Mean pony owner

Supertrooper

Supertrooper

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My pony is on restricted grazing, currently on half field with me moving part of the electric fence every few days. I am mean about how much I move it though.....

There is grass, he's just having to work to get it and the last few days he's been a right grumpy git. He gets grumpy when he's hungry........

So my question is do I go with my heart and get him some plain oat straw chaff to supplement grass or go with my head and just carry on as we are.

He's producing enough normal droppings xx
 
I would say carry on! keeping weight off is in the long term a lot kinder although it would make our lives easier if they understood that:)
 
Go with your head. I have a laminitic pony and used to have constant battles with my husband who would let him out of the starvation paddock "because he looked sad". He is so crafty if he saw husband he would call out to him and put on the tragic face if he saw me he didn't bother as he knew there was no point.
If he has grass to eat make him work at it.
 
Repeat after me - I Am Doing The Best Thing For Him.

It's horrible restricting them, but it has to be done, I feel mean everyday, but I know its the tight thing to do.
 
It's horrible isn't it?! We have an 11.2 Welsh veteran living on a luscious dairy farm. She has 4 to 5 hours grass a day wearing a muzzle. The rest of the time she stands in. At night she gets a tiny soaked haynet and minute feed with antilam balancer. She is in work which relieves the boredom. So sad you can't explain to them why.
 
It can be time consuming keeping moving the fence soaking the hay but I feel I am winning the battle this year, I have had great success with Top Spec Zero basically chopped oat straw to add interest to my mares diet. I would be mean any day if I could spare a pony from laminis
 
I do similar with mine. About 3 square feet of long, stemmy grass every other day. I do leave 2 big trugs full of chopped straw for him as well. He doesnt really like it, so will only eat it when hes genuinely hungry. He eats about 3/4s of it most days. Hes still losing weight and hes not bad tempered and cross, which he most certainly is when hes properly hungry
 
Thanks all, I've ordered him some Top Chop Zero so he can munch on that if he's desperate. I know he only eats oat straw chop if he's desperate so at least he's got it if he needs it.

He's a pain in the backside temperament wise when he's hungry!!
 
Top Chop Zero smells delicious and must taste a bit better as mine is more willing to eat it. It is definitely not his food of choice though :lol:
 
FrankieCob said:
Top Chop Zero smells delicious and must taste a bit better as mine is more willing to eat it. It is definitely not his food of choice though :lol:
Click to expand...

Yes I agree mine turned the noises up to the Top Chop Lite but Top Chop Zero they will eat it -Its worth a try
 
Mine is on restricted grazing as she has PPID and EMS. She has a short time in the main part of the field while I poo pick etc. and then back in with some (weighed so that I don't give her too much and counteract the reduced grazing) Hi Fibre Haylage to fill her up.
 
Mine's trying to work me too; he's giving me the Oscar winning welfare pony performance and I'm countering with my best poker face. He had raised pulses on Sunday and has a slight crest, being in the coral of chubby shame is not up for debate.
 
Another pony owner being mean and cruel here - he and my horse are currently restricted to their field shelter area (30x20m hardstanding) with haynets and about 4 square metres of field, which is being increased by about 30cm a day. He's been losing weight slowly but steadily before I put them on there, but the nice bare field they were on has started to churn up with all the rain we've had and it's not mine, so I've had to bring them back onto my own land and put them into, as pansymouse so excellently puts it, the corral of chubby shame!
 
I personally would give him something to keep him occupied - if hes frustrated then he is bored so I'd give him the oat straw..
 
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