I have a horse which is overweight, and i know he is, hes a gelding cob, 11yrs old. since i got back to school im only back when its dark so i can only ride him at weekends and even only for a short while because of the miserable weather! he was fat when i got him in jan but i managed to get most of the weight off through excercise alone, now i feel that i really need to give him a proper diet to help him loose the weight, i have a rota where i let him out in the field for excercise for one day and keep him in then for 2 days, i only put him out because he needs to stretch his legs somehow, i hate to see him cramped in a stable all week, there isnt much grass in the field as it was grazed on all summer so that couldnt cause much more weight to be put on..could it?! i really need help i hate seing him fat, i want to do all i can to help him loose the weight, please help!!
2006-11-08 05:41:02 · 31 answers · asked by myrtle_bobby 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
short grass can cause a horse to be fat. all the sugar in the grass is at the root, and sugar is what makes a horse gain weight.
what i would suggest is this:
don't put a blanky on him. it's not cruel not to. he's fat, he won't get cold, and he'll burn fat staying warm. not a lot, but it will help.
take him off sweet feed. buy some black sunflower seeds, cracked corn, barley, and steamed oats. give him about a handful of a mixture of those a day. or just enough to mix supplements into when you need to.
don't lower his hay amount. then his body will go, 'famine! famine!' and refuse to lose weight. make sure the hay isn't alfalfa, and see that it's not too green. with hay, often the lower quality stuff is better for a horse, as long as it's not dusty or moldy.
lastly, buy a human supplement for him. it's called chromium by Solaray. (or however you spell it). they'll have it at most vitamin shopps. open up the little capsuls and give him five or six a day. those regulate his metabolism, and help him lose weight. they are not harmful to horses either.
your horse is basically diabetic. does he have a big, cresty neck? if so, he's diabetic.
another supplement to try is Quiesseua (or however you spell it, my vet has bad handwriting lol). they sell it at www.foxdenequine.com. it's a magnesium or manganese supplement. it explains how it helps horses lose weight.
good luck!
2006-11-09 06:31:25 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The first thing you should do is have a vet out to check for a thyroid problem. Then, you have to cut grain OUT of this diet. Feed at least 3 sections of hay for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and as much water as he'll drink. Feed some apples, maybe a cup of plain oats, but no corn or other grain. It's really amazing how little the horse will need. If he starts to drop weight too quickly, start adding in 1 cup of grain per week. If you feed too much grain, you run the risk of founder.
See if you can't figure out an arrangement with another horse owner at the stable to lunge him or work him out for 20 to 30 minutes every other day or so. But cutting down on grain is the 1st step!
2006-11-08 05:55:43 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
With out more info (size, what you are now feeding, and amounts) its hard to give you a proper answer. The best hays to use in a easy keeping horse is either orchard or coastal. Both are high in fiber but low in fat. Only feed between 2-3 flakes a day. As both hays are lower in quality than alfalfa mixes you will need to feed some type of feed to supplement the lack of nutrition. I find that Safe Choice made by Nutrena is a great feed (Purina makes an equivalent but I can't remember the name); as it is low in carbohydrates and sugars and is fortified with all the daily nutritional requirements that your horse needs. You will only need to feed between 2-3lbs (most scoops are 3lbs- so give between 1/4-1/2 a scoop a feeding) a day. Also, increase your turnout if possible; a couple of hours a day would be best.
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2016-05-18 23:18:34 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have the same problem, except that it's dark when I leave for work and it's dark when I get home. Going into winter it isn't much of a problem for me, I just keep a close eye on body condition and add grain if necessary. My mare is particularly bad about weight gain. Seems like she gets fat just LOOKING at a blade of grass. I also have a 21 year old welsh pony gelding that is prone to founder. It may seem harsh but what you may ultimately have to do is muzzle him. Also share your concerns with your vet. He/she will have some excellent suggestions.
2006-11-08 06:22:21 · answer #6 · answered by wmponygirl 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
don't feed him straw. that is horrible. he can be left out in the pasture he is staying in. you will still have to feed him a little grain. you could also buy a vitamin suppliment to mix with his grain. if you quit feeding him grain it could put weight on him instead of lose it. because of lack of balence in his diet. some horses are just fat. it's really hard to get the weight off them. you can buy a grazing muzzle for him. it can't be left on all the time but it will help alot. if you have to feed him hay this winter buy plain grass hay (no alfalfa or very rich stuff). when you can ride him DO. exsercise is very important.
2006-11-08 12:23:53 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Leave him turned out. Even if there isn't much grass left, the exercise and fresh air is so much better for him.
Cut his grain totally. Zero grain!
When he is stalled, limit his hay intake. Also switch from rich hay to plain old mixed grass.
Why not see about lease-sharing him with someone so that he's ridden more than once a week? They'd also help pay expenses.
Good luck to you!
2006-11-08 08:51:57 · answer #8 · answered by Funchy 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
For starters, what the hell are you graining him for?? Take that out of the mix, and yes, limit his pasture to 4 hours a day until the weight is gone, because he'll be a lot more miserable if he founders! (And he'll be standing around in pain 24 hours a day, easy call.)
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2016-04-14 07:43:04 · answer #9 · answered by Mary 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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