Puzzle playing in the snow - and some crit please? (photos)

[Cedars]

First some fun photos of her playing in the snow, first time turn out in a week so she was a bit nuts!

And now some photos of her in general. Crit on her development/generally what you think? She's nearly 18months old now. Am aware she is overweight but struggling with the wood chewing.

And for comparison, what she looked like in the middle of summer:

 

[Paint it Lucky]

Glad she had a nice time in the snow! She looks a bit slimmer now than in the summer, wouldn't say she looks majorly overweight just has a bit of a grass belly. She looks very sweet. What's the wood chewing you mention? Sometimes horses do this if deficient in minerals, is she getting a balanced diet? Might be worth getting her a low-calorie balancer if you're not already. Equally wood-chewing can just be a sign of boredom/lack of things to chew, maybe give her soaked hay so you don't have to worry about calories when she's in. These are just stab in the dark comments as I don't know your situation so feel free to ignore me if I'm completely off-track!

 

[Ranyhyn]

No crit from me, she's GORGEOUS!

 

[Cedars]

No absolutely wont ignore you, thank you for your comments! I think she looks fatter now but then I'm not sure whats hair and what is blubber!!

Basically she ate 18 wooden fence rails in about 4 days....nowt wrong with her, checked with dentist and vet, and since she's been in she has stopped but is still slightly chewing her box. Anyway, the only way to stop her totally trashing the place is to be giving her more hay that I would normally want. She is getting a feed of haylage balancer as well. Vet convinced she wont be lacking (particularly as she already has a salt lick in her box), but thought I'd cover all corners!

I THINK shes probably just bored as it started when she was in a field with absolutely no grass in it because of our arena building that took far too long (long story!), but of course she is still doing it now. Again, more so in the last two days but she has been in her box since last weekend as was climbing the walls to get out!!

 

[Jesstickle]

Awww. She is lovely. Could she be wood chewing due to teething?
I don't think she looks fat really. I know they shouldn't carry too much when they're young but I would say she was nicely covered and that's all. It's probably all that fluff that makes her look fat anyway!

 

[christi]

Just down to being bored then , double or triple net the hay etc.

 

[Cedars]

Kitsune, thank you that made me smile =] she is just gorgeous to me.

Jesstickle, I spoke to her dentist who said that at 18months basically there is no way she could be teething as she's at least 4 months away from the next 'stage' even if she was early. She's being checked again in Jan hopefully anyway but I doont think there is anything wrong and I've had a good feel and cant feel any sharpness etc. Shes just trying to drive me loopy, obviously!

Christi - I tried that, she gave up on the net and started chewing the walls again! She'll only eat if its easy - she wont eat otherwise! Little bugger

 

[Benji1]

N'awwww shes lush. No suggestions as everything i thought of has been said.

One thing; if she ever drives you too mad, can I have her

 

[starsnrunes]

I love that last pic of her charging around. She's gorgeous.

No idea on weight...other than she doesn't look too fat to me, her bum doesn't have that apple shape yet so wouldn't worry too much...it's probably all the fluff (one of the resident shetlands suddenly got alot slimmer after she lost over an inch of hair lol)

RE the wood chewing...I'd go for starting through boredom that has possibley developed in to a habit. We have a colt at the yard who's a yearling (prob around 15 months) who chews the wall and scraps his teeth along the stable door quite alot.

 

[Cedars]

Thats what I'm panicked about, it becoming a habit!!

I'm glad you don't all think she's awfully overweight. I'm so paranoid about it! But then its difficult to know what is baby fat and what is actual fat!

 

[Dancing Queen]

she is lovely - very respectable!
LOVE HER!

 

[christi]

Christi - I tried that, she gave up on the net and started chewing the walls again! She'll only eat if its easy - she wont eat otherwise! Little bugger

Oh mine also likes Easy food , but then most of them do .

 

[Chunkie]

I'm glad you don't all think she's awfully overweight. I'm so paranoid about it! But then its difficult to know what is baby fat and what is actual fat!

I think you should be paranoid - that IS actual fat and she needs to be found a new home immediately where her dietary needs will be taken seriously.

I will PM you my address, or just tell me where you live and I'll be there with the trailer this afternoon. P.S. - will she grow big enough for me, I'm what they call a "pony squisher"!

Flamehead, she is gorgeous and I want her. Her head reminds me so much of my own mare - what is her breeding?

 

[Iceni]

Snow, what snow??!! That's not snow me dear!

Think she's looks fabulous!

 

[Hippona]

She is a stunner I Like......

FWIW...she doesnt look fat to me. She looks hairy, thats all
Like you, I have 2 hairies....I worry about their weight and they have hardly anything apart from hay...a small smideon of chaff with pink powder for tea. Their coats are so thick I can bury my hand in them

 

[crunchie1]

Ditto the others, she is not fat !

But she is lovely

 

[AmyMay]

The chewing is such a baby thing to do. Think about putting a log in her stable to chew on - she'll love it. And also the same in the field.

She's a smasher - well covered, but fluffy - so looks can be diceptive. I certainly wouldn't want to deprive her of hay. But in the summer, look perhaps to put her on slightly poorer grazing, and drop the food if she was getting any.

 

[Cedars]

No idea on the breeding - mum was a thoroughbred x!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here is a photo of mum:

So daddy must have been wider than he was tall! But mum was a charity rescue and Puzzle was born at WHW.

I can completely lose my hand in her coat too!!! During the summer she was on too much grazing so we will restrict more next time.

I'm glad you all like her =]

Oh, and as for the snow! Its nothing compared to what we usually have - but she thought it was fascinating and spent ages picking lumps up in her mouth!