with anyone.
 

Bellaboo18

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Any fencing won't work. He jumps electric fencing whether he can get over it or not so it ends up being pulled down anyway or he charges through it. He's quite attached to my mare so the moment she wonders away, that's when he pulls the fencing down. It would have to be permanent fencing which I can't do as it's not my field. He doesn't seen laminitic, just really really fat. I took the muzzle off for a few hours today and I couldn't catch the bugger to get it back on! He is only on loan, I'm just wondering if its not going to work out. My mare has been so much better with him though and she doesn't get on with anyone.
You may just have to accept he's going to be porky for summer and try and get it off in winter. That's what I've done and my farrier keeps telling me mines got good feet and try not to worry.
 

Ellietotz

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Well I never really believe in these miracle products but my friend swears it's got rid of her ponies fat deposits and cresty neck so thought I'd mention it. Worth a Google?
In contrary to what others say I think minis make great companions other than the weight thing. In general they're easier/cheaper to look after and don't go crazy when you take their mate away. They're pretty hardy too.
I like the track idea too but really I think to fulfill the companion role you want them in together... basically I'm with you it's tough.

Will have a look.
He does call a little when I take my mare out but he isn't that bothered. The track would work as he could still be near her while she is in the middle, it's keeping him in it that's the issue!
 

Orangehorse

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Oh dear, that is a problem then. The only sort of fencing that is going to contain him is something like a round pen then, and can you/do you want to go to this expense and trouble.

Are you sure your electric fencing is sending out a good enough charge and how many strands? Mine are a minimum of 2 and sometimes 3. My horse obviously touched the fence the other night and there was a loud snort and he took off across the field, so it must have given him a good shot. Similarly, little pony goes and tests the fence and would go through if not working properly. You can buy fence testers for not too much trouble, but if he has learnt to just charge through it, that is a problem.
 

Ellietotz

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Oh dear, that is a problem then. The only sort of fencing that is going to contain him is something like a round pen then, and can you/do you want to go to this expense and trouble.

Are you sure your electric fencing is sending out a good enough charge and how many strands? Mine are a minimum of 2 and sometimes 3. My horse obviously touched the fence the other night and there was a loud snort and he took off across the field, so it must have given him a good shot. Similarly, little pony goes and tests the fence and would go through if not working properly. You can buy fence testers for not too much trouble, but if he has learnt to just charge through it, that is a problem.

I do two strands but might try three. Not sure how powerful it is actually. Charging it up tonight and will try again tomorrow!
 

windand rain

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We have at least 5 rows of tape/rope from 4ft to 6 inches from the floor so they cannot get noses underneath a good big charger on a leisure battery and they never go nearer than about a foot from the fence while it is on however once its off they nibble under it they do seem to know if it is either switched off or the battery is low. Our ring fence is on the mains but the battery one is stronger when fully charged
 

GoldenWillow

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I would get a fence tester and see what charge is going through the fence. I have two energisers, both battery as no mains but the one that works off a leisure battery puts out much more than the other which works on D cell batteries. Shetland respects them but they have to be kept charged as he knows when they're not.
 

Ellietotz

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I would get a fence tester and see what charge is going through the fence. I have two energisers, both battery as no mains but the one that works off a leisure battery puts out much more than the other which works on D cell batteries. Shetland respects them but they have to be kept charged as he knows when they're not.

I have the Tractor Factory Shire 12v energiser and a 12v battery. No idea what ones are good or not though!
 

Ellietotz

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So I've tried Rutland energiser which is 0.25 Joules and 2.5km multi-wire fence coverage with a 12v battery. Worked for one night but found he had escaped this morning. :(
 

meleeka

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So I've tried Rutland energiser which is 0.25 Joules and 2.5km multi-wire fence coverage with a 12v battery. Worked for one night but found he had escaped this morning. :(
0.25 isn’t very powerful. Have you touched it yourself? Mine is 6.0j but that’s mains and primarily bought for the pigs. Nothing goes near that!
 

Ellietotz

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That’s over double so I’d try that, or even split the fence Into two circuits and have both!

I need another battery otherwise I would use both! I'm so mad at the little sod. I'm not sure what to do, he hates the muzzle and he used to be fine to catch but I can't even catch him now even when I'm not actually going to put the muzzle on! :(
I've read that the earthing stake also plays a large part in the power of the electric and it's currently in a very compact dry/clay soil part of the field but it's near the gate for convenience so I'd have to walk all the way round if I wanted to put it somewhere else that has better ground. I didn't realise it was all so complicated!
 

_HP_

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Whatever your electric setup, the key is to use as many posts as you can, with wooden ones every so often and especially on bends or corners and at either end, so you can tension the tape/wire properly. You want the fence to feel solid, so that if they try to push through, there is no give so no chance of beating the zap. I keep my Shetlands in on one strand of wire at chest height and as long as the zap is working and the wire is taught, then they stay where they are put.
That said, I have now got a post and rail paddock within my field (but still use electric to ration the grass) .
 

Ellietotz

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Put him back in last night and saw him get zapped and run off so I know it's working. However, found he had escaped again this morning. I just don't think he cares about being zapped, he just pushes the posts down. :(
 

_HP_

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Can you use wooden posts instead of plastic ones? Is the electric well tensioned? You need it so there is no movement in it?
Failing that, can you tether him in the paddock until he gets the message
 

meleeka

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Put him back in last night and saw him get zapped and run off so I know it's working. However, found he had escaped again this morning. I just don't think he cares about being zapped, he just pushes the posts down. :(
Oh dear :( have you tried a double fence or crisscrossing tape between the strands so there’s nowhere to wriggle through?
 
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