Fat horse

[JennyandJosey]

Sorry for a second post, but this is a different issue...

My mare has gotten fat. She's been overweight since late summer and just seems to be getting fatter. She's outside 24/7 with free choice grass hay. I have not been able to ride much in the past month because of the weather (too cold). I really want her to lose some weight but am at a loss on how to do that. I asked the BO today if he could move her to a paddock with no hay at night but he didn't seem too keen on the idea. I can't put her inside at night. I have a feeling he'll come up with some idea. But if not, is there anything I can do or should I wait for Spring/Summer and start using a grazing muzzle?

[Fork]

The greatest key for a horse to lose weight is exercise. There's no questioning that. In the way she's being kept right now, there is no way for her to suddenly lose the weight.

If you deprive her of nutrients, especially in the cold, she could become ill. Does she only eat free-choice hay?

[JennyandJosey]

Yes, she's hay only.

I wish I could exercise her more but it's just been too cold to ride.

[ImaBronsonBear]

Can you walk/jog her in hand to give her some exercise? You'd both get in shape.:D

[Cat]

Just heard of someone bundling up in -5 degree weather to go ride their horse.

You really don't want to limit their hay this time of year because that is what they are using to stay warm. Night time when its even colder the hay is even more important. My boys don't get free-choice hay, but they do get 3 feedings of it and their largest one is the nighttime one around 11 pm.

If you can't ride her, could you lunge her a bit? Hand walk her?

Also, how overweight really is she right now? She may look bigger due to her longer coat. Have you actually felt her? Can you feel ribs at all? I like my horses trimmer in the summer, but a little "fluffier" (not talking fur here) in the winter for warmth.

[JennyandJosey]

No, I can't feel her ribs. She's not morbidly obese but she's way overweight. Maybe I'll have to get a picture.

See, my indoor arena is not heated and the high here has hardly been over 10 each day. I am of the opinion that exercise in that cold air is not good for anybody (her especially).

She did get lightly exercised twice in the last week, but the forecast doesn't bode well for warmer weather.

Maybe I'll just have to wait the winter out and invest in a grazing muzzle if the problem continues this summer.

[Cat]

She would be fine at a nice move-out type walk in those temps. Just nothing overly sternuous to make her sweat.

[luvs2ride1979]

I would lunge or ride her at the walk/trot for 15-20 minutes a day. That will not tax her, but will keep her moving.

She could be IR (insulin resistant). My mare used to get fat quickly also. Putting her on a magnesium supplement helped some. You might look into giving her some in a couple handfuls of sweet feed.

Horse Tech has 5lbs of MagOx for $17.95. http://horsetech.com/popular-customs.htm#Quick%20Links%20to%20Product%20Pages Call or email them for feeding instructions/recommendations.

Or you could do something like D-Card Balance, which is high in magnesium and other nutrients, especially made for horses who are "easy keepers," to help keep the weight down.
http://www.smartpakequine.com/productclass.aspx?productClassid=2475

You'd only need to mix it with a little feed, like a cup.

[TacheteTreasures]

You have an indoor arena and havent been riding?!?!
Suck it up! Haha.

[Fork]

You have an indoor arena and havent been riding?!?!
Suck it up! Haha.I have to agree here. :huh: I ride in an unheated cover-all. And that doesn't keep any heat in or out. It just blocks the wind.

[Vibe]

Even if you don't want to ride I say bundle up and go lunge her. Thats really the only way you can get her into shape. Maybe some free jumping if you have the resources? It got my old horse ito great shape with in weeks. I just use My mounting stool, the side of my arena gate and some pvc pipe.

[JennyandJosey]

Ok, ok, I guess I'll have to make more of an effort. I was always told it's not good for them below a certain temp, but I guess that's wrong?

It's not like she's totally out of shape underneath the extra weight. She'd been ridden consistently up until about a month ago, but then work, the holidays and sickness got in the way. Now it's been the cold.

I do have some jumps I can use.

[Fork]

I don't know about the cold weather thing, but it makes sense. It's below 10 here almost every day, and we ride all the time. As long as you warm up and cool down properly (and send them out dry!) it shouldn't be a big problem.

Now you've got me Googling. :)

[Miracle Whip]

My horses run around in the pasture in all types of weather. They buck and rear and have a lot of fun. I used to take riding lessons in January and I trailered my pony there. Its nice if it at least gets up to 20 degrees but nothing wrong with 10 degrees either. Invest in an insulated coverall and gloves with an THINSULATE lining and a good scarf...

Any day that the sun shines and there is no bitter wind is a good day to ride. If your face feels cold or slightly numb then no I would not ride. I generally go by what my face tells me. If my face is uncomfortable when I do chores then I would not ride.

My problem here is ice, which isn't a problem if you have an indoor arena. Be SURE TO WARM UP THE BIT ahead of time.

[Peggy Sue]

http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/signaturepics/sigpic335_1.gif

Is this her?? if so she is not too bad IN THIS PICTURE... many times what we see as fat is that bloated belly they get... if you put her on a vitamins/mineral supplement with added probios and amino acids with high levels of nutrition she may loose that belly .. it will also help if she is IR and her body is not properly using the sugars from her system

[JennyandJosey]

Yes, that's her. It's from last Spring. She looked great then. She lost weight both of the previous winters and last year at this time was pretty thin. I moved her to a new barn and she started gaining too much late summer.

Can you suggest something specific to put her on? Also, she is basically pasture boarded so I'd have to give it myself. I can't get out there every day, would it be effective if she got it whenever I go there?

[FrogInABlender]

...Maybe I'll just have to wait the winter out and invest in a grazing muzzle if the problem continues this summer.

You don't have to wait.. Go ahead and get her one. She can still eat enough hay through the little hole in the bottom to keep her warm. I have to keep them on several of my horses 24/7 in the summertime, but since I have bermuda pasture that goes dormant in the winter I can take them off then. I used to let them have free access to a roll of hay kept in the barn isle, but they were getting too fat on that, so now I only let them have access to it at night, and that seems to be working. The cheapest muzzle I've found is this one at Country Supply/Horse.com ...

http://www.horse.com/Grazing-Muzzle-BRK61HORSE.html

They're over $40 everywhere else I've looked, and they look to be the same muzzle, so I don't get the big price difference. :confused: