seriously need advice about overweight horse

He's not any fatter than most of the horses I have seen in the show ring this summer so don't panic. I agree with all of the suggestions - they are good ones. I would prefer to see a horse constantly having fibre moving through his system than starving him and ending up with colic etc. so try the soaking and also try feeding straw - though you need to introduce it gradually
 
My horse is a very good doer too. Even when she's in full work she can put weight on with no hard feed either. As far as the grazing muzzle is concerned - I would give it another try because without mine I would never have been able to get Jenny slimmed down and keep the weight off. I found mine rubbed too so I bought a piece of fibregee - the padded stuff that you put under bandages - and cut it into pieces and stitched it round the webbing of the muzzle to pad it and found that is no longer rubbed as all.
Jenny slimmed down from a wopping 620kg to a more reasonable 510kg!
When she was dieting, she was out in her muzzle during the day, and on soaked hay (to leach the nutrients out) at night and she was also changed onto shavings to stop her eating her bed.
Now - although she's not slim, she's reasonable - she is out in her muzzle during the day and in on a small amount of double netted haylage at night. She gets a vitamin supplement and superflex and thats seems to be keeping her weight at bay. I also use a weigh tape once weekly to moniter her weight to make sure its not creeping on again. I can't emphasize the grazing muzzle enough though as I would never of got her trimmed down without it.
 
Please don't keep only feeding your horse 4 slices of hay every 24 hours, this can actually make the weight problem worse not better as their body can go into "starvation mode" and hang on to every spare ounce of fat.

As others have said, soak your hay for at least 12 hours, rinse it well and then feed it. Ad lib. It will be full of fibre but not the calories and is essential for your horse's wellbeing to keep the hindgut moving.

Also feed a low calorie balancer to ensure that all the vitamins and minerals are still being given. Really important when a horse is on a restricted diet.

We struggle with one of our good doers so you have my absolute sympathy.

And when you do work your horse make sure you do LOTS of brisk walking. That is the best way to really start to burn those calories off.
 
^^^^^^^ what ISH_Mad said^^^^^^^

My minis get a slice of hay in the morning and a slice at night each and they are only 150kg each.

Two slices of hay morning and night is noway near enough for a horse of your size im sorry
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hey guys!

firstly can i say to those that think that CVShotshot was being rude, you must have taken her comment the wrong way, she was merely asking where in that post could you see that there was a war being started! thats it! please dont be over sensitive!

secondly, i must measure my sections of hay differently than you becuase 2 sections isnt little, its actually a fair bit.

i didnt get a chance to take pics of him today but i promise i will get them tomorrow.

he was out all day today as i had to hack 2 lots of friesian stallions out for a friend and when i came to bring him in today he galloped over to the gate when he seen me, so its not creul keeping him in most of the day because he likes being in.
 
Firstly, I agree with everything ISH_Mad said, out of experience - my horse was far more overweight than yours and starving her wasn't the way to do it... she was put on a diet of ad-lib well-soaked hay, HiFi Lite and a feed balancer, and was turned out in a BARE paddock 24/7. She is now back in work and the weight is slowly coming off after our 3-4 times a week brisk walks. Exercise and a high-fibre, low-calorie diet are essential, and starving is NOT good.
As for your last comment:
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its not cruel keeping him in most of the day because he likes being in

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(Edited to correct spelling)
In 99% of cases, horses gallop over to the gate because it's their routine they like, not their stable. They know when you turn up at the end of the day, they come in. Horses are creatures of habit. It's nothing to do with the fact that he "likes being in" (although I'm not denying that there are some, very few, horses out there who actually hate being turned out). He's far better off out, trust me
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Oh dear...there really are some VERY oversensitive people on this forum!

I apologise if Any of you thought that was 'Rude'...please tell me which part offended you and which of you it has hurt and i will apologise specifically!
As for Baublezebub's comment about helping me...Im sorry but what help have you given me? ... All you have done from I joined this forum is Slag my horse & my siggy!
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As for Baublezebub's comment about helping me...Im sorry but what help have you given me? ... All you have done from I joined this forum is Slag my horse & my siggy!
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I have never said a word against your horses.
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From your past signature pics, and your posts, I have formed the opinion that you are not very experienced. Being a novice horse owner is no crime, however, and I am sure this forum will be a valuable source of advice to you.
B
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he dont look that bad just give him soaked hay and a handful of hi fi lite with some naf slim line in that is a vit and min supplement. turn him out on a restricted area aswell so he can walk around!
 
When i opened this thread i expected to see a heifer of a horse. Ok so the horse isnt exactly "trim" but its hardly a huge cause for concern.

Re the muzzle - if its cutting the horse - maybe its the wrong size? or failing that put some sheep skin around the area where its rubs.

Exercise the horse more. Get the horse on a stable diet and a good exercise regime.

As for some of the rude comments - people are on here to help you - show a bit of appreciation.
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If it was my horse, I woudn't worry - chuck him out without rugs - unless it is raining then give him a LW, and he will do what horses are designed to do naturally and burn the weight that he has gained over summer, to keep him warm through winter and come spring he will look fine.

(but for the record - that is not a seriously overweight horse - there is one near me that looks like it could barely pick its own legs up!!)
 
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I have never said a word against your horses.
grin.gif

From your past signature pics, and your posts, I have formed the opinion that you are not very experienced. Being a novice horse owner is no crime, however, and I am sure this forum will be a valuable source of advice to you.
B
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Haha...
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Oh you are a funny person arnt you.

