Weight control without being cruel

EmmasMummy

EmmasMummy

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We have 2 ponies - a sec A gelding who isn't a great doer, and a Shetland who just has to breath to expand!

Well, over winter he has come one ok, he was a tad skinny but in the last 2 weeks I would now say that I wouldn't want him too much bigger, he is prob about a 3.
The Shetland however, holy cow! I have to admit that as they haven't been getting much use that she has just had a quick brush/check over as she was out naked over winter and I didnt want to mess up her waterproofing. So today I was doing a massive dee fluff, and even after taking out 1/2 a tub trug full she is still huge and also well, she wobbles!

So, there is going to need to be serious weight control this summer. They are in about 1.6 acres, and its currently 1 field as the Shetland is a fence trasher - even if its on she will trash electric fence in search of food. So I am thinking I will need to do a proper wooden fenced off area and then add in the electric fence - as if she cant just run through it she might get a shock and not push the wooden fence. BUT its going to have ot be a small area - say 30 x 20 metres where she will get hay also, but very little grass.

Then this poses the problem of the Sec a, He will then have more grass and well, I don't want 2 fat ponies.

I'm considering moving them to a yard, but that's finances dependant - I would get a discount for the Shetland but not the sec a who is only 2 inches bigger! - but that will also mean that I can advertise for a sharer so some kid could have the shettie to ride.

I am also considering just loaning them both out, but the Sec A isn't broken - he is 4 next month - and the Shetland only does walk and trot and doesn't seem to like adults (kids she loves!)
 
if you feed hay then feed it double or even triple soaked over 24 or 48 hours (as in empty out the water and re-soak to start again).

I am having a problem with my fat pony who has huuge amounts of land to roam- shes just tipping the fat range- I can just about feel her ribs at the minute but not easily! I will have to get a muzzle if she gets fatter- really don't like them though and she has a tantrum when shes had one on before.

best thing you can do is starvation paddock really- put some low sugar licks in for entertainment. unfortunatly I don't have this option with mine- shed just jump the fences to get back to her friends
 
Weight control is not cruel.
You will definatly need to provide a secure starvation paddock for the Shetland and you will have to move the section A in and out on a daily basis.
And you will have to provide exercise Shetlands( and welshies ) are designed to work and you will need to at least lead her out most days my mum used to walk my Shetland with the dogs.
If your pony wobbles it is not well it's running the risk of extremely painful ( and expensive to treat ) illness.
Keep an close eye on the welshy at four growth will slow down and fat may start to pile on .
Good luck with it pony wieght control is hard work but it can be done.
 
Diets are most def NOT cruel - far crueler to let her get laminitis and the pedal bones to rotate and come out of her hoof, or for her internal organs and ventricles to be so clogged with fat that they cannot pump body efficiently around her body or function properly etc etc

Best idea to me is to do a track system, have just put mine up last weekend. ITs where you fence around the whole space you have leaving a track the horses go on - as yours are little about 8 ft would be ok, mine is 12 as they are horses.

This ensures the horses are getting lots of exercise as the track encourages more natural movement patterns and they have to be able to exercise in order for the weight to come off. Putting them in a small area defeats the point of this. The track system also limits the grass, however you could muzzle during the day when the sugars are at their highest and take it off over night if you felt she was still gaining or not losing.

As its a shettie id suggest one strand of the track is cattle wire electric fencing - this means the whole of what they touch is electric, rather than the few strands in pony tape, and its gives a more effective bite!
 
Cheers guys. Id forgotten about the track system. I am trying to formulate a plan and may have one - if I fence the field into 2 again, with the 20x30 area where my LO can ride the shettie (when she decides she wants to!) then put up a track system in one half of the field. The grass will grow in the other side but, I can keep it down as the neighbours have 2 horses and are on about the same acreage and having the opposite problem of not enough grass so the horses could maybe pop in there a few evenings a week.

Will also give the girls who have the horses an open invitation again to borrow the shetland for their friends who can ride but just want something to mess about on. And maybe get her to canter!
Still going to keep an eye out for a 2nd hand shetland trap - I remember seeing a 4 wheeled version years ago
 
What about going to ask at a few local livery yards if there's any horsey Mums with toddlers who'd like to ride him too? And for driving stuff if you know anyone who regularly goes to auctions/sales get them to look, you sometimes get some in with the tack.
 
EmmasMummy said:
Cheers guys. Id forgotten about the track system. I am trying to formulate a plan and may have one - if I fence the field into 2 again, with the 20x30 area where my LO can ride the shettie (when she decides she wants to!) then put up a track system in one half of the field. The grass will grow in the other side but, I can keep it down as the neighbours have 2 horses and are on about the same acreage and having the opposite problem of not enough grass so the horses could maybe pop in there a few evenings a week.

Will also give the girls who have the horses an open invitation again to borrow the shetland for their friends who can ride but just want something to mess about on. And maybe get her to canter!
Still going to keep an eye out for a 2nd hand shetland trap - I remember seeing a 4 wheeled version years ago[/Quote

look at the carriage link website for lots of second hand carriages and harness lots of stuff on there.
You will need to get help if you have never driven and she's not broken to drive but it's a great way to get ponys wieght down and it's the sort of work Shetlands are designed to do.
My BF does horse driving trials and that all stared off with a wieght control programme for a fat welsh pony.
Click to expand...
 
littlelegs said:
What about going to ask at a few local livery yards if there's any horsey Mums with toddlers who'd like to ride him too? And for driving stuff if you know anyone who regularly goes to auctions/sales get them to look, you sometimes get some in with the tack.
Click to expand...

I have thought of this, but the big issue is that they are at my parents and well..............my dad is not the social type. He doenst mind the neighbours kids strangely - think cos they remind him of my sis and I. BUT everyone else knows not to come in his garden (the other wee kids were heard saying not to come in Peters garden or he will come and get you and chase you away!).

Another option is that someone I know has a number of horses and lets them out to local kids..........might see if she has room for a shetland, and the welshie can tag along as he is meant to be broken this year.


Ugh, if I lived closer to the ponies I could go down for longer each day rather than like 30/40 mins. and do more with them. keep the weight down
 
Goldenstar said:
look at the carriage link website for lots of second hand carriages and harness lots of stuff on there.
You will need to get help if you have never driven and she's not broken to drive but it's a great way to get ponys wieght down and it's the sort of work Shetlands are designed to do.
My BF does horse driving trials and that all stared off with a wieght control programme for a fat welsh pony.
Click to expand...

Cheers, will have a nosey. No I have never driven before but I know a few folk that have so would be asking them for some help. I think the Shetland might like it really, as she likes to be out, but is not overly keen on being ridden - unless its a wee toot. She is a very cantankerous Shetland!
 
A friend broke her daughters shettie to drive when it was in its twenties, only liked toddlers riding it so difficult to keep weight off & pony really enjoyed it.
 
While you are looking for a carriage for the shettie why not do some lunging and long reining? Lunging will get her fit and help get weight off her while not being too time consuming, you could work on getting her canter established on the lunge too. Long reining would be good practice for you both for when you come to drive, it would also help you keep fit ;) .

That and a track system, and maybe even a grazing muzzle too and you might get her looking trim!

Definitely encourage the kids next door to borrow her as much as possible, she needs work as well as a limited diet.

And if you need to feed extra fibre, consider oat straw rather than hay. JFTD does that with her highlands, so a PM to her might be worth while.
 
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