Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
If his crest can swing about then hopefully it’s softening up, so progress being made?
Why do so many people think its fine to have fat horses?
- Thread starter LEC
- Start date
Ranyhyn
Well-Known Member
Both of our ponies came to us fat. The first thing we did was take them off hard feed and exercise them until they reached a sensible weight. We even thought the first pony might have had lammi she was so fat but she didn't just poor feet.
I dont understand why people are willing to run the risk with weight, its so easilly controlled and plays such a massive part in overall health. If your horse has a condition thats totally different but lots are simply over fed and under exercised.
I dont understand why people are willing to run the risk with weight, its so easilly controlled and plays such a massive part in overall health. If your horse has a condition thats totally different but lots are simply over fed and under exercised.
PapaverFollis
Well-Known Member
I used to think weight was easily controlled too until I got The Beast.
Errin Paddywack
Well-Known Member
Back in the 60's/70's/80's when we rode a lot we thought nothing of hacking to a meet up to 8 miles away or a gymkhana and riding home afterwards. Our ponies always looked well but never overweight. Lameness was virtually unheard of. We were members of our local riding club, a 5 mile ride away. In the early years there nearly everyone hacked to the shows but then some started coming in trailers and horseboxes until that became the norm. We noticed also that people stopped helping so much too. In the early day watching the SJ classes, parents would help put jumps back up but once horses were transported there seemed to be a different attitude and they just expected the organisers to do it. Life is so different now and not for the better in my opinion.
Gingerwitch
Well-Known Member
I have 4, 2 racing snakes, 1 just right and 1 far too fat for my liking. No fat pads or ridges a little cresty. She is worked 5 times a week, hill and fast canter work, lots of trot. Kept on shavings, in a bare
field,. Never is rugged, handful of hard feed for supplyments and is the only one hayed in a net. She takes up way more time effort and energy than the others but I am also reluctant to have a horse stand for hours with nothing to nibble on. Last checks are done a 7pm by yard and if I am riding leave around 7.30 and get back to yard for 6am or yard sees to her at 7 am. I live an hour away. Not sure how much more I can do, I brought as a youngster so it was not obvious she was a good doer. So before we all judge us as bad owners can we consider just how much effort is being put in to many of these.
I would also like to say that many of these judgemental pointers of fingers should look at there own conditioning score and their perfect chunky children before they start
field,. Never is rugged, handful of hard feed for supplyments and is the only one hayed in a net. She takes up way more time effort and energy than the others but I am also reluctant to have a horse stand for hours with nothing to nibble on. Last checks are done a 7pm by yard and if I am riding leave around 7.30 and get back to yard for 6am or yard sees to her at 7 am. I live an hour away. Not sure how much more I can do, I brought as a youngster so it was not obvious she was a good doer. So before we all judge us as bad owners can we consider just how much effort is being put in to many of these.
I would also like to say that many of these judgemental pointers of fingers should look at there own conditioning score and their perfect chunky children before they start
Gingerwitch
Well-Known Member
Throwing stones. Well the ones I meet in real life should certainly practice what they preach with themselves and kids.
You can't explain to a hungry horse they should not eat the grass but you can to a McDonald's truffing person
You can't explain to a hungry horse they should not eat the grass but you can to a McDonald's truffing person
Widgeon
Well-Known Member
I would love for our local roads to be quiet and safe so I could hack on them. But they're not. So it's either endless arena work, which isn't great for his iffy hocks, or short hacks of up to an hour. Going further than that involves lanes with hills and blind bends that I'd rather not ride on. That's definitely not helping our situation.
holeymoley
Well-Known Member
Ah. I had this with someone on a laminitis forum once. The horse was obese, she kept asking why does it keep getting laminitis. Vet and everyone had told her to keep it in off the grass and on soaked hay. She couldn't do it as she felt sorry for him being in. She swiftly got told she'll kill it by continuing to put it on grass by myself and a few others, I think maybe 1 other told her to put it out to keep it moving
(doesn't work when the horse is crippled and all it'll do is keep eating the grass which is causing the problem!) Needless to say she ignored the comments against putting it out and put it out (with a video showing it walking on it's heels going to the field) again she got told that wasn't the best thing to do yet she claimed she couldn't be 'cruel' to him. A few weeks later she posted on saying she'd lost the horse.
JoannaC
Well-Known Member
Mine are "good doers" and it is much harder to keep the weight off as the hacking where I live is appalling. Last winter I clipped them and left them rugless and they did lose weight and in the Summer we didn't have too much grass so stayed relatively ok. Now they are on the winter grazing and the grass is good they have ballooned but hopefully I will get the weight off over Winter again. The old boy is allowed to get fat as he isn't a big hay eater so once the grass is gone he will drop off. They get a tiny amount of chaff and speedi beet just enough for the supplements they need although are getting nothing right now. I'm sure anyone seeing them at the moment would be appalled though! I used to stable next to the most obese cob and his feed bucket was so heavy I could barely lift it over the door. She was always saying he needed restricted grazing but then fed him so much food it was ridiculous!
ponyparty
Well-Known Member
I've actually had someone say to me that they want their Anglo-Arab mare to put on more "condition" (read fat) so she'd get a "bum like XYZ's" (an obese Section D with a pronounced gutter along its back).
