Reasonable weight?

[Box_Of_Frogs]

My 15.2, 22yr old Section D cob is just about to go out onto summer grazing and he weighs 540kg. The grazing is good and he will be out overnight, approx 4pm to 8am with just a haynet and a sniff of the chaff scoop during the day. I will be keeping a very close eye on his weight to avoid any danger of laminitis even though he's never had it before. I know weigh tapes aren't fantastically accurate but a check every few days will show a trend. Anyone know if 540kg is about right for my boy? He's ridden spring - autumn about 3 or 4 times a week and he has lost a bit over the last few weeks, as I'd expect for the end of the season. Thanks guys.

 

[pottamus]

My lad is a 15hh Welsh D of traditional build...he was 506 last autumn when he had a twinge of laminitis for the first time ever because he was not being ridden. The vet said he was overweight and should be a lot less than 506 because he was well covered, a bit cresty and had flabby bits behind his shoulders. I have worked hard all winter and got him down to 476kg and there is a bit more to come off...you still have to be firm to feel a rib!
They all differ so it is hard to tell but yes, keep checking with the weigh tape, keep well exercised and do a condition score. If in doubt your vet will tell you if he needs to loose weight!

 

[maddielove]

My welsh x anglo arab is 15.1, but very "chunky" she looks good an I hope she doesn't put on any more weight (well she can afford to put on a wee bit) the weigh tape reads 464kg (though i think it's totally inaccurate!)

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

It's impossible isn't it? I borrowed a friend's weigh tape for my first reading of 540kg but got my own (different brand) on Saturday and today - after 17 hours on great grazing - the new weigh tape said 469kg! I'm not convinced he actually has any ribs but he isn't cresty or flabby anywhere. Just got a big barrel! Thanks for your help guys. If I can work out how to get a pic on here I will! Other liveries think he is a typical cob build ie never gonna be anorexic but ok. Next time the vets are out I'll get their opinion. Thanks guys.

 

[wormhugs]

Hi there,
I have a 15.1hh 20 year old 'riding' type welsh cob, rather than the chunkier 'driving' type. He has had laminitis in the past and using the weigh tape he comes out as 405kg. Last summer he was 420kg. Currently you can just barely see his ribs (I realise that this is on the slim side, but I am so paranoid about his weight, I do the weigh tape about twice a week

). Last week I started muzzling him again as I was having a bit of a prod and poke and spotted his crest had become quite solid and he had a fatty pad below his shoulder. These have both reduced after a week of having his evil grazing muzzle on.
If your grazing is good you may want to think about ways to restrict how much he is chomping

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Thanks wormhugs. Not easy with good doers is it? I'm defo weigh taping him daily and at the first sign of a problem he's gonna be moved to the car park! Gotta ask: do you hug worms? Just wondered coz my neighbours think I'm mad when eg today, the sun is warm but the weather is cold so bumble bees are tempted out but they get chilled very easily and can't fly home and so would die. If I find one, I bring a teaspoon of sugar wet with a few drops of water and hold it under their proboscis so they can suck up a huge intake of calories and they soon rev up and zoom off home! I should be beehugs but - as you can see - am clearly as mad as a box of frogs. Nuff said! xxx

 

[wormhugs]

I shall think of you as Beehugs from now on

I did hug worms, well, kind of! I did my PhD on the impacts of earthworms on carbon cycling and a fellow PhD student drew me a birthday card one year and she had written 'wormhugs' in the middle of the card, each letter made up of a different smiley worm

She was even madder than a box of frogs

I liked it, so I've adopted the name as my own!
What a totally lovely thing to do to help those chilly bumblies! Will def. remember that if I ever come across a dopey one in the future