To muzzle/strip graze/stable?

RubyFrench

RubyFrench

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From reading posts many people seem to be armed at the ready to strip graze as soon as the first new blade of spring grass comes through....

I've just bought a new horse and have no idea how well/too well he will do. He lives out 24/7 but his field is by no means huge, I would actually say it is a little on the small side but this is just how the yard is set out.

If I wait and "see how he goes" and he gets a bit porky is that too late to starting doing something about it? He is my first horse so don't have much experience with it all, the cob I had on loan last year had to be stabled for minimum of 6 hours a day, but this was a yard rule and applied to all horses not just mine.

So I am wandering whether I should muzzle or stable him in anticipation or just let him get on with it. He's a 15.1hh X breed, had growth rings (?) on his hooves recently from changing paddocks too often, but they have now grown out and he is unshod.

Sorry it turned out to be so long!!
 
Personally (from experience) would muzzle and let him stay out if that's what he's used to. Hate to have mine in longer than necessary.

Have tried strip grazing but find it a right faff having to keep moving the fence on a regular basis.

You could try a happy medium in splitting his current paddock into 2, putting muzzle on and then rotating him from one side to the other? That way he doesn't have all the grass at once and if he looks to be getting tubby you can keep in on one side only where grass will be shorter.
 
i would just see how he goes and if he is a tubby person maybe strip graze and give him plenty of excercise.we will need piccies when you get him and also people could say what they think of his current weight which may help you to know how to manage him.....will you be having lessons? if so i would ask your instructor for advice as well... did you get him vetted? and has he had any previous history of laminitis?

have lots of fun with him, its a bit daunting at first but we all have to start sometime....good luck:D
 
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Here he is! What does everyone think of him?

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Im not having lessons at the moment, he had been out of work for 10 weeks when i got him so just concentrating on getting his fitness back up and hacking out a couple of times a week before i do! But i would like to have 1 every couple of weeks or so eventually
 
I would not be restricting his access to food for some time, he looks rather poor and tucked up in the photo. If he does get his weight up possibly think about some restriction if he needs it then.
 
He's a little underweight atm, but thats not a horrendous position to be going into spring with - far better than already fat then adding spring grass and getting an obese equine with lami and equine metabolic syndrome :)

However you dont know how he reacts to spring grass so watch out for hot feet, footyness, pulses etc. You dont want him fat - comes with faaaar too many issues.

If you think he's heading that way you can do a track around his field, if its small you can just do an oval of electric tape in the middle which creates a track so encourages more movement. Stabling to keep slim takes away the exercise factor so is not actually that helpful.

Best of luck he looks lovely :)
 
He looks a real sweetie!

However I would let him put a bit of weight on before you worry about strip grazing or muzzling. Once he has put on a bit more weight You'll probably find he needs his saddle refitting or changing - horses love you to spend money on them!
 
Lovely, but in my opinion doesn't need restricted grazing at present. Keep an eye on him when the grass really gets going April onwards. I tried the track system after reading about it on here last year - basically electric fence a track about 3 metres all around the field. This means pony has to walk a greater distance compared with strip grazing or being confined to a small rectangular area. Some suggestion that muzzling/stabling too long without grazing resuts in pony scoffing more/faster when allowed. I've had 7 or 8 native ponies over the past 11 years (a few on the fat side) who lived out 24/7 and 'touch wood' never had laminitis. Apart from grazing and some hay in winter I only feed a balancer for extra nutrition around 2/3 of the full measure. Good luck with him.
 
I certainly wouldn't be restricting his grazing at this point. He needs more condition and more muscle. You need to invest in a weight-tape and monitor his weight every week. Did you have him vetted? What did the vet say about his weight? If not, I'd get a vet out and ask his opinion. It would also be useful to ask your farrier what he thinks about the horse's weight/condition.
I think you should take your fittening work very slowly, so that he can build muscle appropriately, short walks, maybe in hand at first, building into longer walks with hills.

He has a very sweet face, good luck!
 
I am with everyone who is saying he looks a bit poor from your pics. He needs to put on some more weight right now so my advice would be access to forage add lib and some hard feed. He looks a very sweet though, best of luck to you both.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies, I was aware he was in a sorry state, especially around his back end but didn't think his tummy looked too bad, but shows how much I know! When I got his he was out 24/7 with no extra hay so I've been giving him adlib hay, and some calm and condition with hifi whilst I bring him back into work! Still a long way to go!!
 
