Has anyone else's Horse/Pony lost weight/Condition Lately ?
- Thread starter tashford
- Start date
I think they really need a lot more hay to compensate for lack of grass (even poor grass has some feed value) and to keep them warm.
Ours are eating double their normal hay and are all wearing multiple rugs.
Ours are eating double their normal hay and are all wearing multiple rugs.
Yes thank god!!
My mare is finally starting to show some weight loss, she been on restricted grazing/hay and minimal rugging and its only just starting to show. All 5 on our yard have carried through really well this year but i think the fact the winter field was originally put to one side of the cows may have helped
My mare is finally starting to show some weight loss, she been on restricted grazing/hay and minimal rugging and its only just starting to show. All 5 on our yard have carried through really well this year but i think the fact the winter field was originally put to one side of the cows may have helped
Yes, my horse was out of work due to breathing probs, then when i was allowed to ride her lightly again, the ice stopped taking her out. she therefore has no muscle anymore, before she had been ridden pretty regulary and was relatively fit. She has also dropped weight, i think due to poor grazing, and stress of moving yards, and she is starting to age a little more now. She didnt drop nearly this much last year though.
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No mine is refusing to eat cause he's bored of food!!!! GRR!!! To be fair he has been in for like a week now and there is NO grass in his field cause it's all covered with ice then snow then ice so have put him out with lots of hay.
Our straw is so good he eats that as well as his hay and his food. Bloody gannet!!!
Our straw is so good he eats that as well as his hay and his food. Bloody gannet!!!
yeah the wee one lost a fair bit but thanks to new field he's puting it back on slowly, spooky managed to lose all that he needed to so just have whats left to musscle up now! x
Beau's gone up 2 holes on his girth very suddenly. I know he's a cob and could do without hard feed, but I've got him on forage feed (a complete feed with chaff and a litle bit of pony nuts) and veg, apples, garlic. He looks fine, but I worried a bit about him losing weight so quickly over the past few weeks and he's had no grass-he's going out purely so he can stratch hi legs and socialise (i.e. stand by the gate and sulk!)
because mine lost weight last winter, i upped their feed this winter,
they seem to have put wieght on
tashford what changes have you noticed ?
they seem to have put wieght on
tashford what changes have you noticed ?
This winter I've noticed that he's lost alot of muscle around his rump. As well as fat off his belly. He isn't a youngster anymore and is only ridden by two little girls so his workload is never very heavy ! Although last summer everyone commented on how well he was looking. I'm hoping he'll be back to normal in the spring !
Thankfully not, all 3 of mine are doing well, Abby's diet never changes summer/winter she is laminitic and is in a sand paddock.
Bob and Addie , in a field with VERY LITTLE grass, both get hard feed in morning [calm and condition, and apple chaff] and hay in field [haynet full each]
Same again at night.
Bob and Addie , in a field with VERY LITTLE grass, both get hard feed in morning [calm and condition, and apple chaff] and hay in field [haynet full each]
Same again at night.
Stan suddenly lost a lot of weight about a fortnight ago, I was so concerned that I had the vet out to check him over as I couldn't see a reason (well rugged, toasty to touch, ad lib hay & feed had been upped).. Vet declared him perfectly healthy but agreed he was looking quite hippy. Changed hay to haylage and upped feed more and he's gaining again..
Vet & I can only think it's simply down to the very cold weather.
Vet & I can only think it's simply down to the very cold weather.
mine's lost muscle, quite understandable as due to the horrid weather and my work commitments he hasn't been ridden in at least 6 weeks. Not too worried though, he's adlib hay and speedibeet to help control his weight as appropriate. spring will be on us before we know it!
Gosh, I wish... I had another exploration in search of ribs today, and they're still buried somewhere Hoping the snow stays a bit longer - at least it cuts down their eating time a bit Today, I delivered 3 leaves of horsehage between 4. No way I'm giving more than that until they start to look hungry
Hoping the snow stays a bit longer - at least it cuts down their eating time a bit Today, I delivered 3 leaves of horsehage between 4. No way I'm giving more than that until they start to look hungry 
I'm another one with a pony that seems to be putting on weight with rubbish grass. If it would just stop raining I could exercise him ...
Luckily everything here is doing well, nothings dropped weight, all are steady. Infact Jack, who's in his 18th year has gained weight which is a good thing for him The 2yold filly has also gained condition thankfully!! Can't wait for the spring grass for her
The 2yold filly has also gained condition thankfully!! Can't wait for the spring grass for her newrider.com