Storminateacup
Well-Known Member
He has lost loads of weight and he is a very chunky fellow - what do ya`ll think?
Is he still too fat?
- Thread starter Storminateacup
- Start date
gembob
Well-Known Member
just a tad lol!
Mrs_Wishkabibble
Well-Known Member
No I don't think so. He is a chunky type so would look silly skinny! Lovely chap
itsme123
Well-Known Member
he's still a little portly
but it's not always easy to tell with a partial clip. He does have fat pads so probably could do with some lungeing and more restricted grazing before we get to the summer.
the watcher
Well-Known Member
I think you still need to restrict his diet.
That is an interesting clip.
That is an interesting clip.
Storminateacup
Well-Known Member
He has been having a haynet of haylage and three slices of hay per day, plus about 3 scoops Alfa A original and a handful of pony nuts morning and evening since last October through winter.
I think I should have cut it down earlier as he still looks fat to me but I worry he may get colic, as I have no grass in my half acre at mo and he has mud in his moustache!!!.
He is very hard on bum and shoulder muscles but still a little wobbly on tum and sides.
He is also surprisingly lively and keen to ride, likes to be at the front as much as is possible out hacking.
What do you think I should be feeding him now?
I think I should have cut it down earlier as he still looks fat to me but I worry he may get colic, as I have no grass in my half acre at mo and he has mud in his moustache!!!.
He is very hard on bum and shoulder muscles but still a little wobbly on tum and sides.
He is also surprisingly lively and keen to ride, likes to be at the front as much as is possible out hacking.
What do you think I should be feeding him now?
Storminateacup
Well-Known Member
The clip was designed for him by ME!
Kept him warm enough during the worst weather under his Fal Pro but enabled me to get most of him dry after a hack.
He had a coat like a bear.
Kept him warm enough during the worst weather under his Fal Pro but enabled me to get most of him dry after a hack.
He had a coat like a bear.
itsme123
Well-Known Member
I would suggest cutting out all hard feed and haylege. Just give him a scoop of pony nuts and hay (replace his daily haylege with hay).
Unless he's in alot of work he doesnt need that much at all.
No wonder he's lively! might be the haylege that's making him that way (it's suprisingly full of energy for some horses ! and can also be the cause of weight gain and laminitis for some)
Unless he's in alot of work he doesnt need that much at all.
No wonder he's lively! might be the haylege that's making him that way (it's suprisingly full of energy for some horses ! and can also be the cause of weight gain and laminitis for some)
Storminateacup
Well-Known Member
He gets ridden out for about an hour and a half five times a week. Usually a fast hack lots of trotting and canters uphill about three times, the rest walking and slower schooling hacks.
He is lively without the haylage, but I like him like that anyway.
Maybe better swap to Alfa - A light.
He is lively without the haylage, but I like him like that anyway.
Maybe better swap to Alfa - A light.
PennyJ
Well-Known Member
Erm, I think you have a bit of a way to go still...
I'd be inclined to give him nothing at all to eat apart from his 3 slices of hay a day. And have him unrugged as much as possible.
Of course he will always be a big lad even when he's slimmer. I do understand your problem though, the new grass has started to come through down here and I've cut my paddock in half for my 2 New Forest fatties. They're not very pleased, but they're still putting on weight. Thank goodness for longer evenings so they can be ridden after school now. I have to say the reproachful looks and muddy moustaches are hard to bear, but I have to stay firm as it is in their own best interests!
I'd be inclined to give him nothing at all to eat apart from his 3 slices of hay a day. And have him unrugged as much as possible.
Of course he will always be a big lad even when he's slimmer. I do understand your problem though, the new grass has started to come through down here and I've cut my paddock in half for my 2 New Forest fatties. They're not very pleased, but they're still putting on weight. Thank goodness for longer evenings so they can be ridden after school now. I have to say the reproachful looks and muddy moustaches are hard to bear, but I have to stay firm as it is in their own best interests!
