Weight loss ideas that don’t involve riding/work

[pixie27]

Need some ideas on helping my horse lose weight. He’s a lightweight cob build, approx 15h. Probably at a 4/5 body score condition now, due to being off work since June & on very rich grass. Out at night then in during the day on a small hay net.

Can’t up the work as he’s been lame - injected coffin joints & started walk work rehab but now he’s lame again behind after field antics. Have tried muzzling but it caused so many sores on his nose.

I’ve been away a lot for work so this has snuck up on me. Not helped by yard using him as a lawnmower on the fields that need eating down. Vet saw him a week ago and said yes he’s fat but isn’t concerned enough to do anything drastic / focus on getting him sound & back into work.

So anything else I can try? Take him off grass? Will ask if the yard will soak his hay. Should I try the muzzle again? Help, I feel so truly awful / guilty about not catching it sooner.

 

[cauda equina]

Maybe try a different brand or style of muzzle
Could you make his turnout into a track at all?
And I'd be telling the yard that he is not under any circumstances to be used as a lawnmower

 

[Bellalily]

I’d pop him out at night on a small field with some grass that’s already been eaten down and bring him in during the day with soaked hay. It only needs an hour, so easy to do whilst you’re mucking out etc. Mine has done the same, but it’s been me that’s been lame, so I’m glad it’s the end of the summer. The grass has definitely slowed right down at last.

 

[Surbie]

What muzzle have you tried? Mine is out 24/7 in a thinline muzzle, on ex-dairy grass and is losing weight. He's in minimal work because I am a crock. He hasn't tried to get rid of the muzzle and has been wearing it since the beginning of June. No rubs, no wear on his teeth and it doesn't stop him interacting with his fieldmates. He's gone down 7 sections on the weigh tape since then.

I'd also tell the YO to soak the hay, stop using him as a lawnmower and put him somewhere more sparse, particularly as he has joint issues. Extra weight won't help him and we still have the autumn flush to deal with.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I would bring him in to a huge bucket of chopped oat straw chaff. If he is hungry he will eat it, you could give him a tiny amount of hay to encourage him to come in. Put him out at night on a minimal amount of grass. He certainly afford to get any fatter.

 

[pixie27]

Thanks all. @Surbie that’s good to hear, he was in a green guard and rubbed awfully so I’ll try the Thinline.

We don’t really have any sparse fields, so short of moving yards (which I’d do if that’s our best option), I don’t have much control over the field situation. (And yes will be saying about the lawnmower thing once he’s off box rest.)

 

[Surbie]

Thanks all. @Surbie that’s good to hear, he was in a green guard and rubbed awfully so I’ll try the Thinline.

We don’t really have any sparse fields.

We don't either, I feel your pain! If you go for the thinline, don't be tempted to cut the hole bigger.

 

[Highmileagecob]

My cob lived in a Tough 1 Easy Breathe imported from USA. It fitted better than any I had tried, and allowed him to graze. Any signs of rubbing were padded with strips of neoprene and he tolerated it well.

 

[RLS]

One of mine has to wear a muzzle (bucket stile), which rubbed her face. So tried a fly mask (one of those close fitting stretchy nylon ones that covers most of the head) on first, then muzzle over the top. And voila! all the rubbing stopped. Worth a try?

 

[pixie27]

Thanks both! That fly mask trick is great, will look at using one like that straight away to avoid the rubs. He was mainly rubbed underneath his chin and on one side of his nose… I think he worked out how to twist it so he could eat freely.

 

[Muddy unicorn]

I’ve been using the Thinline muzzle on my retired fatty with ridiculously sensitive skin. I got the Thinline liners but he still got rubs - not bad enough to break the skin unlike the greenguard muzzle but still a worry. I bought two merino nose and covers and put one on the top and one on the bottom and that mostly solved it. Wearing a fly mask under it also helps. He hasn’t tried to get it off but he has managed to make an inch long split coming from the hole so I’m going to have to get a new one for next summer (a bit gutting when they’re sooo expensive).

 

[Melody Grey]

Not for weight loss, rather to prevent weight gain and the possibility of laminitis, I take a multi strategy approach with mine; out overnight, in during the day, strip grazed and the little pony who needs less than the other two is muzzled. Maybe try a combination of things?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Look out on Facebook market place for Flexible fillies muzzles. I’ve just replaced one of mine that was damaged for £50
There are two currently I’ve seen one Full size £50 and a cob with the proper halter for £70

 

[dottylottie]

a fellow livery uses a thin line muzzle zip tied onto a normal field safe headcollar, no rubs. i know the thin line website offers various anti-rub additions for theirs, which seems like a fab way to rinse us out of more money instead of simply modifying their design

 

[Melandmary]

A cheaper version that mine don’t object too and don’t rub is a shires deluxe muzzle with all the unnecessary webbing cut off like round the nostrils and under the chin. They are cheap and cheerful so I don’t mind taking a pair of scissors to them. Muzzle and soaked hay or low sugar haylage is the only way to go and try to work out that he is only getting 2% of his ideal body weight or 1.5% of his current. You will be surprised out how little this actually is- but apparantly a muzzle cuts consumption down by around 80% So is a great start!

 

[Morgan123]

Have you looked at this? Loads in there that doesn't involve riding/lunging: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/media/livacuk/equine/documents/Equine,Weight,Management.pdf

 

[Hannahgb]

I used to stitch strips of old pjs or fleeces round the straps of the muzzles to stop rubbing, or removable headcollar fluff

 

[Fransurrey]

Try the muzzle with soaked hay on the ground. I found that mine would happily chomp that through a muzzle.