Spring is in the air... time for muzzles...

Well... for those fatter horses spring is a time for weight watching.
Anyone got any ideas to keep weight down to help people with fatties.
Jake's at a perfect weight now, but we really struggled last year and had to put a muzzle (or 3 when he broke them) on him.
Hoping to bring him in for a few hours each day during the spring when he's out 24 hours.
xx

we put muzzles on a few of our mares, not enough time to ride them and some of them arent backed anyway. Things will change when we get to devon,,,if we ever get there ,,

I don't really have this problem as Astra has finally realised that she doesn't have to pig out......and she doesn't get lami, which is a God-send. She does tend to put a bit of weight on at first but, it soon evens out.

I think the best plan for the porkers is either bring them in for half the day (which is such a shame), muzzle the greedy guts, or have a "no grass" paddock with monitored hay and feed.........

If it were me, I'd section a bit of the field off and keep her there during the day......less sugars and calories in night-time grazing.

Jax's Katie is a different horse.......she's a slim Jim..........after loads of care from Jax.......I'll try and upload her pic in a mo......she'll give you some advice am sure when she's around.

x

Skin and bone LOL



x

Wow she looks fab now!
I guess Jake will have to come in during the day again if the weight gets a problem, because he wont stay in a sectioned paddock!! Not if tehre's nicer grass on the other side!
xxx

Hi guys,

Thanks for the comments on Katy. She has done really well with her weight loss. She got up to a hefty 689kg last year. I restricted her grazing for a while in a small paddock and then halved the rest of her field. Little Alfie is on the other half of it now.
To be honest I can't really claim any credit for the 'exercise' part of her weight loss, as due to my new job I haven't actually ridden as her much as I should have. The odd hack out is about all we have done. The pleasure ride we did the other weekend was our first one for over a year.
Her weight loss has been mainly due to restricting her grazing (luckily).
Mind you, the weight isn't the only thing that was lost. By putting wooden posts around my field, dividing it into sections, all the electric tape, energiser, batteries etc, I reckon I have spent well over 400 quid.

Still, she is worth it.

Jax

P.S How the heck did you get that pic on there. I haven't sussed out how to do that yet? Thanks anyway hun.

spots pretty average atm. but she could do with putting on a few pounds this summer

just cos had rubbish grass this winter... so shes lost a bit of condition...

nothing a nice load of spring grass wont heal im sure x