Overweight youngster - what's best?

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SpruceRI

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I've recently bought a rather fat 2yr old Welsh Cob.

I would say her condition score is fat. Will post a pic later if poss.

I've got a bit of weight off her but she's obviously a very good doer as she's living in a tiny paddock with my Shetland and he's looking relatively slim.

A friend has said that I shouldn't diet her as she's still growing and this will stunt her growth, and that youngsters don't get laminitis, so let her back out on better grass with my other cob.

I'm worried about doing this.

She's on last years' hay at night, just a couple of slices between her and Shettie, and then on fairly bare paddocks during the day and every other day on a bit more grass.

I'd still describe her as fat, just not quite as much as 8 weeks ago.

She does not look like a youngtster at all apart from having a baby face.

I'm feeding my other mare Saracen Biolife 2000 ( a feed balancer) should I give this to the filly?

Many thanks
 
Grazing muzzle - now theres 2 words that have given me a huge headache the last few days. My boy will not tolerate it - he can't cope, and can't work out how to get grass through that little hole. eventually he manages to put his hoof on the muzzle,pull his head up and rip the bugger off! Ive tried for 2 days running but am running out of patience, how do you get them to deal with it?!
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Bring the pony in during the day and then put out at night? The sugar content is lower in the grass then.
Grazing muzzles are great if they tolerate them. otherwise strip graze them.
 
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Grazing muzzle - now theres 2 words that have given me a huge headache the last few days. My boy will not tolerate it - he can't cope, and can't work out how to get grass through that little hole. eventually he manages to put his hoof on the muzzle,pull his head up and rip the bugger off! Ive tried for 2 days running but am running out of patience, how do you get them to deal with it?!
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i dont think there is any way to get them to deal with it - it took my boy a while to grasp how to get grass through - but i know it sounds harsh but id rather him that way than fat and bordering on Laminitic or stuck in a stable - you have to be cruel to be kind.
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he's in a starvation paddock on his own but thought he might be happier in with my old girl, she has to have plenty of grass, so tried the muzzle but I suppose it's like sending a kid into a sweet shop with loads of money and not letting them buy any sweets! so hes back on his own nibbling away at nothing!
 
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how do you get them to deal with it?!

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I'm afraid I put Amy's on and let her get on with it. She couldn't remove it as it was a bucket one.

She got the hang of it eventually. However, she had to be on quite long grazing in order to be able to get the grass.
 
I don't like the bucket style muzzles or the webbing ones with the little hole in the bottom which every owner seems to enlarge. I believe 'Greenguard' are by far the best muzzles, they are the most expensive but are the best, It takes time & patience to get them to fit correctly but once correctly fitted the horse has no problem with them. My lad has his on all spring & summer, he gets plenty to eat, can drink easily & he has stayed at a good weight.

For keeping the weight down they are worth every penny.
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I think you're right in trying to get its weight down. Ive always been told that its best if a youngster is slightly underweight than over because being fat puts a lot of strain on young limbs. As long as she's getting a balanced diet with all the right vitamins & minerals then IMO she should be fine on a diet. Personally I wouldnt feed the Biolife, Id would feed it something which is designed for youngsters as it'd be higher in things like calcium, like Baileys Stud Balancer. Id leave the pony in the paddock and feed more of last years hay so it gives her something to munch on all day but shouldnt add many calories.

To say youngsters cant get laminitis is rubbish.
 
Back to original question kind of?

Should I be dieting her or just leave her to lose weight naturally over the winter?

Will this 'stunt' her growth? I would like her to grow as big as poss as she's only 14hh now, and I'm hoping she'll make 14.2hh - 15hh at fully grown.

I don't like muzzles as all my friends that have used them have found their horses either become difficult to catch or headshy. Also, she doesn't keep a fly mask on more than 12hrs so can't see a muzzle staying on. Plus her headcollar rubbed her sore within 3 days of wearing it, so think I might have same problem with fly mask.

Finally, can't stable her at current location - no stable. Am sort of strip grazing at the mo, but she's still huge.

Any breeders out there? Would natural fatness worry you?
 
hello,
you will see alot of chunky welsh cobs youngsters esp if they have been shown, you could try putting her out on to a bare field or strip grazing so restricting her intake of grass, if you fear that it will stunt her growth give her a mineral lick and some youngstock mix.
 
youngsters do get lami keep going the way u are perhaps try soaking the small bit of hay you give her so theres not so much in it but shes still got something to eat, its really hard but these m and ms can live on concrete i swear. cut out the days with more grass.
 
I'm glad somebody has finally said this!! Youngsters can, indeed, get lammi.

I would keep her on restricted grazing but give some form of vits/mins to ensure she has the nutrients needed to continue her good growth. At 2 years she is over the most critical period.
 
Thank you everyone.

Glad the diet is the way to go - I thought the same as someone said, that being overweight at a young age is bad for the limbs.

Will get a youngstock mix, mineral lick and carry on with her in shetland paddock with the hay.
 
This is very interesting. A forum member was recently congratulated on her success in the showring with a 3yo. After some very nice pictures were the words

Now letting him drop weight and muscle back to a young 3 year old shape until I build him up for the next big show at Easter.

WHY???????
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I think anyone putting weight on any youngster for such ends is........well, I'd better not say
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Interestingly the RIHS had a showing class for slim show ponies. Don't know how it went but hoo-bloody-ray for trying.

And well done OP for asking how to get a baby thin.
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You need to keep up a steady and sensible weight loss program and sustain it over the winter so your youngster hits spring with a condition score of no more than 3. Natives are actually designed to do this.

Good luck.
 
muzzle
my filly has worn one peroidically to control weight without restricting turnout since she was 11months old and shes been fine.she still gets a balancer.she is WB and it certainly didnt stunt her growth!
youngsters can and do get lami.they are at less risk because they are growing.
overweight youngsters have a whole load of other problems too like OCD and other growth issues.
i prefere to muzzle and bring in for a slice of hay and the minerals and vitamins because this way they are out with pals, not bored stuck in and they can have a large area to play in too.
 
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