do we get confused

newforest

newforest

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2008
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Not sure where to put, so its here.

All breeds are different obviously. But do we/you get confused between fat and muscles?

Someone said to me that mine is fat, now when the physio lady came I mentioned this to be told its muscle-which is what I thought before I got told its fat.
My concern was that the person who commented would want "weight off" where she didn't have any-its called an arse!
She lacks muscle tone, so the arse will get bigger.
 
I think this is partly why the vet who gave a talk the other night at my local practice, was saying that he only took girth into account, and the indvidual changes for that specific horse, rather than body condition scoring.
People have different body shapes, so do horses. I struggle, as any normal light legged horse folk think Flipo is FAAAAAAAT, while heavy horse folk think he is just right.

I am working with what I've got, I'm trying to get the weight off him and will use my eye to work out when he's still in condition but not overweight.
 
Every condition scoring should take into account the breeding of horse/pony, my lad got scored 3-3.5 breeding taken into account (Shire x Cob), vet said he looks fab just coming out of winter, you can feel his ribs without much effort, and he has no fat pads.
No two horses are exactly the same, just as no two human are either.
 
I agree, most people think Belle is still way to fat, I think she is about right now, she is a sturdy lass and is very broad , in fact although only 14.2 she is wider than any other horse on our yard, even the big 15.3 cob!Its just the way she is made.
 
I think you're dead right.

People like a rounded bottom, I know I do, but there's a big difference between a big muscly bum or shoulder to a fat one.

To me, breed makes no difference as its about the covering of fat iver certain reference points and not the covering of muscle or shape. I'm just looking a one point and scoring it, I do this over several points and average out.
 
After I had a good poke and prod I can tell the difference between fat and muscle on some areas of my horse. Also through watching him move in the field so I could see when certain muscles became engaged (like his tummy muscles when he is running or playing) I can see a good size fat pad on his shoulders when he is turning his head, he really carries his weight on his front end and not really his back end - opposite of me !
 
This person expects to see two ribs and its the correct weight.

When mine dropped to 350kg she was ill and using muscle to live, so her correct weight for breed type wouldn't be that low.
She has no crest or fat over shoulders, though I can't find ribs.
 
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Honestly, I think that many people mistake fat for muscle because they don't want to admit that their horse is fat. In order to burn the fat and build up proper muscle the horse must be doing a decent amount of exercise and be ridden properly to create it.

My horse has gone from being very fat, to just fat. I ride him every day and while he is just starting to develop some muscles, he still has far too much fat on him. I want him to be strong and have muscles, but I have to accept that I need to ride him forwards and make him use his body properly to enable this to happen.

Many people have said to me that his huge apple shaped bottom is characteristic of his breed and I shouldn't try and change this. I argue that yes, he is always going to have a big bottom, but it shouldn't have a huge gutter down the middle of it! Sometimes I feel that the more I try and tell people he is fat, the more other people try and tell me that he isn't. I think that most hacking type/non competition horses are generally too fat.
 
I think fat looks different to muscle. Cobs are supposed to have big bums and shoulders and a good neck imo.

I think condition scoring can be quite difficult with them other than fat behind the shoulder and an obvious gutter down the back. Tilly doesn't look fat to me.

When I first got Evie, I thought she was fat. As I wasn't sure, I asked the vet during a routine visit.

He told me she wasn't fat, just a 'a very fine specimen of a horse' lol.

I think its easier to judge in the summer when they don't have the winter coat. Fat tends to glow and rumple if that makes sense.

I can't find a single rib on any of mine, never have done. The vet (who is very reputable) has told me they are not fat so I beleive him.

Evie is 15.1 big boned and weighs around 700 kilos

Cherie is 14.1 medium bone, I keep her around 400 kilos (I suspect Tilly could take more weight than this as she is bigger boned).

Summer is the skinnest, 14.2 around 380 kilos bigger boned and longer legged than Cherie but not so deep in the girth.
 
I agree breed has a lot to do with it too. For instance a quarter horse will always have a big back end. Its how they are bred to do the job they need to do.
 
IME 99% of show Shetlands are too Fat.

Yes they are small and squarw, but most are far too fat.
 
Show types in general are fat aren't they?

I think 490kg would be preferable to her current 500kg ( especially as i had a 15.3hh tb that weighed this) as she is only 14.1hh, but dad is a Shire and she had a deep girth. No muscle as only just started to longrein. Obviously the less she carries its slightly easier to get her going!
 
Wally said:
IME 99% of show Shetlands are too Fat.

Yes they are small and squarw, but most are far too fat.
Click to expand...

I tend to agree in the main - however whilst they continue to be placed in preference of the slimmer ( less rotund) exhibits can't see it changing - I must say though I have seen signs of changes so hopefully it will - mine are kept light compared to most and in breed classes he will be down the line - put him in mixed m & m/gelding and coloured classes in good Company and we usually hit top 3 or 4- won a few - I refuse to fatten them up for the show ring...
 
Tina2011 said:
Yes I agree with the Shetlands. However even the ones they do racing with never look thin lol.
Click to expand...

That sort of proves the argument on muscle v fat - my little man is lean but still has a barrel - hes just not pumped out allover - a good fit ridden shetland is still a shetland just not an obese one....
 
I think some owners are a little misguided eg. the horse hardly does any work/plods about on the forehand, yet they think fat 'is muscle' when really, common sense implies it's probably just fat! there was a lady at my old yard who was telling everyone that her obese cob's massive crest was actually 'topline' - ouch!

re: the Shetlands! the OH's mum's driving pair look 'portly' but in their case it really is muscle as they do quite a bit of work and are not overfed.

Julia
x
 
condition scoring doesn't look at a droopy belly at all (thank God!) and just looks at wither infill, behind the shoulder and rib coverage on the centre section.

It'd be like condition scoring a super model after she'd drunk 3 pints of water and that being enough to say she's not emaciated looking because of her pot belly!
 
I like condition scoring it is not based on breed but the coverage over certain areas and it is not breed related.

whether you are condition scoring a Shetland or a Arab you are looking at the coverage over hip, bum, ribs and neck, whether the pony has a large barrow is not relevant as you are looking at the coverage over the barrow and fat pockets not the actual size of the rib cage so in essence if with the fur removed you can't feel the ribs the horse is overweight whether it measure 1m round it's girth or 2m. If the girth measurement is 2M but you can feel the ribs than the horses weight is fine if the others areas also fit with condition score chart.

Notnoodle is right and most people do not realise how much work it takes to make muscle and burn fat, living on a hill and walking with some trot and short canters on a hacka couple of times a week will make a miniuium change if any to a fat horse.

Both my boys are 16.2, Chanter is a TBX with a lot more bone he is currently 520KG and Ginger is 440KG neither have an ouce of fat on them. In the summer this will go up to Chanter 550KG and Ginger 500Kg but again this will not be fat.
 
Yes I know what you are saying Chanter. I know mine are actually overweight atm, so I am not the best person to be commenting on weight issues. I am working on that but tbh I really would have to starve them to get ribs. They are all short in the back I think that makes a difference as well. Riding horses and TB types are just different imo to cobs.

Sometimes, (very occasionally I have to say as they generally need lots of feeding), I have seen fat thoroughbreds and people refer to them as 'good'.

Mine can still look fat on thin air. If I wanted to get ribs they would have to be emaciated
 
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