Why's this?

[Spyda]

Just got emailed a copy of Topspec's Sept newletter and noticed the Tip of the Month says,

"At this time of year good-doers are often carrying surplus weight from summer grass. It is a good idea to reduce most of this excess weight before the freezing weather sets in."

Whilst I appreciate excess weight is not a good thing, why particularly AFTER the freezing weather sets in? Many people tolerate little extra coverage going into winter, so I was curious why Topspec's nutritionist thinks horses should be thinned down for winter. Surely chubby horses should be thinned down at any time of year? But not particularly just going into winter

 

[vieshot]

Makes no sense to me either. I almost prefer mine to have a small amount of chub on them coming into winter....

 

[FfionWinnie]

The only thing I can think is adlib hay keeps them warm so if they are dieting they will be cold

 

[Irishbabygirl]

My WB has his usual end of summer belly, which I'm not at all worried about as he'll loose it over winter...certainly wouldn't be sliming him down before winter...how odd...and waste of money having to spend more feeding him up over winter. Actually maybe that's it! They are a feed company after all!

 

[meandmyself]

Maybe it is because many horses don't get worked as much but get fed more over the winter. So a slightly chubby horse might be overweight by the time spring comes.

 

[Spyda]

Ah, just noticed the Newsletter is also promoting their light balancer, so maybe that's why? Dunno. Just seems odd to suggest particularly getting your horse to drop weight before the cold weather hits, since this is the time of year horses are most likely to loose weight naturally. Strange.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Frost freezes the sugars in the grass so risk of lami is higher. That's how my boy got it last year in the snow (and we found out he was IR) so he doesn't go out in the frost or snow.

 

[Tash88]

Only thing I can think of is that there is more sugar in frozen grass, and this could lead to an attack of laminitis in a good-doer with excess weight?

 

[Littlelegs]

Agree op. My good doers have always gained weight slowly in summer, which they lose slowly through winter, starting spring at 2.5 & starting autumn at between 3 & 3.5 dependent on work levels. Not yet had any problems in 21yrs, or before that as a small child doing the same under others direction. So with all due respect to top specs nutrition expert, I'll continue doing things this way.

 

[dressagelove]

Maybe it's a typo?

 

[mcnaughty]

Only thing I can think of is that there is more sugar in frozen grass, and this could lead to an attack of laminitis in a good-doer with excess weight?

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