Is it Just me or are show horses getting

[browbrow]

Fatter ???

I was at a fairly well regarded show this weekend and the Heavy weight hunters werent heavy weight - they were all bl00dy obese - some had big ugly cresty necks and some almost wobbled about when they were being trotted up, it wasnt just this class either - the native section was full of fat connemara types and other riding classes included many porky ponies - which in my amazement seemed to do really well!

Now I am used to riding a stocky little cob so its not like I'm not used to seeing a well covered animal but seriously - some of the horses just looked awful no muscle tone at all- and the hunters especially - how on earth they would last even a hour out hunting I'd never know, most were blowing after a five minute jaunt in the arena - with their sides heaving at the end - the youndstock classes appalled me too - there were some yearlings that looked terribly fat but again - the fatter ones were getting called in first.

What does everyone think about this?

 

[AmyMay]

Well I've certainly seen no sign of them getting slimmer - which is a shame.

 

[scotsmare]

LOL, at the Royal Highland this year the 3 yr old that won the Hunter classed looked like it was on steroids!!

 

[stencilface]

Haven't they always been fat? Although I used to do local standard WH classes on my pony and he was never fat but I think lots of the showing horses probably never do that much exercise.

Probably get slammed for saying that - but I don't imagine they ever give them a hard workout at home and make them sweat most of them - need cardio vascular work to lose weight - don't I know it!!

 

[Hippona]

Refreshingly, at a local show recently the owner of a fatty cob was told he needed to lose weight, and the winner of the best conditioned was , well actually in condition with muscle rather than fat....

 

[TarrSteps]

What's a bit depressing is all the discussion about how bad for horses being fat is and admonishments for judges to not reward it, yet it really doesn't seem to take.

Fat hides a multitude of sins. It's an old motto and unfortunately true. Then people get used to looking at it and everything normal looks wrong.

I don't think in many cases it's just a case of the horse not getting enough work, I think a lot of people feed specifically to look that way - it's not an accident.

 

[Damnation]

It annoys me. I have spent nearly 2 months dieting my cob so he is an ok weight. I went showing on Saturday and the fatties were being placed!!
It isn't good for horses to be that huge!

Izzi xx

 

[rara007]

It is ashame- When I watched the cob classes and irish draugt class at a recent local show they were almost all atleast overweight. All of them moved in a stuffy on the forehand way too, I can only guess as they were so heavy. I admit to having a over weight pony, but I wouln't take him in public at the moment, let alone enter him into a class where in theory the condition should be taken account of.

 

[Shilasdair]

My friend shows a yearling Welsh D...he was so overfed when she bought him that he had knee development problems, so under vet/farrier (and Shilasdair's

) advice, she got the excess weight off him, kept him out on rough grazing, and by this spring, he didn't have any spare fat on him.
Vet and farrier are very pleased with him, and his knee problem is sorted, but when she took him out to shows, the judges took her aside and told her to feed him huge amounts to 'get condition on him' or she'll never do well.
After consideration (and my constant earbashing, poor friend) she has decided that she wants a sound horse to break/ride later on, so won't risk his health by fattening him to win now. But not everyone has the strength of personality to do that.
S

 

[SillyMare]

I was told that my yearling wasn't carrying enough condition for the show ring (and he certainly isn't skinny!).

He is going to be a big boy - had a chat with the judge afterwards who said I am quite right to keep him light to protect his joints.

Contradiction!!!

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
I was told that my yearling wasn't carrying enough condition for the show ring (and he certainly isn't skinny!).

He is going to be a big boy - had a chat with the judge afterwards who said I am quite right to keep him light to protect his joints.

Contradiction!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like you have had a more enlightened judge. Things take time to change, I suppose.
S

 

[Ahrena]

I did a riding horse class a few weeks ago on 1 of my horses. She does a bit of everything, show-jumping, dressage, eventing, so on. She was eventing fit.

Being a TB x type, you could feel her ribs, she wasn't underweight, just right for her to be eventing fit.

Out of a class of 9 I think, we were placed 4th, below horses bucking and tanking off around the ring, when Willow had behaved beautifully. When I asked what we could have done to improve, all she said was she needs more weight on her to be in show condition.

Picture of her on the day - best piccy to show her weight, this was in the family pony class btw not riding horse.

 

[Theresa_F]

One of my personal hates - I stewarded at BSPA WCC show last year and am doing so this year. BSPA have been working towards healthier horses "Equine Obesity - Please see table on page 23 with weight descriptions as recommended by The National Equine Welfare Council. Horses/Ponies in Section 5 may, at the judges discretion, be
penalised by a lower placing" is now in their rule book.

Will be interesting to see if the trads that were still heaving 10 mins after their gallop will be placed.

Chancer is filling out and building up, but with muscle not fat - he is meant to be chunky but no way will I have him wobbling and gasping after a short gallop.

Amature Showing Soc also seem to be working to reduce the flab - I won the best condition last year, the two year olds the previous year and both times it was commented how he had no excess fat/over produced and he was placed up for this.