I mean.... where do you start? Before you even get into the obesity thing, they're completely different builds to start with! You can't turn an Anglo-Arab into a Sec D by making it fat?! And don't get me started on that Sec D... Head. Wall.
I mean.... where do you start? Before you even get into the obesity thing, they're completely different builds to start with! You can't turn an Anglo-Arab into a Sec D by making it fat?! And don't get me started on that Sec D... Head. Wall.
Chianti
Well-Known Member
Someone at my yard is concerned that her horse is too fat but is still feeding it Alfa A.
J&S
Well-Known Member
Some one may have said this previously on this thread but I have not read it all: one of the most obvious reasons why people think fat horses are acceptable is because of the hugely fat show horses seen on the cover and inside H & H magazine! These horses have been out in the public view winning their classes. I well remember many, many years ago at the New Forest Show seeing Lizzie Lauriston Clarke ride their Welsh cob stallion in the appropriate class. He was super fit and went beautifully but was placed well down the line to the fat blobby ones! So no change there.
HashRouge
Well-Known Member
This is very true!
I have two retirees and they both used to be very good doers who didn't need any feed, but the older one does now take a bit more upkeep to stay a good weight. The other one (Welsh D) is probably slightly bigger than he should be but I think I'm doing okay managing two unridden horses who both need different calorie intakes. The fact that we're going into winter means I'm slightly more relaxed about him as he will winter out unrugged as he always does. I should stress though that he's not obese and most people looking at him wouldn't say he's fat.
Cloball
Well-Known Member
I was told over 15 years ago at my one foray into showing that my pony was in jumping condition not showing condition. I took that to mean muscled and about to lift all 4 feet off the ground at once.
I got as far as under rugging people for obesity ? how would that work dare I ask.
I think the anthropomorphism of our animals and lack of/ underestimation of exercise contributes more than comparing to the human population.
I got as far as under rugging people for obesity ? how would that work dare I ask.
I think the anthropomorphism of our animals and lack of/ underestimation of exercise contributes more than comparing to the human population.
ycbm
Overwhelmed
Brilliantly, and I speak from experience. Cold in people creates brown fat. Brown fat actually burns calories. And after a while you get acclimatised to the cold and don't feel it that much any more, and use a lot more energy to stay warm, so you can eat more
In the past it was often recommended to turn down the thermostat and take a blanket off the bed if you want to lose weight.
.
PapaverFollis
Well-Known Member
Central heating and double glazing probably have a lot to answer for!
Cloball
Well-Known Member
Probably tempered by damp/respiratory related issues (says the women who has only once had double glazing).
Brown fat is fascinating but you are spoiling my image of the government endorsing naked rambling?
Brown fat is fascinating but you are spoiling my image of the government endorsing naked rambling?
J&S
Well-Known Member
About ten years ago my best friend took her beautifully bred Arab to the Arab Horse show at Malvern. The mare was is super condition, she had been hunting all through the previous season and had been ridden by the whipper in and the Master. The young lad who rode her in her class did a great job and after his individual show was moved up from 5th to 3rd place. My friend was over the moon. When he came out he reported that the judge had asked if they had been taking the mare racing!! Might she have done better if she was overweight and unfit????
ShadowHunter
Well-Known Member
Some people don't recognise a fat horse, and those that do, know how hard it is to keep the weight down. One of my cobs is fat but cannot be worked so I'm at a sticky end, she's off grass all spring/summer with only small amounts in the autumn/winter, but she's never slimmed down the where I want her to be.
Goldenstar
Well-Known Member
Thank you for the encouragement atm it looks like a mountain to climb however he’s so sweet .
Sounds like when I met Fatty it was a case Ah now I understand .
Frankly this is nonsense it’s exactly what we should not do .
Just as we should not turn away from a abused child we should not ignore very fat horses , it’s normalised enough without taking the attitude above .
Just as you should not get a dog if you can’t exercise it you should not have a horse to feed it to death it’s wrong .
Just as child can’t defend its self the modern world means that for many horses their eating needs to be controlled by their owner .
Gingerwitch
Well-Known Member
My horse is not very fat ! You are reading into this post what you think. I am pointing out that some of us have horses that we work out butts off with but as a responsible owner I think 1 of mine is bigger than I am ideally happy with. She does not have fat pads, she does not have an apple bottom.
So before you tell me I should not own her please read what my post said, as you are being pretty judgemental, such as I was pointing out that the finger pointers of 'your horse is to fat' usually live in glass houses and get through more horses than I have hot dinners and are not slim themselves.
Furthermore where on earth did I say that I condone over feeding ? I pointed out that a horses natural instinct is to eat. They turn grass into meat. You cannot explain to Neddy that they need to run round more and their hay needs to last all night. Not like people who can understand this simple equation.
awelshandawarmblood
Well-Known Member
I have a Welsh cob who's 16 years old & out of work all spring & summer will a pollen allergy (exercise intolerance) he can't be kept in alone as he goes nuts & nowhere with no grass to put him so you can imagine. This last year or so I've been on a yard which has allowed me to track his field & it's been fantastic! He's out 24/7 rugged minimally over winter & summer he's kept on his grass track but it's pretty much bald & I can make it bigger or smaller depending on grass growth. Until now I've really really struggled, not through not wanting to or trying, but livery yard facilities etc have dictated he's ended up fatter than I'd like (Never massive though!). He's now at a decent weight, he has a minimal crest which is always squishy & looking good in general.
