Keeping cobs weight down is a nightmare task... any advice? Pics included.

[bubbilygum]

Your boy is lovely!

I have a similar (albeit older) cob, and recently slimmed him down a LOT - he came back from his loan home very overweight and with a mystery lameness, so was on box rest for six months, therefore a very restricted diet!

Something I found to work for me (others might disagree, and it might not work for you) was Fast Fibre. Basically a high fibre soaked feed that makes almost like a horse porridge. I much prefer it to Hifi for getting supplements into my horse, which you need to do when restricting their diet. Other than that all I can advise is limited grazing and keeping him in 12hrs per 24hrs - I'm not overly convinced by the argument that keeping in during the day and out at night is better but others successfully use this method. Also the track grazing is a good idea - helps to keep the horse moving around which keeps their metabolism high and helps burn calories too!

Sounds like you are on the right track. Good luck - I understand how difficult it is to keep the weight off of a cob! Also, many showing judges would consider him to be in tip-top show condition! Show cobs are supposed to have a bit of meat on their bones!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Back to the straw;

Beds are usually made of wheat straw which is not easily digested, so can in excess cause colic. Barley straw and oat straw are more easily digested. Because my mare has a tooth problem and doesn't digest any long straw well, I give her oat straw chaff in a bucket, so that she isn't standing in with nothing to eat after she's finished her haylage.
When introducing straw to the diet, just add it gradually and never give more than an equal amount of straw as hay.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Beautiful boy!

Trickle nets, up the exercise to include hill work and sustained trot in the school. Lunging lots. Grazing muzzle, more time in stable.

 

[tiga71]

I also have a cob incredibly similar to Ronnie actually. I got him from a rescue centre and he was huge, like a hippo.

He has a handful of chaff morning and night for supplements and haylage. In at night in winter, out at night in summer.

I have found that LOTS of work is the best way for me to keep the weight off. He goes out with a normal, non-fatty herd without a muzzle and doesn't get his haylage soaked. But he is worked pretty much every day - 1 day off every 10 days or so.

We do 3 longish (2 - 4 hours) and fast hacks a week, 1 jumping lesson, 1 flat lesson, 1 schooling session by myself and a shorter hack. Mix this up with cross country schooling, competitions and endurance.

All the exercise means I don't need to worry too much about what he is eating in terms of muzzling. But I am lucky to have a flexible business where I can ride a lot.