How much weight is ok to loose when starting work??

Since starting Cinny's work I have noticed him loosing weight. I know about how much he weighs because when we bought him I put him on an actual scale at the co-op and he was 1040 pounds. I then put my horse measuring tape on him and marked where I measured him with 1040...which is higher than what the tape weighed him at.

So it's been a couple months since I bought him and started working him consistently. After 1 month we weighed him again on his way out to the new stable and he was 1020...I marked this on my tape and saw that the weight markings were consistent enough that I can use the tape measure if I base it off my markings. Well now, today....almost 2 months later he is down another 50...so in total he has lost 70 pounds in 2 months.

Is this okay? He is starting to gain a bit of muscle on his front end, but now his hip bones are starting to come out a bit. I still can not SEE his ribs easily, and it takes a bit to feel them...his rib cage feels smooth when I run my hand along his side.

Is he loosing too much weight, or is he okay? Does it seem like this is because he didn't work for 7 years and now he's consistently working? When should I see it as too much?

It is pretty common for a pasture puff to drop quite a bit of weight after beginning work. For some reason, that's usually how it works, they drop fat before gaining muscle LOL. I wouldn't get too worried yet. Just give him some more time and he should start to balance out. Also, make sure that you are feeding him enough. If he is pacing the pen/stall at feeding time and searches for every single pellet or stem of hay, then you might need to up his feed a bit. I personally wouldn't be concerned unless it became a very sudden weight loss, his attitude changes, or he has visual signs of really dropping weight (ribs showing, ganted up all the time, etc).

I agree with Smrobs, its just like when we work out.

Depends what he looks like now... pictures would really help ... before adn afters if possible

I'll get some more pictures of him now next tie I go. His tummy still looks round just his rear end seems to have lost it's "apple" shape. I DO have a fecal float I am waiting for an egg count on as well.

He is in a pasture with 5 other horses and a round bale. When I pull up he usually is just hanging out by the water or on his own and not with his head in the middle of the round bale...and I have seen him eat and not get chased off, so that's a good thing.

Fecal came out neg, they said there are no parasites to treat :)

Okay, so I finally have comparison photos....sorry it took so long...

This was taken May 15 the day before I moved him to the new stable. He weight 1040 according to the scale at the co-op.



This picture was taken Monday June 28 and according to my measurements (see first post to see what I measured by) he has lost 70 pounds.



I'm guessing he's still looking ok, I just wasn't expecting him to drop off weight so fast. What do you guys think? And yes...I know he's really FADED A LOT ha ha. But I assure you it's the same horse. Also, for those who are about to say "cute horse but he's butt high" there is a "pit" at the hitching post from all the dreaded Pony Posse Ponies getting impatient and pawing the ground while their tween is off running around doing something else (Pony Posse is known to leave their ponehs tied for hours at a time, bad poneh posse, bad!)

He looks great now ... what is his diet I would be adjusting it to keep him where he is ...

Well, he's in a dry lot with round bale and 4 other horses. Sometimes they get really NICE round bales, sometimes they get um.... crappy round bales. The BO has assured me that she just started buying from a more stable supplier BUT..you never know.

He also gets (I measure with an old baby formula can) 1 can of 12% sweet feed each day, just because that's the ONLY thing I can get him to take eat his supplements in which include MSN, Nu Image, Farriers Formula double strength and SmartVite Easy Keeper grass formula. I get the supplements through smart pack and that is what I set him up on when he was free grazing on brome and had the fungus, I am seriously looking in to changing it up next month as I'm not sure he needs the MSM anymore either.

I was just looking in the pictures and if I didn't know any better, I'd say those were two different horses.I thought he looked really great when I got him, just a little chubby but now looking at the pics...dang he does kinda look good. When my daughter comes back from camp she might just think I traded him in for a sleek bay!!!

I think he looks great! The muscle is starting to show through and his bum will round out again in time. I wouldn't switch up too much unless he drops another 50. Im really impressed at how far you guys have come!

As far as the fading...i feel your pain. Nico is still jet black everywhere that the sun can't reach. He looks like he is wearing a shiny brown blanket! If I thought he would tolerate a fly sheet or something to protect him from the sun...he would be wearing it. I just think he would probably pull it off and him and his fieldmate would play tug of war with it.