Rocky01
Well-Known Member
He does still look overweight to me but you can tell he's lost loads of weight by how he stands. I would cut out all hard feed including the chaff and pony nuts. I wouldn't worry about the haylage, my boy was on it pure and was absolutely fine, no weight gain. Don't worry about the mud, my boy has it and he had loads of grass. Good luck.
caemar1
Well-Known Member
I know you are getting loads of different advice here but I have to add my bit, sorry.
I would keep the changes as simple as possible to avoid colic.
Simply swap the haylage for all hay.
Swap his Alfa-A for Hi-Fi good doer, Alfa-A is suprisingly high in calories.
Swap his pony nut/mix for Baileys lo-cal, the amount of nuts you are giving him aren't really enough to give him all the nutrients he needs, however I understand that if you give him more he will be getting more calories. Lo-cal solves this, no calories but all the nutrients. I have fed my PBA who is a very good doer on this for the last year and she thrives on it, shiney coat, full of health and not too fat!
Just MHO but that is what I would do if he was mine.
Good luck, he is a handsome chap!!
I would keep the changes as simple as possible to avoid colic.
Simply swap the haylage for all hay.
Swap his Alfa-A for Hi-Fi good doer, Alfa-A is suprisingly high in calories.
Swap his pony nut/mix for Baileys lo-cal, the amount of nuts you are giving him aren't really enough to give him all the nutrients he needs, however I understand that if you give him more he will be getting more calories. Lo-cal solves this, no calories but all the nutrients. I have fed my PBA who is a very good doer on this for the last year and she thrives on it, shiney coat, full of health and not too fat!
Just MHO but that is what I would do if he was mine.
Good luck, he is a handsome chap!!
Bossanova
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
He has been having a haynet of haylage and three slices of hay per day, plus about 3 scoops Alfa A original and a handful of pony nuts morning and evening since last October through winter.
[/ QUOTE ]
Thats a huge amount of food!!
Cut out the haylage. Now that grass is coming through he should need virtually nothing in the field. 1/2 scoop AA and handful of pony nuts would be more like what I would be feeding him if you really want to feed him (I wouldnt bother)
He has been having a haynet of haylage and three slices of hay per day, plus about 3 scoops Alfa A original and a handful of pony nuts morning and evening since last October through winter.
[/ QUOTE ]
Thats a huge amount of food!!
Cut out the haylage. Now that grass is coming through he should need virtually nothing in the field. 1/2 scoop AA and handful of pony nuts would be more like what I would be feeding him if you really want to feed him (I wouldnt bother)
L
lilym
Guest
i think he is about right for hios type - he is a hefty weight carrying cob, i personally don't like these run up light, i wouldn't let him put on anymore weight though, and he will look great fully muscled...i would soak his 3 slices of hay to leach the goodness, use alfa a light if he needs energy for work and feed bailey's lo-cal for vits/mins, too many people cut out all food on restricted grazing and end up with a colic on their hands, a horses gut is designed to have a little going through it all the time!
Storminateacup
Well-Known Member
AB Fab advice from you all. Many Thanks
Out to buy the Bailey low cal now. Will have to use up the haylage but will just feed a very small quantity for next week or so. Just one slice a day and a scoop of pony nuts for now then and Alfa A. Till its use up. He certainly was not feed at all last summer but I had more grazing.
(He is hospital next week for tooth extraction- very worried!!!)
I have looked at loads of irish cobs on Horsemart and not one as fat as him still!!
Out to buy the Bailey low cal now. Will have to use up the haylage but will just feed a very small quantity for next week or so. Just one slice a day and a scoop of pony nuts for now then and Alfa A. Till its use up. He certainly was not feed at all last summer but I had more grazing.
(He is hospital next week for tooth extraction- very worried!!!)
