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Post by racaille on Feb 9, 2011 9:59:36 GMT
I need to change the boys feeding regime.
The maréchal has just been to shoe Paco and told me Trongle is so fat he is a lami risk - I sort of stopped noticing under his winter coat. The trouble is that they are both on a big bale all the time - I can manage P's weight because he is in work but Mr T is retired. He used to wander around the garden looking for green shoots but now I need him to stay with P to keep him company now that R is n longer at home.
So what to do? If I put out piles of hay, Mr T will just stroll over and join in with P when he has finished his own. So I'll have to feed them separately, which will be a mega pain - round bales are such a joy! No work at all! The only thing I can think of is to shut Mr T in the lower paddock with a slice of hay while P eats his hay and only then let them in together. What a pain! And I suppose it will be easier to estimate amounts if I buy small bales - more expensive and a real faff to store.
I'm so annoyed. What do other people do with a a big horse and a little horse? Jack - how do you manage???
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Post by fimacg on Feb 9, 2011 10:38:02 GMT
I thought when I saw the title that Triange had been up to know good again and you were threatening to feed him to Paco... LOL!
Sorry cant help with the big horse little horse thing, but when I want one to loose more weight than the others I put less out in the field and ration it more when they are in their stables... not much help when they are out all the time though.
What about a grazing muzzle for T? or starvation Paddock and Give P his hay when he gets back from work on his own
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Post by racaille on Feb 9, 2011 12:23:57 GMT
Oh, I wonder if a grazing muzzle is the answer? The trouble is I don't want to separate them too much - morning feed is easy, but the evening feed is troublesome as I don't want to be going down to the paddocks to let them in together at 10pm. Yes, I am lazy.
I wonder what a grazing muzzle is in French .....
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Post by zara on Feb 9, 2011 12:49:07 GMT
I was going to suggest a muzzle too as it might help to ration him a little Zx
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haffyfan
Administrator 
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Post by haffyfan on Feb 9, 2011 18:30:37 GMT
or not ideal but could you net/rack Paco's hay where he can't reach up so would only get any bits dropped extra?
Think the muzzle is a great idea but will you get it on the lil beastie a second time....
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Post by racaille on Feb 10, 2011 5:05:39 GMT
or not ideal but could you net/rack Paco's hay where he can't reach up so would only get any bits dropped extra? Think the muzzle is a great idea but will you get it on the lil beastie a second time.... Ah yes, getting it on the monster ....  Ah, putting it up high .... now that's something I could try, I already have a hay bag (y'know, with one hole in it) ..... |
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Post by solomon on Feb 10, 2011 8:15:05 GMT
Only other option is two separate paddocks divided by leccy tape. We may be doing this with Pete and Barney!
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Post by racaille on Feb 10, 2011 8:21:46 GMT
Yes, I can separate them but I don't want them to live entirely separately. I always think it very sad when horses can't groom/play together. So I'd have to faff around separating/reuniting them all the time  edited to say 'when horses CAN'T' ..... LOL |
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Post by duckles on Feb 10, 2011 12:52:11 GMT
People around here tend to feed round bales in those metal things. Don't know their name - similiar to cattle ones but especially made for horses. They prevent the horses getting too much plus I don't think a Shettie would be able to reach high enough to be able to eat much.
I know Triangle is over 40 - if he has survived laminitis for this many years, would be still be at risk now?
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Post by racaille on Feb 10, 2011 13:06:30 GMT
Duckles, yes, they use those metal things here too (ruddy expensive though and I've seen silly horses get stuck in them). That's why I put my bales in a Big Bale Buddy. When it's first on, Mr T has to really stretch up to get at the hay but he does manage and after a few hours beats down a lower bit so he can get stuck in!
Even a metal thingy wouldn't stop him since it doesn't stop the shetties at the clubs!
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Post by fimacg on Feb 10, 2011 13:43:07 GMT
Thinking about it I have seen pictures of some of the equine charity/rehabilitation places where they have hammered big posts into the ground and strung haynets up at a height
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Post by racaille on Feb 10, 2011 20:17:18 GMT
Well, we'll see how it goes tonight. I gave them some hay on the ground and put extra for P up in a hay bag hooked onto an oak tree - Mr T can't reach it but hoovers up the little bits that drop or if he can grab a bit from P's mouth! Little tinker!
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Post by fimacg on Feb 11, 2011 9:03:07 GMT
did it work?
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Post by jack on Feb 11, 2011 18:07:44 GMT
little man doesnt seemed to have put weight since being here though i have said that we will have to seprate them when the grass gets here so toffee cant eat to much we are just taking it as it comes
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Post by jack on Feb 11, 2011 18:09:44 GMT
just to add we dont use round bails (cant store them) so we are using small bales so we can monitor the intake
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Post by racaille on Feb 11, 2011 19:57:48 GMT
Even so, Jack, I assume that lil Toffee hoovers up his own pile and then joins the big boys?
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Post by jack on Feb 12, 2011 16:00:18 GMT
not if sam can stop him
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Post by maximum on Feb 12, 2011 19:33:36 GMT
Not a fan of putting haynets up high - actually don't use them at all as I think its so much better and more natural to feed the horse from the ground - its how nature designed them to eat!
On that note what about some sort of big barrel which P could reach into but Triangle cant get into?
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Post by solomon on Feb 12, 2011 21:38:56 GMT
Like a hay bar?
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Post by Jen on Feb 12, 2011 23:04:01 GMT
i was thinking of maybe investing in a hay bar, my friend used to use one when she had a tubby shettie sharing a field with her skinny tb and found it was a good solution.
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Post by racaille on Feb 13, 2011 7:48:18 GMT
Unfortunately I have nothing to attach a hay bar to.
The hay bag/net did not work! No matter how well it is tied up P can get it down and I can't risk them getting caught in it. (And I agree Maxi, I prefer to feed from the ground - it was only the extra for P that was in the net) So I am back to separating them.
And I realised that dieting should not just be about restricted food but also about increased exercise. But Mr T can't be ridden so he's coming on dog walks with us. Getting some very funny looks!
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haffyfan
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Post by haffyfan on Feb 13, 2011 10:01:31 GMT
 bless him, bet that is a sight! I'm guessing he's not evil with the pooches then? Maybe you could clicker train him to heel and fetch and come back when you call.... 
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Post by maximum on Feb 13, 2011 19:04:14 GMT
thats brilliant! he is probably delighted to be involved!
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