Living on fresh air

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

To bump this back up. Really struggling with my 4yos weight. She eats like something I’ve never seen before!! ?

I’ve restricted her paddock and she’s out at night, in during the day because she loves a snooze. She comes in and acts like a starved animal that’s been on concrete all night. I give her 4kg of hay, split between 2 double netted nets on the ground. She probably finishes it by lunch time but can’t give her more or she’ll put more weight on.

Yet she is STILL fat. I soaked the hay for a week but I kept forgetting, I guess I could set an alarm. The only difference in her weight I noticed was when she was out on a paddock 24/7 (poor grazing/poor grass) getting 1kg of hay a day you could see she was gradually loosing weight but she hates being out during the day with the flies.

Will soaking it make a big difference?
I have the saddle fitter tomorrow, I’ve tried to hard to get her slimmer. It’s just all on her belly.

Soaking does make a difference. You also need to properly condition score as a big belly isn’t necessarily fat it can be gas from eating fibre and also if the back isn’t strong it will make a belly look worse as it will drop. Some horses also have well sprung ribs and will never look slim around the belly.

https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/horse/how-to-body-score-your-horse

I would not leave a horse more than a couple of hours without some forage so if she’s in all day then she needs some hay. You can decrease the amount and soak and double net to slow the eating.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Soaking does make a difference. You also need to properly condition score as a big belly isn’t necessarily fat it can be gas from eating fibre and also if the back isn’t strong it will make a belly look worse as it will drop. Some horses also have well sprung ribs and will never look slim around the belly.

https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/horse/how-to-body-score-your-horse

I would not leave a horse more than a couple of hours without some forage so if she’s in all day then she needs some hay. You can decrease the amount and soak and double net to slow the eating.

Thank you for the link and info. The physio mentioned she had a strong core but she does suffer bloat, funnily enough it’s more noticeable around her season because I keep track of it.

On the Blue Cross scale she would definitely be 4 (fat)

I know she’s overweight because I struggle to feel her ribs. Even when she looked slim, I struggled to feel her ribs.

She also has a gutter in her bum (she did have shoulder fat pads but these have almost gone!) and extremely round over her withers and back. My saddler said she was a barrel 2 months ago (although the physio said she was a 5/10 weight wise) She’s lost a bit since then but not as much as I would of liked.

Talking to others she’s usually finishing by around 1pm and I arrive at approximately 3pm. I double net and place them at different places within her stable/hard standing pen. I could split it even more. I’ve ordered a smaller holed (25mm) soft mesh net so will split it in that to!

I read up and it says 30 minutes - 1 hour soak can do the job.. that would be much easier so will try this.

The only way to shift it quicker would be to leave her out 24/7, I know it’s eating hay that seems to pile the weight on. It’s lovely fresh smelling hay.

 

[Patterdale]

The only way to shift it quicker would be to leave her out 24/7, I know it’s eating hay that seems to pile the weight on. It’s lovely fresh smelling hay.

So why not stop feeding her and leave her out!?

I genuinely struggle to comprehend why SO many owners actively choose to spend large amounts of time and money on keeping fat horses in and feeding them, then wondering why they are still fat.

So I would really genuinely love to know - WHY not just put her out and no hay?

 

[Hormonal Filly]

So why not stop feeding her and leave her out!?

I genuinely struggle to comprehend why SO many owners actively choose to spend large amounts of time and money on keeping fat horses in and feeding them, then wondering why they are still fat.

So I would really genuinely love to know - WHY not just put her out and no hay?

Because she is desperate to come in. She can groom her friend over her pen fence when in. She lives out on her own and the closest horse is 2 fields away currently. I don’t actually know if she sleeps when out, because she always comes in and lies down asleep for several hours. Even worse if I’ve left her out for several days, my last horse got sleep deprivation so it’s always in the corner of my mind. Not that she cares she’s out alone.

Basically I’m soft and she loves the routine of coming in. I feel guilty she lives out without any close horse contact unless she’s in for a few hours. Usually only in 10/11-3pm so not ALL day.

