Talk to me about fatties!!

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LadyRascasse

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I am devastated to say I hadn't noticed just how fat Jack has gotten on his enforced holiday! He is off to Horsepital tomorrow but when he is home he is going on a diet. He currently has a cup of balancer (about 250gms) as he keeps stealing it of Kody so thought it was easier to feed them the same. He is currently in about a 2 acre field with Kody, they keep breaking/jumping out of any pen I make for them. So my plan is to ask my YO if I can use an overgrazed paddock for a short period of time to get some weight off him (he might say no as he doesn't like his paddocks overgrazed which is understandable)

I have muzzled him tonight for the first time, so would you keep him muzzled in the over grazed paddock? Obviously supplemented with soaked hay. Would you still feed balancer? How long do you muzzle for? Sorry never had a fatty or this much grass before so totally new territory for me.

FYI he is a 16.2 12 year TB gelding, no suggestions for exercise yet as he is lame and undergoing tests to find the cause so until its found I can't exercise him. He is embarrassingly very fat (slight crest, fat pads above the tail) condition score 4 possible 4.5. I know I am going to be told off by the vets tomorrow :( but totally my own fault for not thinking he could get that fat. He is usually super slim and fit (not skinny)

Thank you for your help, please be gentle I know I am a total idiot and in a self made mess!!
 
Don't beat yourself up - it isn't constructive . . . you have recognized that he has a problem and you have asked for advice.

In your shoes, I would not be feeding the balancer . . . just well soaked hay and muzzle him. Have you had him tested for EMS? I know you can't work him because he's lame, but if the vets are ok with him going out in the field when he comes home could you set up a track system?

I would be having a real heart-to-heart with the YO to press home how important it is for your boy to be on NO grass . . . pull on his heartstrings.

I am sure others will be much more constructive than I . . . but I wish you much luck and hope you find a workable solution for you boy.

P
 
I would suggest muzzling during the day as that is when there is the most sugar in the grass. I think an overgrazed field without a muzzle will be ok, mine lost a lot of weight on an overgrazed field without a muzzle in a matter of two weeks. She gets very little exercise and is a very good doer :)
 
Not much to add other than I would opt for overnight turnout if possible, with the muzzle?

I'm in a similar situation, also with a normally slim TB! The grazing is very good at our yard and she was lame on and off for about 6 months in total. She has ballooned. Thankfully she is now sound so we are able to use exercise to help but have also ordered a muzzle for her. We had a photo shoot done the other day and I knew we had to work on reducing her weight but wow it really emphasised it :-(
Hope you get to the bottom of the lameness soon
 
Thank you for all the answers, I don't want to stable him if at all possible (but I guess that depends on what the vets say) as nothing is in and he would be very stressed in on his own as its an american barn with no way of seeing the other. I tried a track but the sods jumped out, Vet didn't want him moving about too much as they don't know what it causing his lameness (I suspect they want him box rested but I won't do that at the min as it makes handling very difficult) I can ask the vets about EMS tomorrow as he is going to have a cathitor in so taking blood would be easy while he is there. But isn't that the test where if the are stressed the results are inaccurate?

So no hard feed, muzzle during the day? or 24/7? soaked hay, 12hours or 24hours? sorry for the 150 questions, just want him to lose some weight so he can live with his companion.
 
Get some magnesium oxide it helps get rid of the pads, they are not fat it is a chemical build up due to him not being able to break down the sugar in his diet, my mare ended up much the same when she was lame and this really helped. You can buy it from natural horse suplies on line:)

My mare always tests negative for ems but she has all the signs so I manage her much like a laminitic, cushings test was negative too :/
 
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Dont beat yourself up about it, atleast you realise he needs to lose the weight.

You mention his field is overgrazed but he must be getting calories from somewhere? If you feed hay in the field make sure its well soaked so it gets rid of the sugars.
If he is on any hard feed, then get rid, he really doesnt need it.
Could you make a track system in your field so hes having to move when grazing?
Or try a muzzle (this never went down well with mine at all.
Do you have a stable he can come into to get off the grass?
I understand he is out of work so exercise at the moment is out of the question but hopefully you will be able to fight the fat when he comes back into work.
Judging by the weight, he will be at a big risk of EMS which could bring on nasty lami, due to his low metabalism. Maybe speak to your vet and see what they suggest.
Good luck!
 
my lot are all doing ridiculously well this year, seems if i take my eye off the ball for a minute one of them goes from acceptable to obese overnight!
 
LadyRascasse said:
Thank you for all the answers, I don't want to stable him if at all possible (but I guess that depends on what the vets say) as nothing is in and he would be very stressed in on his own as its an american barn with no way of seeing the other. I tried a track but the sods jumped out, Vet didn't want him moving about too much as they don't know what it causing his lameness (I suspect they want him box rested but I won't do that at the min as it makes handling very difficult) I can ask the vets about EMS tomorrow as he is going to have a cathitor in so taking blood would be easy while he is there. But isn't that the test where if the are stressed the results are inaccurate?

So no hard feed, muzzle during the day? or 24/7? soaked hay, 12hours or 24hours? sorry for the 150 questions, just want him to lose some weight so he can live with his companion.
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I would be careful if muzzling in overgrazed paddock, my mare couldn't get to the grass at all and went down to one poo in a day, really scared of colic so I opted for in daytime out in pen over night, she us already looking better. If you've got some length on the grass it should be fine, if not count poo! A good number is around 8-10 in 24 hours, I am now poo obsessed but I soon know if too much is going in one end by what comes out the other or vice versa.

And I'm in the embarrassed my horse got fat club, welcome!
 
Thanks when I say overgrazed, I mean by this yards standard. He could easily get it through the muzzle and he will have soaked hay as well to substitute the grass as I don't want him getting colic or ulcers. Have spoken to the YO and he is happy for Jack to have that paddock when he gets back until he has lost the 62kgs!!
 
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