Too Fat?

[solomon]

I have the opposite problem, Mr Pete is officially porky. I am scared to change things quickly i am slowly cutting his one feed down. He was having a scoop of chaff with a few pony nuts and a carrot and an apple once a day with lots of hay. If i dwindle the hard feed to virtually nothing do i have to cut his hay down too?

[fleabitten]

If he is getting fat, it means that he is getting too many calories for the amount of energy he is using each day, which means he probably doesn't need his feed anymore - hard feed is designed to give extra energy where forage cannot supply it. The solution is the same as a human. Either use lots more energy each day or cut back on the amount of food and sometimes its necessary to do both.

I would cut out his hard feed completely and just feed him grass and hay.


If you think of the feeding percentages if you cut out the feed he will be getting 100% forage then which will be made up of grass and hay. Bearing in mind the grass will be high in calories in the summer time usually.

I would probs not bother with a vit and min supplement (i dont think they are necessary in general) unless he proves to need something, or if he already has a supplement, for example for his joints, in which case you would want to get a low cal lick or something with that in it.

[scattymare]

Its so tricky with the porkies. You saw what Eddie was like when she arrived (big bloater!!) I've had a harsh winter on my side to help get some calories off.
It's obviously important to ensure that they are getting enough forage to keep the gut moving and healthy so starving won't work (and isn't fair)
As Flea said, the hard feed is not needed so cut it down gradually and stop. I gave Ed literally a handful of Fast Fibre to mix in her multi vit supplement.
I soaked all hay for min 12 hours and mixed it with Barley straw (you can also use Oat straw, but not wheat). This meant she could have more bulk but without the calories and sugar. Now she is just on Barley straw.
If you have good grazing now (lucky thing if you do) you may have to consider a muzzle to limit his intake.
And above all as much excersize as possible. I made sure Eddie was ridden or lunged 6 days a week, building up slowly. Now that the evenings are getting longer 3 times a week she gets ridden twice a day - schooling for 30 mins in the morning before work and a nice hack for approx an hour after work.
Slowly but surely she is looking like a horse again and building muscle.
I must say Pete doesn't look too porky in the pics I've seen (though it's hard to see in a pic)
Good luck. I don't know whats worse, a fattie or a poor doer - I've been through both recently!

[fimacg]

Chompy is already starting to put weight back on now the grass is through, he is managed largely through exercise. my lot of dieters get a handful of hi-fi lite and one cup of Baileys low cal balancer each day.

I am now starting to cut back on their hay overnight as they are starting to leave some of it. they each now just get 2 sections over night instead of 3 and they stopped getting their section of hay when they come in about 4 weeks ago.

[racaille]

in bits ....

Sol, I have the same problem. P is a porker - in fact he is so stuffed I think I will change his name from Paco to Paxo! He is a boredom eater and with such a crud winter he has just eaten nonstop.

I am upping his exercise now spring is here and cutting down his access to the round bale of hay. Mine don't get hard feed so Pete shouldn't need it either.

[racaille]

........ However, Pete is going onto spring grass whereas mine are going onto poorer quality hay as ours has run out and we now have to buy in from the Alpes which is much stalkier, rather like straw.

Beware too much straw however, some (can't remember which type) can provoke colic.

[jane]

Sol, I think you should be ok, you are upping his exercise and this is the main thing.... plenty of work burns the fat and makes muscle. You are doing so well with your riding that he will be one fit boy this year.

As you said don't do anything drastic with his food, cut any hard food down slowly and maybe replace chaff type food with a light version.

The main thing is work and you are gaining so much confidence, you will have such a lot of fun hacking out on your own, it is the best time to think, chill and blow away the cobwebs...... and build a stronger bond with your boy, and he will be slimming without him knowing.

[solomon]

Thank you Jane such kind comments. It is such a pleasure having this horse and all the good advice from this great forum, thanks again. x