I’m not a bad owner, I’m just trying to do the best for my horse and keep her happy. Although I understand being fat really isn’t good and I’ve never had a fat horse in my life. If I can’t shift it, yes she will have to stay out and cry all she likes. To be honest I didn’t think getting her to shift it would be so difficult, even my cob gelding dropped weight quicker when restricted.

Hope I have explained myself well enough..

 

[Jenko109]

A few hours without hay when shes in is fine.

I would just give her a standard section of soaked hay and perhaps some top chop zero to nibble on.

3-4 hours without anything will not harm her.

 

[Gloi]

If she's only in for that time and is asleep for part of it she can go without food for that time. Then again if she's only in that long there is probably more than you think on the field. How many droppings a day is she producing? Use that to tell if you can cut down more.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

If she's only in for that time and is asleep for part of it she can go without food for that time. Then again if she's only in that long there is probably more than you think on the field. How many droppings a day is she producing? Use that to tell if you can cut down more.

There must be more in the field than I think. Although I’ve had other liveries look and they say the same, looks bare up to what the others are on.. it looks the same as what the 2 Shetlands graze but the rain/sun it must be growing more than I think.

Thanks - I’ll count the poos from tomorrow and take note if I start leaving her out without anything. If I left her out without anything 24/7 I think she’d go berserk but she’d have to get use to it.

 

[Gloi]

After the dry summer and now a bit of rain the grass is growing like mad. It looks like it's bare because they are eating it as fast as it grows but I'll bet she's still eating plenty. Winter is good for getting weight off if you are strict.

 

[Polos Mum]

As above my fatties suck it out of the ground by the roots before I get a chance to see it.

Poo count is great, mine get nothing at all in a bare paddock but all do 10-15 poos a day so definitely getting something from somewhere.

The other thing to do is to look a little bits of verge or field edge that they can't reach and then you'll see just how much is really growing. The bare paddock has 1 foot high lush green growing just outside - so that helps me judge how much is gone before I can see it

 

[Patterdale]

Because she is desperate to come in. She can groom her friend over her pen fence when in. She lives out on her own and the closest horse is 2 fields away currently. I don’t actually know if she sleeps when out, because she always comes in and lies down asleep for several hours. Even worse if I’ve left her out for several days, my last horse got sleep deprivation so it’s always in the corner of my mind. Not that she cares she’s out alone.

Basically I’m soft and she loves the routine of coming in. I feel guilty she lives out without any close horse contact unless she’s in for a few hours. Usually only in 10/11-3pm so not ALL day.

I’m not a bad owner, I’m just trying to do the best for my horse and keep her happy. Although I understand being fat really isn’t good and I’ve never had a fat horse in my life. If I can’t shift it, yes she will have to stay out and cry all she likes. To be honest I didn’t think getting her to shift it would be so difficult, even my cob gelding dropped weight quicker when restricted.

Hope I have explained myself well enough..

If she’s in for 4-5 hours in the day she doesn’t need any food. And definitely nothing in the field, the grass is crazy now.
Honestly - stop being soft. It is kinder to her in the long run

 

[Hormonal Filly]

If she’s in for 4-5 hours in the day she doesn’t need any food. And definitely nothing in the field, the grass is crazy now.
Honestly - stop being soft. It is kinder to her in the long run

I’ve pushed my bed back in my stable and given it a good clean. Have to be cruel to be kind and she’ll be living out and only coming in for hay as I ride. If I push the big bed back it stops me from suddenly changing my mind (sounds stupid!)

Thanks all. Might weight tape now and see the difference in a few weeks.

 

[Patterdale]

Well done. But don’t give her hay! Even if you’re riding. She doesn’t need it. Maybe a small single handful of chaff before you get on if she’s stood in for longer than an hour before you ride, but she’d be fine on nothing.
Good luck!

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Well done. But don’t give her hay! Even if you’re riding. She doesn’t need it. Maybe a small single handful of chaff before you get on if she’s stood in for longer than an hour before you ride, but she’d be fine on nothing.
Good luck!

