Welsh D poor doer? what do you think

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lucky7

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This is my section D, he is 6 this time round. Bit of background, he had a rig operation around 2 years ago and since then his growing seemed to have slowed down alot for about a year, he dropped a lot of weight then had a poor summer (grazing) and then went straight into winter. He did put weight on last summer and looked pretty good by september/october time, he's never been *fat* just well covered, but still lean if you know what i mean?!. He was in light work over the summer and turned away in October due to weather and just to let him mature more. He has been kept out over winter with my cob who is an absolute house and kept weight on her, she still looks fat now. However the welsh d has been rugged well, a mid weight under rug and a mw half neck turn out rug. (They have both been wormed) He has a scoop and half of build up mix, scoop of speedi beet and arund 2 handfuls of dengie. He has access to quality haylage. He started dropping weight after christmas and thats when i added an extra rug and introduced hard feed. Dr green isnt through yet and the field is looking bare so still having the haylage. I wanted to start riding him again soon and was hoping to have him going before may (this is when he will be coming home - the field has been resting since last year and theres lots of the green stuff!! ) but, to me he looks as though hes gone bum high again and his neck looks weedy?! I don't know whether riding him will build him up or whether to leave him a bit yet ? what do you think? and i thought natives where supposed to be good doers! Will probably stable him next winter.
Last summer:

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Yesterday ( winter woolies) please ignore the rub on his shoulder, was from his rug, now thanks to his shires vest its alot better and the hair is coming through :) )

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WHAT A STUNNER! You have prob wormed correctly so rule that out... He will have pretty much stopped growing up by 6, but will almost certainly continue to fill out for another year. Welsh Ds are late maturing some horses don't mature joint/bone-wise til seven:)
 
Certainly not poor. You'll have to watch he doesn't get too fat on the 'green stuff'. Being poor wouldn't make him bum high - could be he's still growing a bit.
 
My Welsh D is leaner than him. I don't think he's too bad. They don't in my experience keep weight on in the winter like cobs tho - I have one of them too!
 
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I also think he looks a good weight. I mean, you could build up his topline a bit more with work but certainly would not want any more fat on him. Welsh Ds are meant to mature much later as sunshine100 has already said.

Count yourself lucky to have a native and not be constantly worried about cutting down their feed :)
 
I think his weight looks perfect. Maybe he seems slimmer to you because you're comparing him to your cob.
 
I think he looks good. My welsh D knows how to shake what her mamma gave her and I am careful when the grass comes through. She has been on very poor grazing this winter and I've kept her on second cut haylage, emerald green grass nuts, thunderbrook chaff and linseed. I personally do not like a lot of the feed with straw and antimould agents in them. I feel it's waste of money for a waste product. Maybe consider a feed overhaul.

He's very lovely boy.
 
Thank you everyone, i think i must be comparing him to my fat cob too much as to me he does seem lean.

amymay said:
He looks fine. Just no muscle.
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Spot on amymay, yes i agree he def needs building up :)

Will start riding him again next week as planned and see how he gets on. Plenty of hills on our hacking routes :) Saddler is due out too to fit them both as my cob has just started to come into work too.
Nightmare having one that lives on fresh air and constantly have to weight watch and the other which needs dr green and rugs!
 
His weight is fine (better than the top photo where he shows fat pockets). The reson he looks weedy is lack of muscle. I agree from that photo it looks like he might have gone up behind a bit.
 
I have a welshie too ..Weight wise your boy looks fine .. They don't need to look like the heavier show cobs .. He just needs to develop through work .
My boy is fed a fair amount .. He has breakfast lunch and dinner (I find smaller more frequent meals work best for him) .. And ab lib haylage ..BUT he is competition fit .. And works fairly hard most days .. He competes regularly.. And goes training a fair amount.. It's taken some monitoring to get him the body shape he is .. He has been fat ..and he has been lighter .. But with controlling diet and exercise he is looking the best he has ever looked ( I have owned him 7 years.. He is 9 this year)
Good luck with your one .. Welshies are such fun !

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