*not CR!* Diet tips needed horse not human but...

Ludi-doodi

Ludi-doodi

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then again human tips might be useful too:p Although not CR I feel the most sensible answers are given in this section of the forum!:D What else can you recommend to slim down the waist line of my horse? Here's the background

Ludo is a 18yo Dutch Warmblood and generally a good do-er. At the moment I feel he is a little over weight and at about 546kg the top end of what I'd call normal for him (normally about 524-538). At the moment he is in during the day from around 6.30am until about 7pm when I ride. He is ridden for at least an hour 6 days out of 7, so he's off the grass for around 13 hours a day.

Each morning he gets this small feed so I can give him his Respirator Boost. It's only happy hoof and readigrass

Photo0148.jpg


Plus the bigger of these two nets. He gets the smaller net later in the afternoon
Photo0143.jpg


Just to give you an idea of quantity in the nets, I filled 6 large nets and 5 small ones on Sunday and used no more than 3 slices of large bale hay.

Here's pic of him taken in May shortly after he stated to live out overnight
Photo0109.jpg


This one was taken this morning:
Photo0139.jpg


The only other thing I could think of is to syringe the Boost and drop the very small amount of feed he gets?

Apologies no treats yet either - just about to sort out my lunch to take to work.... which I must get going for or I'll be late AGAIN!:)
 
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How good is the grass he is out on?

Personally, and this prob won't go down well, but if he needs to drop some weight I would swop the huge net for the small one twice a day. When mine are in at day they get 2 slices of small bale hay and that is it.
 
Im with weezy regard the haynet, my two are on good grazing and to come in during the day, they each get a leaf of hay in a small holed haynet and often dont even touch that, to busy snoozing and deflating all day!! It dosent seem that long ago we were worried about not enough grass!!! :)
 
Weezy said:
How good is the grass he is out on?

Personally, and this prob won't go down well, but if he needs to drop some weight I would swop the huge net for the small one twice a day. When mine are in at day they get 2 slices of small bale hay and that is it.
Click to expand...

All comments valid and welcome -wouldn't have posted if I didn't want honest answers (been on this forum long enough to know that;))

The Grass isn't bad but there isn't huge amounts and he's certainly keen to eat when he comes in. Tis obvious really about the hay (doh!). Forgot to say its steamed but I know that won't make a huge difference in the calories. OK, smaller nets from tomorrow! Anything else?
 
Soaking the hay can take the sugar out and just leave the fibre. I think that is what they recommend for laminitics, so you could try soaking the hay overnight.

Good luck, I have a good-doer and they are hard work in the summer.
 
The thing that makes the biggest difference with Pig is soaking the hay. Would agree less hay also just enough to have something going through his gut :)
 
If he goes through the hay too quickly then double or even triple bag with small hole nets - I do this & my horse still manages to eat it fairly quickly.

Another option would be to use a grazing muzzle at night - or alternative nights. It does slow the intake down. I always feel mean using it - mine is in one 24/7 and is still a little overweight as he hasn't been in enough work recently due to me being injured.
 
I'm another that would recommend soaking his hay. We managed to get over 80kg off my lad's waistline through soaking his haynet for 12hrs before giving it to him, he still got 2 feeds a day with a scoop of hi fi lite in each and a balancer, and 8 hrs on restricted grazing. (oh and plenty of exercise!!) It really works :)

He went from this in January after 4months holiday in a field:

jackwinter.jpg


To this in April just after Badders Grassroots champs:

jackslim.jpg
 
Yep soaking the hay sounds like a good option, keeps his guts moving but cuts the calories drastically. I think even 20 mins soaking gets rid of a lot (maybe google to check) plus a good rinsing.

Maybe consider muzzling overnight? Some research just came out that says it's really effective at restricting grass intake. Don't expect him to like it at first, tho . .
 
I would soak hay first and then if he's not dropping anything I would muzzle and chuck out 24/7. I would muzzle for the longest shift and leave him without for the other one, theory being if he's out 24/7 at least he's moving more regularly than stabled.
 
Hattikins - your boy looks fabulous!!! I have a coloured 14hh that I now have on a diet & I hope I can get him looking like yours does now!! xx
 
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