Overweight? Or just right?

[MrsElle]

As some of you know Skinny Minnie came to us in December with ribs showing through her winter coat and in poor condition.

Luckily we still had grass and she was initially started off on grass and ad lib hay. After a scare last month where we thought she might be in foal (luckily not!), I cut her hay and she now shares half to three quarters of a bale a day with Fat Lad.

This is No Longer Skinny Minnie today:

She has been rugged in a medium weight 180g with neck, but will be naked from now on unless we get another really really cold snap. It is 'feels like' six degrees and above for the next few days, so she will be fine naked

I am assuming that there is still enough grass for the pair of them, given the weight Bailey (Skinny Minnie) has put on and the fact that Fat Lad, while not putting any on, hasn't really lost any either. Problem is, I worry about them not having enough going through them, hence the hay, even if in a relatively small quantity.

Should I cut the hay down even further, or shall I continue as I am until the grass starts growing? Both Bailey and Fat Lad will be strip grazed, and possibly muzzled too come grass growning season.

Any advise or opinion greatfully recieved, this little mare deserves the best and I don't want to mis-manage her

 

[Sandstone1]

She looks like she still needs a little more weight to me, her bum and top line looks a little on the thin side. I would keep feeding her hay etc for now.

 

[MrsElle]

She looks like she still needs a little more weight to me, her bum and top line looks a little on the thin side. I would keep feeding her hay etc for now.

Would that not be a question of muscle build up? She had locking patella's when she came to us, which with hooning about the field with Fat Lad and wading uphill through mud in the field is pretty much fixed. It is hard to feel her ribs, you really have to poke quite hard!

In December she looked like this:

My concern is, she has put a lot of weight on in the two months since she came to us on just ad lib hay. I don't want her going into summer and the good grass too heavy as she is evidently a good do-er (which makes me wonder how she managed to get in the state she was in when I got her), and claps the weight on with ease - bit like me really

 

[stencilface]

I think she looks fine weight wise, just all belly no bum with the feed and no work (well, I assume no work?). Mine looked not dissimilar to this in october, as had bene stuffing his face with noe work for 6 months, he wasn't fat as such, just no muscle - although mine like yours does stack it on rather

Wouldn't want her any bigger going into spring tbh

 

[Tammytoo]

Looks like you've done a great job so far.

However, the grass will soon be coming through and it would be better for her to be slightly underweight (as she would be in the wild) going into Spring. She'll soon pile on the pounds then! Her topline and bum will improve with excercise.

 

[Sandstone1]

She looks much much better. Well done. yes the top line would improve with exercise but if she were mine I would be feeding hay at least for a little while longer untill grass starts to come through a bit more.

 

[TigerTail]

She looks like she still needs a little more weight to me, her bum and top line looks a little on the thin side. I would keep feeding her hay etc for now.

You dont make a topline through food - that exercise and self carriage.

Weight wise I certainly wouldnt want her any bigger with this early spring and short sugary grass = lami risk.

 

[MrsElle]

She is 4 next month but has just been slobbing in the field since we got her. We don't know if she has been broken in or not, we will see how she reacts to a bridle and saddle in spring, although she is too small for either OH and I to ride.

Hopefully we can find someone small enough to ride her, she has the most fantastic temperament

 

[Wagtail]

I think she is just right. I would keep on as you are but cut the hay down when the grass starts coming through.

 

[Goldenstar]

I think she's just right but would be watching very carefully for the first sign of grass and cut back hay etc straight away.

 

[EllenJay]

Going against the grain a bit here - but through managing a laminitic pony I would say stop the hay now, it is better to go into spring a little underweight as you really do not want her to suddenly "bloom".

She is obviously quite a good dooer seeing the before and after photos, so I would watch now, obviously you don't want her hungry, but she doesn't need any more weight atm.

Well done - you have done a fab job!!