is she too fat? and summer feeding

[B_2_B]

thanks everyone! i'll try and answer all the question lol.
there's nowhere for her to come in during the day practically, the spare stable is for emergencies.

we don't know if she's had a foal before. she came from a lady who was going through a rough patch and we agreed to keep her for a while, lady would pay bills. never seen said lady or recieved money for Blacky for the past 3/4 years so we don't know that much about her background.

Patches, she does look in foal

but yes, she loves her cuddles!
she's never had laminitus as far as we know, never when she's been with us anyway.

she's very happy in herself. when i rode her yesterday she cantered by her own choice twice and loved to trot. she was more active than she usually is on a ride! and she gained a toyboy

i will suggest grazing muzzle to YO but it would depend on Blacky too as she really hates things on or near her face.

 

[AmyMay]

Sweety - she looks grossly overweight to me.

Having batteld for years with weight with AmyMay I know how difficult it can be.

But beware - she may be a chunky type - but she does need to loose a tremendous amount of weight.

 

[B_2_B]

i wish i could get up there other times to ride her

it's hard finding people to ride her.
i'm hoping next year, with less time at school i may be able to ride her more.
this was winter time. does she look better here?

 

[MagicMelon]

I would say she's obese TBH! Sorry, but she's definately too fat. If she were mine, I would instantly electric fence off a small area of her paddock and keep her in just that all summer! I think she's very lucky not to have laminitis to be honest. Hope that doesn't offend, dont mean to. I would stay away from stabling her at all, since at her age it's best to keep her moving about (plus standing about won't help her lose weight anyway).

If she's 26, then yes it'll probably be harder to get the weight off her but it'll do her the world of good because her weight will be putting a lot of pressure on her joints. Yes, she's built on the bigger side but not like this. Any "big built" horse can still be slim.

 

[at work]

Afraid I'd agree with the majority here, there's no kind way to say it, she is very, very fat

 

[fjudge]

[ QUOTE ]
i wish i could get up there other times to ride her

it's hard finding people to ride her.
i'm hoping next year, with less time at school i may be able to ride her more.
this was winter time. does she look better here?

[/ QUOTE ]

Bad angle so hard to tell

I know shes not your responsibility not beings yours so its hard, but get that pony off the grass

sorry she is way too fat. Well done for looking out for her

 

[B_2_B]

don't worry, i'm not offended, just trying to help her!
we can't really section her off though.
the field is used for various other things, pigs, goats, etc and the horses get moved to different fields every so often.
again, this is not my choice.
and she'd go ballistic when the other horses moved away from her bit as they move about the field all day.
plus, money is tight as it is without paying for electric fencing.

would extra exercise take much weight off her? or is it the grass that's the problem? exercise is hard as it's the volunteer situation and who can ride, or wants to ride. and the grass, i can't really do much about.

 

[Blizzard]

Yes she is extremely overweight Im afraid. At her age its the last thing she needs.
I have a chunky WB who was overweight all winter and its feed and exercise that makes the difference, she NEEDS to be in a starvation paddock, or wear a muzzle, and really if she is fit and well, could do with being ridden and lunged every day.

My welsh cob mare was very overweight before xmas, and its only a very strict diet and lots and lots of riding that has got her slim again, at Balckys age though, she cant afford to be cxarrying the weight, with the strain it will put on her joints and heart.

 

[Patches]

Someone needs to take responsibility though for this horse. If no one is going to exercise her more often (and lets face it, surely she can't do hard work daily anyway being 26), or restrict her grazing....then what's the alternative? There isn't one. She will quite likely get bigger and bigger and her health is going to be seriously compromised as a result.

You've had some great suggestions but if none can or will be acted upon, I don't see the point in asking for help.

 

[Blizzard]

I agree with Patches, and I know she isnt your horse, but someone needs to look after her.

she will stuggle with work if she gets bigger and bigger, and at her age, well you dont want the worst to happen, especially over weight which is something that can be controlled, if she was the right weight she would look super for her age.

 

[ShadowFlame]

I have to agree, I'm afraid. I consider my boy to be obese, and he is thinner than her

 

[B_2_B]

i know, you have all given me great suggestions and i will suggest a grazing muzzle to YO and buy it with my own money if i have to.
I just want to say, she isn't in pain (joints) at all right now, i know it could become a problem, she is really active riding and loves to jump logs and i can say, the past 3/4 years since we got her have almost definitely been the happiest years of her life.
she's given me super amounts of confidence and i love her so much!
i really want to help but i can't see how we'll manage to restrict her grazing with all the other factors.
Please don't think anything against YO, she is a wonderful woman and has saved so many animals! she does her utmost best for all the animals we have.

 

[rrose]

yes i would say shes overweight, my mare has nothing in the summer. i would speak to your yard owner and get her to restrict her grazing