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Post by solomon on Apr 4, 2012 21:05:40 GMT
Okay, the boy is officially on a diet. He has to have haylage, can't eat hay due to copd. Refused to eat soaked hay for three days! I have cut his feed by two thirds, he has it to have hoof supplement in. No more carrots or apples or horse treats even polos! Going to walk him out in hand half an hour a day. Okayed by his vet. Have reduced nigh time haylage from about 8kgs to 5 or 6kgs. Will have to reduce that further eventually vet says. Anything Else I can do? Going out for ten hours a day in a not very lush field. Spring grass coming through though.
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Post by zara on Apr 5, 2012 6:48:37 GMT
It is so tough especially when you cannot work them. I contacted Dengie and they were excellent advising on Mr T's weighty problem! He's on 5Kg of hay and 1Kg Healthy Hooves and out in the field with not much grass 9 hours/day. He is losing weight but his work has increased. They advised that if he wasn't losing to reduce his feed to Hi-Fi lite by the handful and a grazing muzzle. I monitor T with a weigh tape every 2 weeks. As long as Pete doesn't get more than 1 - 1.5% of his body weight in feed /day he should lose weight. Good luck; I feel so guilty restricting him especially when he can see AJ's enormous net next door xxx
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Post by scattymare on Apr 5, 2012 11:14:37 GMT
Echo Zara, it is so hard, particulary if you can't work them. The only thing I can see you changing there is possibly feed - what does he get now? A handful of Hi-Fi lite for his supplement to go in is sufficient but you can feed it in larger quantities if you want to feel like he's had a 'feed' - but will need to reduce haylage accordingly (I'm fairly sure Hi Fi lite is lower in calories than haylage so he could have a bit more - but more expensive!
Double net his haylage so it lasts him longer.
Good luck.
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Post by zara on Apr 5, 2012 12:22:44 GMT
Good Doer is the lowest calorie feed on the market as far as I'm aware at 7MJ/Kg; Hi-Fi Lite I think is 7.5. Both are generally lower than hay / hayalge so can be used as hay replacement if preferred Z
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Post by fleabitten on Apr 5, 2012 13:37:57 GMT
do you have a horse walker on your yard?
as zara says, weigh out his hay ration so that its 1-1.5 % of his bodyweight and split into several nets, even double netting it. i would maybe be inclined just to give him a plain vit and min lick with a salt lick and then give a handful of chaff, just enough to mix the hoof supplement in.
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jangles
Whipper Snapper
What happens if you get scared half to death twice??
Posts: 156
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Post by jangles on Apr 6, 2012 12:46:58 GMT
Are you feeding him from haynets or just from the ground? I've heard great things about the trickle nets from quite a few people. I think they are quite expensive but some people have been saying it almost doubles the amount of time it takes their horses to eat their usual amount of hay/haylage. This would keep him occupied longer, but still not eating anymore.
I know how hard it can be as Boo is rather well rounded most of the time! With limited exercise it makes it harder aswell.
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Post by solomon on Apr 6, 2012 18:19:35 GMT
I have a trickle net, it is good. Makes his meagre ration look even smaller as it is rather large!
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haffyfan
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Post by haffyfan on Apr 7, 2012 9:54:51 GMT
It's so hard isn't it.
Neither of mine will muzzle so restricted grazing is essential, the barer the better i guess. I use to hide bits of carrot etc for him to search for and also used a feed ball (the decahedron style) which i chopped tiny bits of carrots to go in as i don't feed cereals. if at all possible split any feed/hay/snacks up into as many feeds as possible so he can trickle feed throughout day...easier said then done of course when you work.
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Post by scattymare on Apr 11, 2012 7:38:02 GMT
Sol how long have you had your trickle net? Very interested to hear feedback on this. People on H&H rate them and I've been umming and aahing all winter whether to get one - just can't quite bring myself to part with £30 for a haynet!
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Post by racaille on Apr 11, 2012 9:04:02 GMT
I'd never heard of them but just been Googling them - they look brilliant! But I'd need three ....  |
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haffyfan
Administrator
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Post by haffyfan on Apr 11, 2012 10:31:49 GMT
I've just googled it too as also never heard of them...I can't see the difference bar price between them and a horsehage net? I know hole size can vary but i have a horsehage net, with tiny holes which i'd say were of a similiar size, that cost a fraction of the price of those from a local tackshop...or maybe i'm missing something? Neither of mine will entertain eating from it either  |
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Post by solomon on Apr 11, 2012 12:15:29 GMT
Holes much smaller than horsehage net. He gets that for a treat now and again! Really small holes and no give in the string at all. Really slows them down.
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Post by spotti on Apr 11, 2012 12:34:09 GMT
I'd never heard of these either; sound like a good idea though! £30 is quite expensive for a haynet, especially as I like to make mine in batches (so would need about 7 to last the week), but I guess there must be a reason for them being so expensive - probably something to do with them being really strong and rot-free... Not sure Faith would entertain one  . It would probably be good for her belly, but I'd worry about her neck muscles... |
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Post by spotti on Apr 11, 2012 12:37:46 GMT
* Might point my boss in the direction of these nets though - she has one horse who cribs on EVERYTHING, so maybe if we could entertain him then he might not crib so much. She also has another horse who she constantly has on a diet but she's never happy with his weight - he currently has small nets with very small amounts of haylage in them (he ends up standing with nothing for hours at a time looking miserable while the others are stuffing their faces)...maybe a smaller-holed net would allow him to have more haylage without him turning into a porker  |
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Post by solomon on Apr 11, 2012 12:58:28 GMT
They are huge too! Could get half a bale of hay in one!
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Post by kitcat on Apr 12, 2012 6:32:39 GMT
JS has them too. They are really good and have stopped him eating a haynet in an hour. They are expensive but I think they will last much longer than a normal or small holed haynet.
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Post by zara on Apr 12, 2012 7:30:37 GMT
I think I may have to get 1 for Mr T as he can demolish a full net in no time and he has got very fat!
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. It would probably be good for her belly, but I'd worry about her neck muscles...
