Is my horse too fat?

[tashyisaudrey]

Sorry just got a bit worried when I brought her in this mornin. She ballooned when she first went out. She's lost a bit since then but am still concerned. I weighed her - she's 537 KG


http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i249/tashyisaudrey/100_2209.jpg

 

[sleepingdragon10]

Nothing that a little bit of conditioning work won't sort out. I wouldn't want her any bigger, but she's not horrifically overweight

Don't know about yours, but my pony gets what I call grass bloat.....bring her up on the yard for half an hour and she starts to deflate

It can sometimes distort just how big they look.

xx

 

[tashyisaudrey]

well she's certainly very gassy at the mo lol. She was in before full time now out full time so think she just stuffed her face. Cos one day she was skinny the next day she mahoosive. I'm hacking her everyday plus schoolin each week and some ground/lunge work too. But the grass is amazing where she is. She started to lose a bit when she went into a restricted grazing but then that paddock got way too boggy so they back onto the better grass which er... yeh..

 

[tashyisaudrey]

she's ID X TB by the way.

 

[sleepingdragon10]

Sounds like she has a healthy appetite

Our grass hasn't come through as much as it usually does which is a godsend for the fatty, but not so good for the yearling!

 

[eventing_chick]

Well....shes a long way from thin!!!

I would't let her get any bigger TBH.

 

[MagicMelon]

Id put her on a diet pronto to be honest. Im paranoid of laminitis!

 

[custard]

Yes am afraid she is IMHO

 

[ISHmad]

One of ours is a ID x TB and piles weight on easily. He is out in the day with a grazing muzzle on at the moment, and in at night on ad lib soaked haylage. It just isn't worth leaving them on good grass with no restrictions when they are such good doers. Your mare is a little on the "chunky" side and I would certainly think about restricting her in some way. The rain has given the grass such a growth spurt in the last couple of weeks it is frightening.

 

[ColleenIsh]

She looks to have got a good bone, I wouldnt say she is grossely overweight but shes not under conditioned either, If I was you , I would just start and section off her grass if shes out and keep up with the exercise .

What height is she ?

 

[tashyisaudrey]

she is 16hh. I know she has got quite fat, but I am really trying

I've been hacking schooling, lunging every day. I just can't keep up with the grass. She's in a paddock with not much grass right now. I suppose it will come off in time.

 

[tashyisaudrey]

she is already on a diet.

 

[Vicki1986]

sorry i am a paranoid person about weight / lammi - i have a pony so i know its blimmin hard to shift that weight once its there! (ha and from personal experience, damn those cakes!!)
i would say look into her diet, how much grass she is getting, how much excercise, and maybe consider a grazing muzzle as an option - that way you wouldnt have to restrict her grazing therefore keeping her movement and activity high which will also help. i wouldnt say she is obese but she does have a belly on her and you definately dont want her putting on anymore, even if only for the strain on her joints etc

 

[Diane_Pepper]

I agree with Vicki ^ above..
my pony's weight constantly changes & he has what we call his starvation paddock which he goes in every other day & on the days he's not in there, he is out in another filed with more grass (& his friends) with a muzzle on.
I found that his muzzle helped a lot but it does rub (i have added a nice fur lining to some of it!!) - hence why he has his starvation paddock..
I also found that hacking him on tarmac roads keeps his weight more constant & it adds more variation to his training program!!

 

[Vicki1986]

sorry i meant to say above i have a greedy pony not " i have a pony" we all have those in some shape or form! der

 

[calon]

not fat looks well

 

[pixiebee]

doesnt look that bad to me!

 

[Tia]

Yes she is overweight. Just keep going on your diet for her and I'm sure that with exercise and low-cal feed, she should start to shed some more of the fat.

 

[Magicmillbrook]

Would be nice to see a pick of her rump - Difficult to tell from the side on. From the limited pick she does look well covered! - to be absolutely sure you need to do a condition score over the whole of her body. Try googling condition score and you will get some good sites with proformas.