Weight management

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lilaclomax

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I know different things work for different people and exercise is the main key, I am looking for other things that have been proven to work, please reply if you have tried any of the below and if they work (pros and cons) and add any I have missed.

Starvation paddock
Grazing muzzle
Strip grazing
Soaked hay
Weighing all feeds
Calorie calculation
Doubled up haynets
Restricted turnout
Feed balls


Thanks
 
Starvation paddock - yes. It works to some extent but if you make a small starvation paddock then the horse can't move around much so doesn't work off so many calories. The other problem I find is that if the field is grazed right down, when the grass grows it is all new shoots.

Grazing muzzle - no, but will be this year

Strip grazing - yes. As starvation paddocks, it works to some extent however I find my horse spends more of his time trying to work out how to get over/through the fence or breaking the fence.

Soaked hay - yes, brilliant. I soak hay overnight usually, if not for 24 hours, then rinse it well. In Spring he will have 100% soaked hay. ATM, as he is in and therefore having more forage than in summer (when he was in during the day only), he is having 70-80% soaked hay and the rest haylage. Means I can give him more to eat physically but a lot less calories than the same amount just haylage.

Weighing all feeds - never

Calorie calculation - never

Doubled up haynets - yes, don't really think it works that well

Restricted turnout - yes. It does work but the other side of the coin is that the horse is just standing in, not using up any calories. Plus it makes my arthritic horse stiff. Have to work out which is the lesser evil.

Feed balls - Only to entertain a bored horse on box rest. Why fill up a ball with treats/feed when your horse is on a diet? Just cut feed out altogether.
 
I have a mare who is very, very difficult to keep trim (welshie).
The only way I can get weight off her over time is to bring into my (very large) yard and feed soaked hay. As well as exercise of course. She is currently on diet as she has gained weight over winter despite being unrugged. :(
I have them all in on soaked hay atm btw so she isn't isolated. My fields are very wet.
 
You are missing one vital element - work. I complained to my vet that nothing I seemed to do made any difference to my shetland and he suggested that I lunge him every evening, it does seem to help.
 
Muzzles, brillant , infact a life saver :)

Stripgrazing brilliant too, as long as you have good electric fencing!

I never weigh hay or soak it, they live out 24/7 and come in for riding, but they get ad lib hay then and fed on the floor ( hay box made by myself! )

Only get fed a handful of feed with a balancer which is weighed to give correct amount.

I have a track system and combine it with strip grazing into a quarter acre paddock from April to end of October, works very well and keeps them moving.
 
Last year my mare started getting a bit porky.

I started by working out her feed to 1.5% of her bodyweight. I weighed her feed and I weighed and soaked her hay and double netted. I bought a greenguard grazing muzzle complete with the head collar and she is turned out for a maximum of 5 hours.

I pleased to say she has lost a considerable amount of weight and for the last 5 months her weight has stayed the same.
 
Starvation paddock - don't have one at the yard I'm at
Grazing muzzle - can't do it
Strip grazing - don't have it at the yard I'm at
Soaked hay - yes allowed hay in the summer when he's in overnight, I think definitely helps.
Weighing all feeds - yes important I think as can easily overcalculate things.
Calorie calculation - yes, was doing the 2% calculation, now come down to 1.75% as nothing shifting...yet!
Doubled up haynets - would like to but pony has half of one front tooth and it catches in things so think doubled up haynet might increase that risk...not that there isn't some risk from single haynet...
Restricted turnout - yes in winter they aren't out for more than 4-5 hours as the field's a mess but then in too much the rest of the time on too good haylage..in summer I have him in at night when they go out on the new fields until the grass has gone down a bit.
Feed balls - don't see the point of them if you mean treat balls? Unless for a boredom breaker for horse on box rest. Can't stand the noise as they're kicked violently around the stables :D
 
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