I have looked at loads of irish cobs on Horsemart and not one as fat as him still!!
brighteyes
Pooh-Bah
Glad you have already got him slimmer -but don't stop yet! Cut out haylage and feed except for some balancer with a bit of Hi Fi Lite or similar and a bit of speedibeet. I'd even soak the hay to remove a few more calories. Adjust up or down if energy drops or weight goes up!
Ezme
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
The clip was designed for him by ME!
Kept him warm enough during the worst weather under his Fal Pro but enabled me to get most of him dry after a hack.
He had a coat like a bear.
[/ QUOTE ]
No offence intended but whats wrong with a blanket clip? Does exactly whats said above. Our boys have high blankets from feb (when they come back into work) and thrive with them. Otherwise I'd say hes on the podgy side but that last bit is v hard to get off them so just make sure he doesnt put anymore on! lol
The clip was designed for him by ME!
Kept him warm enough during the worst weather under his Fal Pro but enabled me to get most of him dry after a hack.
He had a coat like a bear.
[/ QUOTE ]
No offence intended but whats wrong with a blanket clip? Does exactly whats said above. Our boys have high blankets from feb (when they come back into work) and thrive with them. Otherwise I'd say hes on the podgy side but that last bit is v hard to get off them so just make sure he doesnt put anymore on! lol
SOB
Well-Known Member
My horse is the same type as yours. He is on soaked hay and 1 scoop of Happy Hoof and 1 scoop of fibre nuts fed in a ball if he is in at night.
Now he is out 24x7 he will get 1 scoop of happy hoof for his supplements and that is all. It can be tricky to get it right.
Now he is out 24x7 he will get 1 scoop of happy hoof for his supplements and that is all. It can be tricky to get it right.
Herbie31
Well-Known Member
Ah bless him he has got a bit of an apple bum and some love handles - but you should see mine
Nothing to add to the already great advice except to say make sure you carry out any feed changes gradualy .... but I guess you know that anyway so just ignore me
Nothing to add to the already great advice except to say make sure you carry out any feed changes gradualy .... but I guess you know that anyway so just ignore me
D
Donkeymad
Guest
WOW I like
It's quite difficult to tell from the photos, as I know our boy like that always looks fat. Try condition scoring him, which will give you a better idea.
It's quite difficult to tell from the photos, as I know our boy like that always looks fat. Try condition scoring him, which will give you a better idea.
crazyponys
Well-Known Member
just give him the hay he doesnt need anything else.
lovely cob though
lovely cob though
Storminateacup
Well-Known Member
It started off as a blanket clip, but then he moved! - No I needed a bit more off than a standard blanket clip. Would have liked to have clipped out fully but it was his first winter in Scotland and also the blades were getting blunt after going through bearskin rug, so its a halfway clip really.
Cahill
Well-Known Member
he is eating the same amount as my 3 put together
piebaldsparkle
Well-Known Member
YES he is!!! As everyone else has said, cut out his hard feed and replace with a Lo-Cal balancer mixed if a small quanity of Hi-Fi Lite. He doesn't need the Haylage either. I know how hard it is I have a cob who lives off thin air too!!
Storminateacup
Well-Known Member
Right is lo -cal balancer and Hi-Fi Lite. No more haylage -will give the rest to my friend.
He appears to have virtually no grass in his field but I think thats because he "hoovers" it constantly.
Yes its hard to have a horse that that lives on thin air, but your fellow looks fabulous.
I would love to see how Jack should look by way of something to compare him with so if you have one like him, put a piccy up.
When I got him last summer his girth was on the second hole on both sides, now its on the fifth or sixth hole both sides, so he has lost loads, but like you all say - Still too fat!!
He appears to have virtually no grass in his field but I think thats because he "hoovers" it constantly.
Yes its hard to have a horse that that lives on thin air, but your fellow looks fabulous.
I would love to see how Jack should look by way of something to compare him with so if you have one like him, put a piccy up.
When I got him last summer his girth was on the second hole on both sides, now its on the fifth or sixth hole both sides, so he has lost loads, but like you all say - Still too fat!!