I won’t give her hay in the field. Really.. I have always given a net while I tack up as it’s only 10/15 minutes. I guess I could give a couple of handfuls off chaff before instead, I worry about stomach acid and ulcers.

 

[Patterdale]

But WHY? She’s fat, why why WHY keep giving hay?
Sorry I know I shouldn’t get so invested, it’s your horse do whatever. But this is madness, to keep insisting on giving hay to a fat horse and then wondering why it’s still fat. She will eat loads in 15 minutes. Why give it!?

On the ulcer note - she is EXTREMELY unlikely to get ulcers turned out and grazing 24/7. However even if she did, the risk to her health from being obese is far, far greater than the risk from being a bit hungry.

I really do wish you the best of luck but I won’t reply again, as this issue seriously winds me up (can you tell??) but it is seriously not difficult to have animals (and children!) at a healthy weight. Just don’t constantly feed them!

 

[Patterdale]

And breathe….?

Sorry HF. I shouldn’t click on these threads ???

 

[Hormonal Filly]

But WHY? She’s fat, why why WHY keep giving hay?
Sorry I know I shouldn’t get so invested, it’s your horse do whatever. But this is madness, to keep insisting on giving hay to a fat horse and then wondering why it’s still fat. She will eat loads in 15 minutes. Why give it!?

On the ulcer note - she is EXTREMELY unlikely to get ulcers turned out and grazing 24/7. However even if she did, the risk to her health from being obese is far, far greater than the risk from being a bit hungry.

I really do wish you the best of luck but I won’t reply again, as this issue seriously winds me up (can you tell??) but it is seriously not difficult to have animals (and children!) at a healthy weight. Just don’t constantly feed them!

Bit of a dramatic reply!! She will hardly eat loads out of a small holed haynet in the time I put a saddle, bridle and my hat on. Especially if I only put a little amount in for her to pick at. I’ve had one with ulcers, extremely hard to get rid of and don’t want that again. Bit different if she was obese, she’s a 6/10 on the body condition scale when YO looked today. No longer has a gutter on her bum and weight taped her today to keep a eye on it.

Thanks for your advice

 

[motherof2beasts!]

Mine is the same it’s a continual battle, if you do give a net just soak it for a few hours before. If you feel guilty and think she misses being in just soak a tiny amount all night and leave a trug of top chop zero (mine rarely touches it unless starving !). The best thing is much more exersise but life can get in the way. I try to lunge on the days I can’t ride !

I knkw what people are saying on here but at the moment I too bring in during the day , with the weather we’ve had the longer off the grass the better. I have looked and ordered several muzzles but none fit. Could she not be turned out in a herd might get her moving more?

 

[Peglo]

Through the summer I’d made a track in the winter field. I had 3 on it and they could get a good canter/gallop along it. They were slightly over the weight I’d like but not too bad. I had to move them onto their smaller square summer paddock and I struggled so much more with their weight. Mine is very greedy and the field looked bare but they weren’t shifting the weight.

they just weren’t moving as much as they did when they had their track set up. Next year I will get them in their summer paddock early and they can have the track that’s attached to it before much grass grows. (We’ve had far far too much grass this year after I lost my TB and old haffie lost her teeth)

fortunately the grass has slowed down a lot up here so they’re looking slimmer now but it has been a struggle. Could you set up a track? I can’t believe the difference it’s made to mine. They were on more grass but looked better and I think I found a difference in mine’s fitness even.

I’ve found dieting the fatties much more stressful than feeding up the TB.

 

[southerncomfort]

Mine are in for 2 hours in the morning, then they go in the school until 6pm when they go out on the track.

Do you have a school or yard you could use so they can keep moving during the day?

 

[Annagain]

Is there a horse with similar needs who could share her field so she has company and can stay out 24/7?

 

[dorsetladette]

a friend of mine keeps her good doers out 24/7 with a small hard feed in winter. She's allows access to forage 24/7 in small holed nets, but she mixes straw in with her hay. Probably to a ratio of 40/60 this seems to work really well. Ponies always have something to much on but don't get the same calories they would if they were on just hay.

