Keeping weight under control

[Carkst]

When I first purchased my horse he was underweight and needed muscle. He has put both on well and was looking healthy. After few weeks of good grazing he was going the other way and becoming overweight. He would often come in looking bloated. I bought a grazing muzzle but find he hardly grazes at all with it on and stands by the gate waiting to come in most of the day.

He is out between 9 and 5 as an average, has ad lib hay overnight and is fed a small amount of chaff, calm and conditioner and lo cal balancer. All of which were suggested to help build him up. The amounts were halved once his weight was at a healthy level. He has never shown signs or symptoms of ulcers.

He is worked on average 4 to 5 times a week for up to an hour. His work is varied from hacking to jumping but mainly he is being schooled. The muzzle works well for weight but I'm concerned that he isn't grazing at all through the day while wearing it and the effect this will have on his gut. He also doesn't seem to interact much with the herd while wearing the muzzle either.

I don't want to keep him stabled if I stop using the muzzle and he is terrible to catch if brought in early. I don't want him to be overweight but at same time feel he should be trying to graze. Helpful suggestions appreciated.

 

[calmgirl]

Can you weigh his hay for night time and use a small hole net rather than ad lib? So he's not going out to grass stuffed with hay.
Cut a slightly bigger hole in the muzzle so he gets the idea?

 

[Carkst]

Thank you. will try both of your suggestions.

 

[galaxy]

How easily can you feel his ribs? Does he have any fat pads? Or does his stomach bloat and then deflate once in and off the grass?

The reason why I ask is that my mare is the same and after many years of joking about it we have come to the conclusion she is actually intolerant to grass. She does not get fat pads, ribs always easily felt, but looks pregnant once out on any grass. So now she is in during the day on hay and out at night on restricted grazing as she can't cope with more grass. Her diet is now that often recommended for an ulcer horse as it supports her hind gut. She's on thunderbrooks feeds as she can't cope with alfalfa, molasses, beet, wheat or grain. Her feed contains ingredients to support the hind gut such as yea sac 1026, biomoss, fennel, Mycosorb a+ and micronised linseed. These ingredients help with gas and support the hind gut to function correctly.

If you are in Facebook join the 'horses with ulcers' group. People are really helpful and knowledgable on there.