hey i have a 14 year old quarter horse morgan mix. she is great but she gains weight so easy. i heard it is because she is part morgan and morgans gain weight very easy. is that true?
2007-01-19 14:14:24 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
i had a morgan and a quarter horse (two, not mixed) several years back, and they were both pretty stocky. i think its just they way the breeds are built.
2007-01-19 14:22:11 · answer #1 · answered by bigwoodenhead 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Sometimes horses are just easy keepers and feeding too much will let them gain weight quickly. My mare is an appaloosa and she is the same way. Morgans may gain weight easily because of their heratige. (the history of the first morgan right here
http://www.equinenet.org/heroes/morgan.html )
They are small horses, and were bred so that they could work very hard all day, doing work like a draft horse, but eating only a little bit of food, which proved useful over the winter and in hard times. Like most small horses and ponies (shetlands, welsh mountain ponies) they are able to gain weight easily because they needed to take advantage of every little morsal of food they got. You might try exercising her a little more if she isn't worked everyday for a least an hour. Be careful with 'easy keepers' they can founder or colic easy.
2007-01-19 14:27:10 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Morgans are a draft horse that has the predisposition to founder faster than most horses. This is what gives them that great cresty neck that alot of people find attractive in a draft.
I would talk to your farrier before you try changing your feed regimine cause alot of times a horse will rapidly gain weight and founder because they are having trouble moving around and working off the energy they get from being fed.
If it is not hoof related then talk to your vet- he may recommend that you put your horse on a supplement. Sometimes a horse will gain because their body is not able to break down fat's and protiens due to a vitamin or mineral deficiency. A great supplement that I recommened and is safe no matter the condition your horse is in is Focus WT(a product by Source). Focus WT is great for horses that need to gain, lose, or just keep the weight they have on them. Focus WT also improves hoof and coat condition.
Also, make sure you aren't over feeding- a horse should get .05 lbs of a complete feed for every 100 lbs they weight. If you are over feeding size down. Check and make sure your hay is also not high in calories. If it is, dunking your hay in water like you are washing it and then feeding your horse is a great way to fill your horses diet without the added calories. Plus wet hay is easier for your horse to chew and digest.
2007-01-19 15:25:51 · answer #3 · answered by silvaspurranch 5 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Morgans are prone to metabolic conditions that can cause weight gain. If you are concerned about her weight gain, a veterinary exam and bloodwork can check for any hormone or metabolic imbalances. Usually these can be easily treated with supplementation, both prescription and over the counter (some even from the grocery store).
2007-01-19 15:16:49 · answer #4 · answered by skachicah35 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
A friend of mine has a Morgan cross and she gets fat when she is just put out to the pasture. They are stocky little horses. QH's are stocky as well, but more athletic than fat.
2007-01-19 19:15:20 · answer #5 · answered by amyleeroxs 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes Morgans are very easy keepers.
2007-01-19 18:56:37 · answer #6 · answered by Dancingsun 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Morgans are stocky built, they are more fleshy, but they are not prone to fattness. Are you sure she is fat or just getting wintered up? How do you gauge that she is fat? Have you been weighing her? Anyway, cut down on the feed, Especially the sweet feeds, up the hay, get her out to exercise more. Call out your vet and have them look her over. Mainly they are going to just tell you to cut out the feed. Her metabolism is slowing down too as they get older, happens to everything as the age.
2007-01-19 15:05:05 · answer #7 · answered by I luv Pets 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
false- some horses are just easy keepers. A lot depends on their metabolism and how much you work them.
You should be able to feel the ribs (each one), but not easily see them- that is a good weight for your horse, no matter how stockily built they are.
2007-01-19 16:16:35 · answer #8 · answered by D 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
yes becouse thay are a hevie horse anyways and if you ask your vet on question about what kind of food would be good for your horse he will tell you what kinds of food would be good for your horse. really any vet will tell you..
2007-01-19 14:55:06 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
i think it depends on the horse and the FEED!
2007-01-19 14:28:33 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