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Is He Too Skinny?

4K views 22 replies 21 participants last post by  mselizabeth 
#1 ·
My 7 year old TN Walker (Spirit) and I moved to a new barn 3 days ago, and one of the ladies at the barn told me that he was a kinda skinny and needed to gain some weight. She said he needs to gain about 100 pounds. Does that sound right?? Does he look skinny to you guys?

Here he is. Picture him 250 pounds less and you'll know where we started.
Horse Mammal Vertebrate Mane Stallion


Horse Mammal Vertebrate Mane Stallion
 
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#2 ·
He doesn't look skinny at all to me. I can't see any ribs nor any points like the hips or spine. He just looks very fit. Plus, TWH have kindof a different body shape and though he may appear to be thin at first glance, it is simply because his barrel isn't very big around.
 
#3 ·
He looks like a *REAL* walker to me. Not this half crazy cross breed tennesee churns out...but what the breed was intended to be. A refined looking horse with a calm, comfortable gait. Hes a real looker. It looks like you keep him pretty fit for riding and thats a good thing. It just makes people who dont keep their horses ridden regularly think that your horse is thin...if that makes any sense. Keep up the good work.
 
#10 ·
He's in fantastic shape! I wouldn't want to see him LOSE any weight, but I think 100lbs may be a stretch. If you can keep him in this place, he looks fantastic! I know the difference of 100lbs on my little Arab (with much the same body type) is the difference between skinny and obese - 100lbs may not matter on a 1500 pound Draft, but on a smaller horse that's quite a bit and it would make him overweight.

MAYBE 50 pounds if you want to be really picky. :lol: He looks ideal to me!
 
#11 ·
He's in fantastic shape! I wouldn't want to see him LOSE any weight, but I think 100lbs may be a stretch. If you can keep him in this place, he looks fantastic! I know the difference of 100lbs on my little Arab (with much the same body type) is the difference between skinny and obese - 100lbs may not matter on a 1500 pound Draft, but on a smaller horse that's quite a bit and it would make him overweight.

MAYBE 50 pounds if you want to be really picky. :lol: He looks ideal to me!
110% agree with this. ^^^

Too many people think a fat horse is a healthy horse these days but really it's not true. I prefer a little bit of plumpy-ness on my horses but owning an overweight horse (believed to be insulin resistent) w/ cresty neck and all, I don't like to push it.
 
#12 ·
No way, he is lovely and looks quite well conditioned!

Big pot bellied ponies are NOT healthy and it can be so dangerous to have an overweight horse. Horses are athletes and should look like one if they can be put to work!

Such funny markings, what a looker!
 
#14 ·
Like everyone else here, I'm going to say he looks good! If he stays at that weight all year round, he's fine; if he's a hard keeper, I'd get him a little chunkier in the fall to even out for the winter months.

My horses always seem to go one way or the other; fat as a pig or skinny. All the joys of getting "rescues".
 
#15 ·
My 7 year old TN Walker (Spirit) and I moved to a new barn 3 days ago, and one of the ladies at the barn told me that he was a kinda skinny and needed to gain some weight. She said he needs to gain about 100 pounds. Does that sound right?? Does he look skinny to you guys?

Here he is. Picture him 250 pounds less and you'll know where we started.
View attachment 34691

View attachment 34692
No way! He is "just right" IMO. Some people like their horses fat or fleshy. Or, she may have been a stock horse person who prefers those bulky "bull dog" type quarter horses. Either way, she's wrong about him being too skinny. For a Walker, he's lean and fit, just the way they're supposed to be.
 
#16 ·
He looks perfect. So many people are obsessed with having their horses fat. I've even seen horses that were SUPPOSEDLY rescued for malnutrition that looked not a lot thinner than yours, because the image of the overweight pony in the knee high grass image is what's seen as normal. There are a lot of do-gooders out there that do more harm than good. Keep doing what you're doing. He looks fantastic.
 
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