Unfortunately judges still often go for fat lumps - maybe with time they will be educated that excess fat is as bad as poor conformation.

 

[Kenzo]

My previous cob was a one of those that lived on fresh air, I worked very hard to keep him fit, keep his weight down but still have all the sexy curves in the right places so to speak but that was pure muscle lol!, I stabled him over night all through summer when all the other liveries went out 24/7...I was still there every morning before work turning him out and mucking out, then exercising him on the evening...which was a bit pants when everyone else could enjoy not having those daily chores through summer!

I sold him last year and stated to the new owner (on same livery yard) that you will need to do this to keep him healthy, fit and to prevent him getting laminitis (which he's never had) and that a lot of hard work is involved despite the new owner putting him on full livery (i was on DIY!) now although he does get lots and lots of hacking exercise (as he's now shared with another person as well, so gets double the work!), he's like a house side....why? because he does not get his grass intake limited...they leave him out, he doesn't get hunted, jumped or regular sessions in the school and is no longer shown or does XC etc...all he gets a plodded round the village.

My point is, not everybodies idea of a well exercised horse is the same, they think he gets plenty of exercise...even tell me he gets more than when I had him, he may be able to plod about for a few miles without getting a sweat on but take him in the school for 10 minutes and try do what I used to do with him for 30 minues after I'd been for a hack and he's nearly collapsing!

He's not mine anymore and its hard to watch but I have to keep quiet and get on with my new horse now.

Just sad to see how he's changed.

 

[henryhorn]

I was watching the heavyweight WH class on Horse and Country last night and thought exactly the same thing, although many weren't too bad, others were positively gross and struggled to jump with those big bellies.
Interesting also to see how the hunters have changed in stamp, lots of warmbloods in there these days.

 

[Drummer]

It is getting better IMO I think the judges are more aware it just needs to catch up with some owners.

I won a cob class on my maxi a few weeks back (yippeee-sorry been trying too long lol) and some of the horses in the class were so fat there was one that was almost kicking its belly when trotting. But the judge was great and I did hear her tell a few that they were carrying too much weight and it was also nice to here that my horse was in good shape/comdition from the judge and a fellow competitor.

Last year I was third to two VERY obese cobs it was sickening, they were panting and panting after their individual displays and then my horse gets the oooo he just wants go somewhere comments, which fare enough is true but at least he is fit and healthy enough to go. That show is coming up in September so it will be interesting to see if the same judge/competitors are there and if their views have changed for the horses sake, they really were just terrible.

 

[Daisy11]

you are right i read a story on this not so long ago regarding judges liking fatter horses
weird ????

 

[Hippona]

I didn't take my arabx in best condition at a show this weekend because hes a slight build, and knowing that judges usually go for the fatties I thought i would spare myself the entry fee.....however, one of the judges approached me as I was waiting for the next class and asked why I hadn't entered the best conditioned class, as my horse had muscle and top-line in good proportion.....nearly passed out!! perhaps things are slowly changing for the better...

 

[Kallibear]

I too watched the Hunters are the Highland Show recently and was horrified. They were all overweight (none were even close a healthy 'lean and fit' ) and more than half of them were outright obese. They wobbled as they cantered around the ring.

A couple of them didn't even have the bone to be a hunter type, just the bulk. One was a TB with spindlily little legs!!!!!!!

The contrast between them and the fit, lean showjumpers just around the corner was huge.

It makes me so so mad as it's so unnessesary

I eventually got dragged away by an embarrased friend before I said something that got us into trouble.

 

[browbrow]

OMG - I watched it too last night - and this was the last trigger to post about this

those heavyweights last night were awful - they moved so uncomfortably IMO - and none of them looked like they could hunt - bring back the old chasers!!

 

[BigBird146]

I don't do showing but I'm near 3 livery yards and I'm amazed at how few people ride out, so it's no wonder their horses aren't fit! We're in the hills here so it's perfect for fittening work but they just seems to spend all their time faffing about in menages or, if they do go for a ride it's 20 mins down the road and back!
Mine goes out for 1-2 hours most days, with plenty of hill work, trotting and usually a good gallop to get him blowing, and I don't compete, that's just to keep him fit and well enough to do the odd pleasure ride!

 

[Colleen_Miss_Tom]

What I cant understand is how judges can mark conformation if its covered in fat

?? Missy was placed in the top 5 last year at balmoral due to her being a more finer type and due to having a judge that preferred to see a youngster look like a youngster and not being packed full of hardfeed just to gain weight .

Missy was covered just nicely last year and even this year she had one or 2 ribs showing but she still got placed , Ive seen over here judges actually going the opposite way and I do hope it continues . Like someone else has said in this post , Im not going to overfed my youngster just for a rosette , its madness , and guarantee those youngsters that have been overfed ..... where will their riding careers be ?? Non exsistent , will more than likely be broodmares