I am looking for ways to get my mare thinner. People say she is the fattest horse at the barn and it doesn't make me happy when they call her Fatpache instead of Apache. What can I do? I will accept product reccomendations also.
2007-01-15 12:36:02 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
You've got some great advice here. The grazing muzzle for turn out is excellent and reducing her grain intake or switching her to a low calorie grain like Triple Crown Lite. As well as keeping her off any alfalfa (as others stated).
Exercise, 3x a week minimum for 25 minutes minimum each time will help. Working trot/ collected canter in the arena are best, and hill work at walk/ trot are best for burning calories and building muscle. You could also lunge her, but have your trainer advise you on how quickly you should step up her exercise program.
You might want to have your vet pull some blood to test for insulin resistance. If she is, you have to be *very* diligent about getting the weight off her NOW before spring grass grows. She could easily founder, something all overweight horses need to be wary of.
Good luck
2007-01-15 12:55:45 · answer #1 · answered by . 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Talk to your vet about her diet. He is the best one to determine if your horse has an actual weight issues. Depending upon how much work she's doing, she's probably getting far too much feed but she still needs a nutritionally sound diet. The vet will help you formulate one.
Horses that are "easy doers" can be as big a challenge as horses that don't keep weight on, and the excess weight can cause health problems, like laminititis. Make sure that she is getting exercise regularly. If she's not being riden regularly, is she getting turn out time?
If you think she's grazing too much, fit her halter with a grazing muzzle. It'll still allow her to eat and drink but will just limit how much grass she's able to consume.
But before you do anything, speak to your vet.
2007-01-16 15:38:18 · answer #2 · answered by Ravanne_1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No grain lots of hay and if she is not loosing a grazing muzle will stop her from getting so much hay in. They have a small opening at the bottom so they can still eat just not as much.
And then RIDE RIDE RIDE.
Start out slow if she is not used to being worked and start at about 1-5-10 minutes of trotting. WOrk up to at least 20 minutes of trotting every day. Hill work builds muscle and will burn fat also.
I work our mare like this each spring and she wears a muzzle 12 hours per day. It works. I take about 100 pounds off her this spring and she looks much better.
2007-01-15 20:57:16 · answer #3 · answered by tlctreecare 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i really wouldn't let other people bother u by what they say...... i would rather have a fat horse rather than a starved, thin, scraggly lookin thing....... more exercise should help(riding or hot walker)... i would not cut down her food unless she is being over fed... but personally why have a starved thin horse when u can have a fat happy one
2007-01-15 21:16:51 · answer #4 · answered by kooneyedkellie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Erm.. Diet and exercise like any health freak would suggest to someone trying to get a slim waistline?
2007-01-15 20:44:21 · answer #5 · answered by Funnyguy 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
A lot of riding, no alfalfa or grain only dried grass and plenty of water. If tou can`t ride her you need to put her on exercise turntable
2007-01-15 20:42:07 · answer #6 · answered by railway 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Exercise and a rationed diet.
2007-01-15 20:41:13 · answer #7 · answered by Lotsa Lops 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Grazing muzzles work well, even for hay.
2007-01-15 20:44:23 · answer #8 · answered by Give life. Be an organ donor! 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Exercise, exercise, and more exercise.
2007-01-16 16:48:33 · answer #9 · answered by Veneta T 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