Overweight pony - update and advice

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Tonty Tont

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Tont is still fat, and if anything getting bigger :eek:

He's now in the winter field, which is full of grass and he's out 24/7. Grazing muzzles don't work (he goes loopy and gets them off) and I can't move him elsewhere (parent's can't afford it and I'm only 14). He gets the same amount of feed as the others (lo-cal balancer and lite chaff), which luckily at the moment isn't too much, as when he's tied up he's pulled wood out of the (very expensive!) field shelter and got his hoof stuck in the barbed wire, and it isn't fair to expect someone else to get dragged about by him when I'm at school. I've tried him without rugs, and it hasn't made a difference so I've rugged him lightly now. Exercise doesn't help as there is just so much grass.

Any advice would be really appreciated :)

Nicole :D
 
You need to limit his grass intake. Either by taking him off the field (into a bare field or in his stable with weighed and well soaked hay), or muzzling him. There is no magic fix to get weight off and stop it coming on when they have access to plenty of nice grass. His calorie intake needs to be reduced by restricting his feed and his calorie output increased with plenty of exercise.
 
you need to section off a small area of field for him with ELECTRIFIED electric fencing and let him graze the grass right down. thats not to say he can't have a companion - perhaps they can share company duties if there's more than one. He REALLY doesn't need a rug or any bucket feed AT ALL!
 
tontytont said:
Exercise doesn't help as there is just so much grass.
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I think you've answered your own question here.;) There is no miracle cure I'm afraid, he is getting too much grass by the sound of it.
Any chance of sectioning off a part of the field for him or strip grazing?
 
Electric fencing and no feed at all. :( Only you can help him he will eat til he pops so it's up to you as his owner to control him. It's horrible I know but worth the upset cos you don't ever want to see him with lami.
 
Totally agree with the above, would benefit him to stop feeding any hard feed and try and limit his grass intake by making a smaller field with electric fencing. May feel cruel at the time but will be kinder to him in the long run. I personally wouldn't take rugs off, getting cold is not a nice way to loose the weight.

: o )
 
No magical cure without exercise really. You need to limit his grass intake probably by sectioning of a small paddock for him with electric fencing. Let him graze it right down, every so often move the fence out so he can get some fresh grass - strip grazing.

I would say no rugs (unless he is clipped or being ridden much) and definitely no feed at all unless he needs any vits etc.
 
My old horse Daisy used to get her grazing muzzle off so we had to add an extra strap. They all have a tantrum at first but they soon give in and accept it. I'd also cut out all feed, he doesn't need it.
 
Can I just say OP that I had a little Cob type mare who was always prone to doing (and being done by me) too well.

The winter that she was retired she was turned out (porky) on to great winter grazing, totally roughed off and not fed.

She dropped weight and trimmed up and looked fantastic. I fed no hard feed - and if she came in she had straw and hay mixed.
 
xRobyn said:
Unrug. Stop feeding. Strip graze :)
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I couldn't put it any better myself.

Very few horses actually need to be rugged unless they are clipped and the overweight certainly don't. If he is out 24/7 and it is cold and wet for 24 hrs and you feel really mean, check whether he is shivering. If he is either bring him in or rug him until he dries off. This will make you feel much better.
 
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