 

[Merrymoles]

For the first time in my life I have one who isn't a "good doer" and, despite being slightly concerned how much weight he might drop in the winter, it is so much easier than having one who is in my view. He is very active and "busy" and much prefers being out than in but needs company.

However, he shares a field with my friend's mare who is a typical good doer and she has to continually watch her weight. We count the droppings religiously and they seem to be about equal for the two of them but she is definitely much more well covered. We recently had them on a weighbridge and the mare came in at more than 100kg more than the gelding, who is the same height but has much less bone. Some times we split them up for 12 hours a day so that mine can stuff his face and she can't.

The plus side is that my lad keeps her moving, stopping her getting too fat. My biggest worry about horses on individual turnout is that they have nothing to do except eat.

Our winter plans when they come in at night including keeping my lad fairly well rugged and with ad lib hay at night, while the mare will be rugged very lightly and only to keep her clean enough to ride (they both channel their inner hippos and love a muddy roll) and will receive minimal hay and feed. They will continue to be out together for 12 hours, although we may need to section the field for the mare initially.

We love them both equally but recognising their very different needs is essential to keeping them both healthy yet still together where possible.

The grass has been growing like mad since we had some rain so the rest of the yard are all on laminitis watch at the moment, as is the mare. So at the moment, I am relieved that I don't have to worry about my gelding.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Mine are in for 2 hours in the morning, then they go in the school until 6pm when they go out on the track.

Do you have a school or yard you could use so they can keep moving during the day?

The school has been ruined by people turning out before in it so YO won’t allow it.
She has a 12x12 open stable with a 20x10ft hard standing pen attached. She has plenty of room to move about when she is in and I have lots of locations I can put nets.

Is there a horse with similar needs who could share her field so she has company and can stay out 24/7?

Sadly not, one livery wanted to share but her horse was a bad kicker and had previously broke the leg of another horse - so declined that offer. The other 2 that would happily share have poor doers and feed vast amount of hay in the field. Mine would love that.. and be obese very quickly ?

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Me again. Sorry to bump up such a boring post.

Having left her out since Wednesday and only bought her in to ride 2 times (hack) since, she’s feels much quieter and flatter to ride. She’s acting absolutely starved and is a lot grumpier, although her weight is looking a lot better. She poos I’d say about 10 times in a 24 hour period. Is that enough?

I want to keep her out to manage her weight.. but can’t say I enjoy riding her when she’s so flat. It makes me wonder if she’s getting enough rest? No one sees her lie down in the field..

 

[dreamcometrue]

My pony went through the flat but hangry phase when she was on a very strict weight loss regime. I hated doing it to her but you have to focus on the thought that basically you are saving the pony’s life. Stick with it. Better times ahead for you both. X

 

[Gloi]

Have you taken pictures and weigh taped her to monitor progress

 

[Polos Mum]

Sleep deprivation is underestimated. There is no reason you can't bring her in to let her sleep - just don't put any food in the stable.
Or if you can't be there to let her out after 3-4 hours then a scoop or two of straw only chop (top chop zero is the one i use) will put your mind at rest that there is something she could eat - but she will almost certain choose not to.
It is like offering rice cakes instead of a bad of crisps.

Poos I believe is 6-12 per day but size obviously impacts, if she's doing 10 big poos then that's more than average I'd say.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Thank you all appreciated.

Sleep deprivation is underestimated. There is no reason you can't bring her in to let her sleep - just don't put any food in the stable.
Or if you can't be there to let her out after 3-4 hours then a scoop or two of straw only chop (top chop zero is the one i use) will put your mind at rest that there is something she could eat - but she will almost certain choose not to.
It is like offering rice cakes instead of a bad of crisps.

Poos I believe is 6-12 per day but size obviously impacts, if she's doing 10 big poos then that's more than average I'd say.

Very small poos now, so sounds about right.