so upset!

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moodymare123

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Sorry abit of a rant here, but advice would be appreciated!
Anyway atm my pony is abit underweight, due to rubbish grazing. So he is having to feeds a day and In each one he has half a scoop of calm and condition, five big handfuls of hi-fi light original and half a scoop of barely rings and in the morning feed he is having pink powder supplement. Each time he is fed he is having 3 sections of hay.
I have wormed him and he is absolutely fine in himself, still hyper and always wanting to go so I have been gently riding him once a week to stop him from ticking over!
Anyway, went riding yesterday and went past a 'friends' yard so we got talking then her mom came over looked my pony up and down and said 'that pony looks as though he is on the verge of starvation, if you don't do anything rspca will be called out, it would be able to get something down him the poor thing' so I just carried on riding not saying a word, bearing in mind it completely broke me into tears. Everyone else on my yard disagree's with this and just says he has no topline due to winter. Any tips or advice I could use to get him back on track?

Tea and biscuits if you have got this far!
 
How big is your pony? Breed and age??

It does sound like alot of feed to be pouring into him if he is looking a bit poor - how long has he been on the food regime?

Do you have a picture?

Xx
 
A picture would be good, if not can you describe his condition. Can you see his ribs or feel them, is he pot bellied etc.

How old is he, what is your worming programme, how much riding are you doing.

More details would help.
 
Obviously can't comment without pics, but I spoke to my vet once about one of mine, felt she was a bit slim, esp in comparison to some of the others on the yard I was on at the time. Vet told me theres were all to fat!
 
This is the thing... People are so used to seeing fat horses and thinking that it's normal, that a horse that isn't fat appears too skinny!

If you can just feel his ribs, I'd say he's probably ok, grass will be growing soon as well! :)
 
It's a horrible, matter of fact thing to say when you are obviously spending a fortune on feed! also as we all know the RSPCA wouldn't be interested one little bit, so let the interferigmd bag call it she wishes.
I would consider ringing the vet though as there might be something going on, though if you can feel but not see his ribs he sounds the right weight to me. Maybe you should condition score him and see if it's one area he looks poor in.
 
If you want to compare an image for a pony that is starving have a look at this week's horse and hound! People are used to seeing fat ponies and that may be part of it. But I would echo the view that you are feeding a huge amount - especially for a fairly small pony in what is a traditionally good doing breed.

You could post a Pic and we'll have a go at it - or have a go at condition scoring him yourself. But if he is underweight on that amount of feed it might be worth having a word with a vet to see if there is anything else going on.
 
But on the thin side with condition doesn't look bad. Thin, rough shaggy, pot belly does. I am no suggesting that is how your pony looks. Like others said pics help.

But agree with the premises that fat looks good when it doesn't. I'm always fighting bulge with mine and am happy for poor grazing! Mine live on haylage and vits and mins. Took me ages to realise how little some horse's need. It's a bit of a stigma to not feed as you are seen as cheap and not doing the best for your horse.

I would suggest you check into Equi Jewel which is rice bran. Very small amounts are great for weight gain. Obviously check with your vet or a nutritionist. I am neither. When my jumper mare is competing instead of adding a bunch more concentrates I add the rice bran and amp up more vits and mins with of course the proper add in's.

Don't let mean people get you down.

Terri
 
Until I see a picture of your pony, I can't adequately comment. However, that said, it takes a long time for a horse to look skinny and I have to question why he wasn't being given the feed BEFORE he became underweight. Also, having three members of horsey fat fighters on my yard, I have found the biggest influence on weight is exercise, or lack of it. If the owners have been a bit slack one week and not ridden, the horse will put on weight despite being on a diet. Conversely, if a horse is underweight, it will lose more weight through exercise. I would therefore not be riding a skinny horse.

A third thing to consider, it whether there is something medically wrong with your pony if it is not gaining weight on the amount of food you are now feeding it. Are you monitoring its weight with a weight tape at all?
 
Without pictures it is hard to say but, we are coming out of winter, he should be lean, is unlikely to have much topline if he is only worked once a week. If the people on your yard don't think you need to worry I'm not sure I would let the words of 1 person (who may or may be knowledgeable) bother me. You will know yourself whether he is underweight or just lean. I allow mine to become lean over winter, deliberately, they are not worked at the moment so don't need to look fit and in show condition. There is a huge difference between a horse that is competition fit and a pony that is hacked out once a week.
 
Obviously haven't seen your pony so I can't comment on him specifically.

But mine was ill recently and dropped a lot of weight, she looks very poor, she's put a bit back on now, but she's still quite ribby and her back end looks poor, I've been schooling her lightly every day as she was hunting fit up until 3 weeks ago and I don't want to just have her doing nothing because she's a bit skinny. I've had the comments also, but people are just used to seeing fat horses, that's all it is. People think my cob needs to put weight on, I think he needs to lose it.

Mine is just on adlib hay/haylage, readigrass, speedibeet and formula 4 feet as a supplement. She'll be fine in a few weeks, spring grass will start to come through etc then I can get her back into proper work.
 
Can't comment on your pony without seeing pics, but at my old yard I used to get lectured by a woman who used to tell me that HP was way too thin & would get ill. This picture was taken about that time!
picture.php


Needless to say her horses wobbled when they walked!
 
hairycob said:
Can't comment on your pony without seeing pics, but at my old yard I used to get lectured by a woman who used to tell me that HP was way too thin & would get ill. This picture was taken about that time!
picture.php


Needless to say her horses wobbled when they walked!
Click to expand...

I'm on the phone to the RSPCA as I type Hairycob! How could you let him get so thin and still compete him?! (some people! Her horses must have been obese!:D)
 
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