You are doing the right thing for now, monitor his weight gain, it should be gradual, he will then build up some muscle and start to look more round in his bottom and over his back.
I was just concerned that you were asking about putting a muzzle on when in my view he needed to put weight on not lose any.:)
 
To be honest i would not ride him at all untill he puts on some weight. I would contact one of the feed company advice lines to get some advice on feeding him. Are his teeth ok? has he had a worm count? He does look quite poor.
 
Sounds like you are doing the right thing re adlib hay and conditioning feed. Like someone else said, check for worms and teeth too. Also ensure you are feeding enough hard feed and definitely no muzzle! Good luck with him, lively kind face :-)
 
In response to the vetting question, no I didn't, I was very very naughty. As he came from a friend of a friend of a fiend type situation i knew a little about his history and just went and bought him :eek:

I am buying a saddle next month, so will do the whole shebang e.g. saddler, teeth, vet..... think I will give the feed companies a ring in the meantime!
 
agree with others, he looks sweet but rather poor. i was quite surprised to see his condition after your earlier questions.....i would suggest you get him checked over by a vet and ask advice re teeth and worming a s a p because if either of these are a problem any food you give him will not help him put on weight. prob not a good idea to do much riding yet but its a good idea to do lots of grooming and in hand work, take him out for walks to see how he is with traffic, dogs, tractors etc..this will make it easier when you do hack out on top. good luck with him....sounds like you will be a caring owner....
 
I would get the worming sorted out and his teeth done ASAP but leave getting the saddle fitted until he has put some muscle on his topline otherwise you are going to be chopping and changing rather often as he changes shape.It could get very expensive so just be aware that a saddle that fits him now will not in a few months, it may sound obvious but not all fitters are going to be thinking of your pocket.
Spend time without a saddle doing lots of ground work to help him build up and getting to know him, it will not be wasted in the long run.
 
sorry, my main concern when questioning the restricted grazing wasn't the fact he will get horrendously fat! was mostly worried about his feet, temperament etc! tbh, i didn't realise how poor his condition was until these comments, bad enough not to ride him anyhow. poor wes :(
 
I know it can be a nightmare watching out for lammi spring grass etc. As said before I would get some advice from feed companys etc most have helplines who will advise what will help put some weight on him.

How old is he? It would be best to get a worm count done and get his teeth checked. A check up from the vet would be a good idea to find out if there are any problems.
He really is quite poor so riding him is not fair on him, but hopefully he will improve with the right food etc
 
he is 10, i think he looks like a youngster! but his passport confirms born 2002! he is all leggy like a young one :)

i have emailed allen & page with a photo of him first and foremost as that is what i am feeding. also been in contact with the vet for egg count & teeth checking, so when i get paid in 2 weeks that will be first on my agenda!!
 
RubyFrench said:
In response to the vetting question, no I didn't, I was very very naughty. As he came from a friend of a friend of a fiend type situation i knew a little about his history and just went and bought him :eek:

I am buying a saddle next month, so will do the whole shebang e.g. saddler, teeth, vet..... think I will give the feed companies a ring in the meantime!
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TBH, I've never had a horse vetted, so I'm certainly not criticising you.

As to feed, I wouldn't give him hard feed. I've had a youngster which had been allowed to get into a poor condition and then fed up very quickly with hard feed. It caused her all sorts of problems, to the point where she couldn't tolerate sugar or cereals as she got a bit older.
I recommend a high fibre diet of soaked grassnuts, dried grass such as Graze-on and Speedibeet with ad-lib hay/lage. You should be aiming for slow healthy weight-gain. I'd be tempted to leave the saddler's visit for a while yet. He really would benefit from a few months to improve before you ride him and if you do get a saddle soon, it won't fit him for long, so it will get very expensive. I would take the time to do lots of groundwork with him, taking him for walks, building up your relationship as you build his muscles and fitness.

Good luck with him, he looks very sweet. What a shame he was allowed to get into this state. I think he is lucky to have found you.

ETA, I'd be very wary about following feed companies' advice, they are in business to sell feed, they will not advise feeding straights. If you are concerned about the possibility of laminitis, you need to stay away from starchy/sugary feed which is what the feed companies sell. Endorsement by the Laminitis trust doesn't necessarily mean that they are safe either.
 
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