The Horse Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Weight loss

980 views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  hellothere 
#1 ·
Okay, so my mare is fat. Not just a bit weighty, but FAT. Sometimes I wonder if there is any way she could actually be pregnant, her belly is that big.
I work at the local feed/tack shop and have spoken to my boos, who told me to "work her more and feed her less".
I work her every chance I get, keeping in mind that she's only just being bought into work after being broken in as a 6 year old and then thrown into a paddock for two years before I got her (October last year).
As far as feeding her less goes, we don't have any way to stop her from bullying the other horse out of his dinner once she's finished hers.
It's coming into winter here in Australia and I suppose she'll lose a bit of weight during the winter time, but I am also working on building muscle. We do a lot of trotting to try and build up her big quarter horse bum, but somehow this is having almost no effect.
I am currently feeding her lucern hay twice a day, except two days a week one hay feed is replaced with Mitavite Xtra cool mixed with chaff.
Is there ANYTHING else I could be doing? Please help me!
I took this picture of her tonight.
 

Attachments

See less See more
1
#2 ·
What do you mean by there is nothing you can do to prevent her from stealing the others dinner? Hay or grain?

I'd say that's your biggest problem right there. If she is eating 2, 4, or 6 times the ammount of course she will be fat, especially if she is typically and easy keeper.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#3 ·
Ahhh, she is on the portly side, very pretty but portly:-p

Okay, so my mare is fat. Not just a bit weighty, but FAT. Sometimes I wonder if there is any way she could actually be pregnant, her belly is that big.That would depend on whether there were any stallions around - even if it was "impossible" for them to get near her:?

I work at the local feed/tack shop and have spoken to my boos, who told me to "work her more and feed her less".
I work her every chance I get, keeping in mind that she's only just being bought into work after being broken in as a 6 year old and then thrown into a paddock for two years before I got her (October last year).
As far as feeding her less goes, we don't have any way to stop her from bullying the other horse out of his dinner once she's finished hers.If this means feed pan stuff, somebody is going to HAVE to stand guard until the gelding finishes eating.

If this means hay, my thought would be to buy several slow feed hay nets and tie them around the paddock so both horses have a chance to "graze/move" around and it will stop her from not letting the gelding eat. She can't get to every hay net at once without forcing herself into not eating. <---hope that made sense.

I'm as equally worried about the gelding losing too much weight as I am about her weighing too much; 20 years ago I rescued a horse out of the exact same situation; big fat dominant Appy mare would not let the young and little Arab gelding eat. He was so down when I bought him, it took a year to get into normal condition; he celebrated his 27th B-day on April 1st

It's coming into winter here in Australia and I suppose she'll lose a bit of weight during the winter time, but I am also working on building muscle. We do a lot of trotting to try and build up her big quarter horse bum, but somehow this is having almost no effect.
I am currently feeding her lucern hay twice a day, except two days a week one hay feed is replaced with Mitavite Xtra cool mixed with chaff.

I am in the U.S. and not familiar with the starch values of Luceren or chaff, so hopefully someone from you side of the world will come in and comment as to whether those are types of forage a horse prone to weight gain should be eating.

Again, my best thought is buy up several slow feeder hay nets and safely tie them around the paddock. Everyone gets to it but the down side is, when the gelding is full and wants to nap, my guess is your mare will still be eating until every morsel is gone.

Isn't there anyway they can be separated? Unless he's also an air fern, he needs more she needs 1.5% to 2% of her DESIRED body weight.
Is there ANYTHING else I could be doing? Please help me!
I took this picture of her tonight.
---
 
#4 ·
Sorry op, didnt see you only had one other. Like walkinthewalk said, spread out the piles. Makes sure there is always one more pile then the number of horses you have. If she is a hay Hoover I'd look into getting her a grazing muzzle, not the one with the one small holes, the one that looks like a cage. Not sure how else to describe it. Hah. That or tie her to the fence and use a hay net to make sure she gets only her portion.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#5 ·
You should cut down to the minimum amount of feed that would keep her maintaining a healthy weight and coat.

My girl was overweight, and now she is on a special diet called Purina Well Solve Low Starch. It has helped immensely!

She is on full turnout, which helps keep her active. She is also worked a few days each week. This is also keeping in mind that the grass is not very luscious right now, but she does have full hay access.

Could you maybe separate her from the other horses for feeding, at least once a way? I would recommend consistency, but if you think she is eating a huge amount from the other horses' meals, you may want to use a safe method to separate them.

God bless :) Good luck!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top