Saying as most of the photos in my past signatures have been of an international rider...and international horses at an international yard...you are obviously slightly inexperienced yourself!...so its okay, we can learn from some 'valuable information' from this forum together!
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I have never said a word against your horses.
grin.gif

From your past signature pics, and your posts, I have formed the opinion that you are not very experienced. Being a novice horse owner is no crime, however, and I am sure this forum will be a valuable source of advice to you.
B
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Im not trying to start a fight or be rude everyones advice has been helpfull to me and thank you for it but to be honest the comment that you made about CVShotshots horse in her sig was quite stupid when the rider in question on the horse is an international rider and two time olympian, so your comment about her not being very experianced was stupid when shes obviously extremely experianced, more so than most if not everyone on the fourm.

please dont have petty arguements on a public fourm!
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

I have never said a word against your horses.
grin.gif

From your past signature pics, and your posts, I have formed the opinion that you are not very experienced. Being a novice horse owner is no crime, however, and I am sure this forum will be a valuable source of advice to you.
B
grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Im not trying to start a fight or be rude everyones advice has been helpfull to me and thank you for it but to be honest the comment that you made about CVShotshots horse in her sig was quite stupid when the rider in question on the horse is an international rider and two time olympian, so your comment about her not being very experianced was stupid when shes obviously extremely experianced, more so than most if not everyone on the fourm.

please dont have petty arguements on a public fourm!

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I said CVSHotshot is inexperienced, in my opinion (not that there is anything wrong with that
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). I didn't actually comment on the quality of riding displayed in her previous signature.
Ah, I remember the good old days when I was your age/s and knew everything too.
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Now I try to be polite when I ask for advice and someone takes the time and trouble to respond, even if I don't choose to act upon the advice offered.
B
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Ok, now I'm lost and feel as if I've somehow got stuck in the middle of a war between Daretodream and CVSHotShot.
Goodbye, good luck.
B
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What ARE you talking about now??

What exactly have you read that even remotely suggests a 'War'? Honestly...I think you just like to stir Sh*t!

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Actually, before Daretodream said you were her sister, it looked as if you were hijacking her post, putting up pics of another horse for comparison (it was not immediately obvious, incidentally, that this was Daretodream's (very handsome!) boy. When Daretodream told B that you were her sister she immediately said 'Ok' and gave her suggestions. And this happened BEFORE you posted the above comment. Under the circumstances, your accusation that B was sh*tstirring was VERY unfair and rather rude, regardless of anything that happened in any previous threads. When someone asks for help and GETS it, no matter WHAT the source (and for the record, B is VERY knowledgeable) then it seems petty and ungrateful to comment in the manner you did.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

I have never said a word against your horses.
grin.gif

From your past signature pics, and your posts, I have formed the opinion that you are not very experienced. Being a novice horse owner is no crime, however, and I am sure this forum will be a valuable source of advice to you.
B
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[/ QUOTE ]

Im not trying to start a fight or be rude everyones advice has been helpfull to me and thank you for it but to be honest the comment that you made about CVShotshots horse in her sig was quite stupid when the rider in question on the horse is an international rider and two time olympian, so your comment about her not being very experianced was stupid when shes obviously extremely experianced, more so than most if not everyone on the fourm.

please dont have petty arguements on a public fourm!

[/ QUOTE ]

I said CVSHotshot is inexperienced, in my opinion (not that there is anything wrong with that
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). I didn't actually comment on the quality of riding displayed in her previous signature.
Ah, I remember the good old days when I was your age/s and knew everything too.
grin.gif

Now I try to be polite when I ask for advice and someone takes the time and trouble to respond, even if I don't choose to act upon the advice offered.
B
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[/ QUOTE ]

i wouldnt call 10/11 years of riding inexperianced really.

was there not a comment about the riders position and the overbentness of the horse?
the horse was in training with this particual international rider so nowhere in that sig could anyone of made an assumption that CVShotshot was inexperianced.

anyway this topic was about my b-e-a-utiful fatty flashy, why does it seem that he is no longer centre of attention? lol
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[ QUOTE ]

i wouldnt call 10/11 years of riding inexperianced really.

was there not a comment about the riders position and the overbentness of the horse?
the horse was in training with this particual international rider so nowhere in that sig could anyone of made an assumption that CVShotshot was inexperianced.

anyway this topic was about my b-e-a-utiful fatty flashy, why does it seem that he is no longer centre of attention? lol
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<font color="blue"> I could explain why I have reached my opinion of your sister, but it wouldn't get any of us anywhere.
And we have suggested diet/fitness regimes to ensure your fatty flashy is even more beautiful, even if dieting will mean there is less of him
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.
B
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PS Avoid the greying miniweasels at all costs!
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PapaFrita...I think it was quite obvious &amp; Baublezebub even understood that I was not 'hijacking' her post. It would be rather pointless of me to post photos of another horse dont you think?

Also ChristmasCarrie1983-you obviously havnt read half the posts or you would see that any advice anyone has offered has been acknowledged and everyone has been thanked by dare to dream!
 
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PapaFrita...I think it was quite obvious &amp; Baublezebub even understood that I was not 'hijacking' her post. It would be rather pointless of me to post photos of another horse dont you think?

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Apologies. I must be very thick then as I didn't think it was that obvious at all. It's not unheard of for people who have an interest in a subject to post pics of their own for advice/comparison and I'm not saying it's wrong. I can't imagine why else B would think you and daretodream were in some kind of 'war'.
 
CVSHotshot, Papa Frita is right - I thought that either you were the owner of the horse, and that dtd was the loanee and she was b1tching that you kept him dangerously overweight, when he wasn't, or you were the YO looking after him, and had found dtd criticising you (esp the in 24hrs comment).
Remember I don't know who is sisters with whom on a forum!
B
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Sorry I thought I had made it clear,

I do not come onto this forum to HiJack or bitch and have been taken up wrongly many times in different topics, So I apologise to anyone who misunderstood.
 
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