Is it safe to be jumping an overweight cob?
- Thread starter Loz_29
- Start date
Belly isn't the big issue, give a thin horse a big net of poor quality soaked hay & the chances are it will have a belly. However while I can't condition score from a photo I would say from that photo he is quite fat - cresty neck even for a cob, no real definition between neck & shoulder, gutter along spine.
I wouldn't want to jump him a lot at that weight as he will be putting extra strain on joints & soft tissue - hence why it isn't ideal to d a lot of jumping with heavy horses too - but I shouldn't think some small jumps on good ground or a good surface will be the end of the world, he could put himself under as much strain gadding around in the field. Be sensible, keep working to get his weight down and monitor how he responds to his work - if he starts refusing or backing off his jumps, or looks sore the next day then ease off. If we never did anything with our horses unless they were the perfect weight then there would be a lot of horses doing nothing & it wouldn't be in their best interests.
I wouldn't want to jump him a lot at that weight as he will be putting extra strain on joints & soft tissue - hence why it isn't ideal to d a lot of jumping with heavy horses too - but I shouldn't think some small jumps on good ground or a good surface will be the end of the world, he could put himself under as much strain gadding around in the field. Be sensible, keep working to get his weight down and monitor how he responds to his work - if he starts refusing or backing off his jumps, or looks sore the next day then ease off. If we never did anything with our horses unless they were the perfect weight then there would be a lot of horses doing nothing & it wouldn't be in their best interests.
I would be more inclined to do one jump session a week and one session over raised trotting poles if your worried. That way hes working the muscles and putting in effort to get over poles but wont have the same impact on the joints from take off and landing.
Is his hay soaked when in, he barely has any turnout if it's just for a few hours so where is he getting the excess nutrition from?
He in the riding school six days a week what work are they doing?
As for the bottom, you can tone it up and lose the gutter, but you will always have a nice decent bottom.
The belly is the gas from the fibre, the majority if not all horses with access to grass will have the belly in the spring and summer.
Mine is a little plump right now and we do polework once a week, sometimes raised.
Jumping I just had to go and work it out and we don't touch anything over 60cms at any weight. She's simply not built for it and she's Irish like yours.
Everyone is individual. But I wouldnt want to put up 75cm and be on board at her current weight.
He in the riding school six days a week what work are they doing?
As for the bottom, you can tone it up and lose the gutter, but you will always have a nice decent bottom.
The belly is the gas from the fibre, the majority if not all horses with access to grass will have the belly in the spring and summer.
Mine is a little plump right now and we do polework once a week, sometimes raised.
Jumping I just had to go and work it out and we don't touch anything over 60cms at any weight. She's simply not built for it and she's Irish like yours.
Everyone is individual. But I wouldnt want to put up 75cm and be on board at her current weight.
Yes he does need to drop a lot of weight but it is impossible to tell from a picture how fit he is. If you are having lessons, I would be guided by your instructor on this. If he is huffing and puffing, reluctant to move forward and refusing jumps, he probably isn’t fit enough. If he does all you ask easily, he is.
The question of ‘if’ you should jump a heavy horse is one of these these questions that has no real answer. Jumping any horse will make the risk of injury more likely as the wear and tear on their joints is higher. Does this mean you shouldn’t do it? It is really up to you to decide.
I would be looking at his diet in the stable as a horse shouldn’t be that fat who doesn’t have much access to grass. It is normally the sugar in the grass which makes the weight pile on during spring, but with only 2 hours turnout this won’t be true for him. What is he being fed on a daily basis?
The question of ‘if’ you should jump a heavy horse is one of these these questions that has no real answer. Jumping any horse will make the risk of injury more likely as the wear and tear on their joints is higher. Does this mean you shouldn’t do it? It is really up to you to decide.
I would be looking at his diet in the stable as a horse shouldn’t be that fat who doesn’t have much access to grass. It is normally the sugar in the grass which makes the weight pile on during spring, but with only 2 hours turnout this won’t be true for him. What is he being fed on a daily basis?
I have a chunky traditional cob who loves jumping but my attitude is just because she wants to and can, doesn't mean that she should do it very often. Imho, heavy cobs aren't built to do a lot of jumping but I don't think occasionally will put your boy at any greater risk than others. Just don't use jumping as a means for weight loss. And yes, do carry on with the weight loss programme.
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