My horse needs to go on a diet?!

E

enchantedunicorn

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 December 2013
Messages
122
Visit site
I have a large connemara horse . . . and he is a bit chubby! He came to me fat and hadn't been worked in a year - he was fed on calm and condition, Dengie's healthy hoof, pony nuts and carrots by his previous owner. he had two of these hefty feeds a day! I was absolutely horrified and completely cut out the pony nuts and halved his dosage for the rest. Since then I have completely taken him off this feed and just give him 500g of Top Spec lite balancer a day and I have just started soaking his hay - he has dropped a bit of weight but he's still chubby. I want to get it off before the summer! I try to exercise as much as I can but I have to pay extra for the indoor and its quite expensive - he is scared of the outdoor menage and cannot hack him out at night or alone.
Any ideas for how to get the weight o him would be much appreciated as I am at a bit of a loose end :( - thanks
 
I would work on dealing with his attitude to the outdoor school, if he is scared and will also not hack alone you are not going to be able to really enjoy riding him, spend time working him outdoors, on the lunge or long reins to build up his confidence and that will help get the weight off, it will take time soaking his hay should really help but do not try to rush the weight loss by starving him, slow and steady is the best way.
Hack out at the weekends in company go for long steady rides, this should help the weight and fitness as well as build up his trust, take him in front at times so he starts to gain some independence and prepare him to begin to go it alone when you feel ready.
Find a good instructor to help with the work if you are not that confident, he needs to learn that he goes where you want not just in a place he feels safe, the safety should come from having confidence in himself and in his rider then you can go out and have some fun together.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top