Overweight Shetland Companion - help!!!

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JoanneLangford

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Does anyone have any ideas how I can keep Cheek Charlie's weight down, whilst keeping my horse Turbo's weight on?I need to keep them together as they both freak on their own. I am feeding hay ad lib, should I put a grazing muzzle on him, although if this comes off I will never find it in the dark!!
 
grazing muzzle with reflective tape wrapped round?

do you have any energetic horses you can put in with them to keep the shetty moving? our little man has never looked so well since i got my young TB-he (TB) gets the shetland running round for a good 15 mins once or twice a day and the weight has dropped off the shetty and stayed off, even in the summer on really good grass(shetland IS muzzled spring to autumn when grass growing)
 
Either bring them in for part of the day so you can feed the one that needs it and not the other or section off some field for the shettie. If there is plenty of grass then a muzzle should work but if there is none then the shettie won't be able to eat the hay (I don't think) through the muzzle.
 
Can you give Charlie a clip - maybe nothing too drastic in this weather, but when it turns a little warmer give him a trace clip and only rug at night?

Might sound a little harsh, but I have a chubby cheeks welsh b who can develop a crest overnight it would seem, so I clip him in the spring and it keeps the weight off. I reckon it's less awful being a little chilly than having laminitis. Also mine panicked and hyperventilated when I tried a muzzle so that's a non-starter!
 
I thought Muzzle might not be good idea (as we have no grass) can't get another horse on limited pasture, tie nets up high that might work although he is a big shetland and my boys only 14.3hh, will have to section bit off I think, thanks everyone
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I used to take my mini shetland out on a ride and lead basis. He was fit as a fiddle and very fast. Still chubby ish but fit, he could go for miles. Try that, its incredibly good fun.
 
Build a 'haybox' that only your bigger horse can reach into. If it's 3ft high and the hay's not falling over the edge then the shetland shouldn't be able to reach.
 
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