Gingerwitch
Well-Known Member
Well done you, but looking at some posters opinions on here, we should not even have a horse unless we own our own land and can spend all day with them, and if we have a good doer and God find have to have livery if some sort that dies not meet 1 of your horses needs, forget the great job you do with your others we need to sell or shoot.
teddypops
Well-Known Member
Wow! No one has said that at all.
southerncomfort
Well-Known Member
I thought i knew about good doers until I got my mini shetland. ?
Unfortunately she has a twisted hind foot so doesn't stand up to exercise. I worry about her constantly.
Unfortunately she has a twisted hind foot so doesn't stand up to exercise. I worry about her constantly.
Brownmare
Well-Known Member
That is rather unfair and not what was said at all! I totally agree that poor doers are far easier to manage and the worst of all is having poor doers and good doers together but the bottom line is it is our responsibility to care for our horses as they need to be cared for. If we absolutely cannot provide that then maybe rehoming is the best option in the end. You are clearly aware and managing your horse's tendency to gain weight. What GS was saying is that we shouldn't avoid commenting on overweight horses because so many people are NOT aware they have a problem. It seems to be far more socially acceptable to have obese "chunky" horses/dogs/children etc than skinny ones and that needs to change for everyone's sake. It should be just as unacceptable or more so than having an underweight horse.
One of my horses was underweight (I deliberately kept him light coming out of winter to help his hocks and then the grass didn't grow) and someone gave me a telling off about it. I agreed as I knew I had cocked up and didn't get offended about it, why should I as it was the truth?! For some reason people seem to get massively offended at comments about weight and I really don't understand why! Let go of the emotional attachment to weight people and please be objective!! (This aimed at everyone not just GW just to be clear lol)
windand rain
Well-Known Member
I am sure it is just that people have come to accept that horses are fat. See a rib and it's a welfare issue see more than one then you are a cruel neglectful owner. A friend had a visit from the RSPCA about her unrugged sporthorse youngstock being out on the riverbank with knee high grass as they were wet
CanteringCarrot
Well-Known Member
Horse people are, erm, "passionate" people and when you tell them that their horses weight is not right, whether it be too thin or too heavy, they get offended. Some take it very personal as it is essentially saying that you don't know how to take care of your animal or identify an issue with them. I can understand why people get offended, even if it is the truth. If only people could be objective, but that's just not a reality in most cases.
I've had poor doers and now have a good doer, and maybe it is my livery situation(s) but the good doer causes me far less stress. He is a bit heavier than I'd like at the moment, but not catastrophic. His work is picking up, and I will clip him soon, so I am not in a state of panic about it. I tend to see horses that are slim and/or too slim here moreso than horses that are too heavy. People are cheap when it comes to feeding! and just don't have much knowledge.
Literally heard of someone recently telling someone that their horse was too thin (the horse really doesn't look good) and they just said, "good, he can stay that way"
Same with another owner being happy that her old horse with prior soft tissue injuries and arthritis is fat.
I don't know, people just have odd thoughts about what the right weight is for each horse, or what a well conditioned horse looks like.
I've had poor doers and now have a good doer, and maybe it is my livery situation(s) but the good doer causes me far less stress. He is a bit heavier than I'd like at the moment, but not catastrophic. His work is picking up, and I will clip him soon, so I am not in a state of panic about it. I tend to see horses that are slim and/or too slim here moreso than horses that are too heavy. People are cheap when it comes to feeding! and just don't have much knowledge.
Literally heard of someone recently telling someone that their horse was too thin (the horse really doesn't look good) and they just said, "good, he can stay that way"
Same with another owner being happy that her old horse with prior soft tissue injuries and arthritis is fat.
I don't know, people just have odd thoughts about what the right weight is for each horse, or what a well conditioned horse looks like.
Ranyhyn
Well-Known Member
What an odd response.
SOS
Well-Known Member
Thats not at all what we have said. I work full time (+all the unpaid overtime I end up doing), have my horses in livery and they have all been fairly good doers. But I work them hard, get up stupidly early or ride out in the dark (head torch around the fields or in an arena) to get them fit. I don’t rug unless they absolutely need it and don’t feed unless they absolutely need it. I rarely ride for over an hour and a half as I simply don’t have time but when I do ride we do fitness hacking, arena days are seen as ‘light days’. Once they get hunting the exercise becomes a lot easier as a hard day can allow me two days rest after!
Weight loss isn’t rocket science. Eat less, move more. A lot of leisure horses are in very very light work and rarely break a sweat, which is fine but then they still need to eat less (as I said before rough grazing, no hard feed) and move more (track system, hills, large poor paddocks, don’t rug so they move around more). But ultimately if the horse is physically able to work more, work them more.