What more can I do????

How much grass is in your field, could he wear his muzzle for another few weeks? It wasn't me on h&h. I wouldn't turn a fully clipped horse out naked under about 12 degrees, but I would clip and then use a medium weight through the winter to get weight down that's what I do with ale. Ale would be too cold in a lightweight but I don't know Ben, he might be fine.
 
for what its worth It wasnt me on H&H either ! I dont think a regular poster would do that from here in such a way tbh you have to remember we also have lots of lurkers to ! However if you are going to post something on a website/forum you have to accept your writings are now in the public domain.
 
Please don't sulk off MP, you asked what more you could do, you got lots of answers, up to you if you choose any of them, all of them or none at all.
It's been a really interesting thread as so many of yours often are, I don't think anyone of us were being particularly judgmental but if you ask for comments you are by the very nature of a forum going to get them.
 
You need to decide what you are comfortably with both in terms of his weight and his management and somewhere along the line there may need to be a compromise between weight, quality of life, his comfort and your own stress levels. From my own experience, I was advised to let my pony 'shiver the weight off' but I refused because I knew I could not cope with seeing my pony shivering. Others might think that is pathetic and I needed to man up for the sake of my horse's health, but at the end of the day, if I am lying in bed and can;t sleep because I know my pony is cold and miserable then that felt a step too far. Similarly I would also not leave her on hard-standing instead of being in the field because I felt her mental well being was just as important as her physical health so I was insistent she live out with a herd. Her weight came down with muzzling and bringing her in from 10-4 in the day when the sugar was higher in the grass. One vet said she was still too fat and at risk of Lami. Another one said she was basically ok. So that was good enough for me. Also I think some vets can be a bit cavalier about incidentals like happiness and comfort as they are very health focused (not yours maybe but some I have known). I kept being told 'it won't do her any harm' but that is not the same as saying 'she will be happy and comfortable with this management.' Of course being concerned about comfort does not mean pamper your horse so he is unhealthily fat and at risk - but it does mean thinking about the balance between physical health and other factors. But only you can decide where the balance needs to be and what lengths you are willing to go to. And no-one should judge the choices you make. I am criticised for over-exercising Daisy-Doodle-Dog as we go over 20 miles frequently. But we both love it so I have no intention of cutting our mileage even if it's not 'ideal' from a purely physical point of view.
 
The problem with not clipping is that he'll get really uncomfortable when he's worked - MP does a lot with him. My horse hates being sweaty with a full coat and will try and roll with her tack on!
 
Lol - they are all different - Scully has a very full fluffy coat but rarely really sweats up except between her rear legs! It is usually me that ends up sweaty.... sorry TMI! :oops:
 
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domane said:
Can your trace clip him and leave him rugless.... that way his back is protected from the elements....
Click to expand...
This is how mine is, but her back is protected by a thick winter untouched coat, not a grown out fuzzy one.
She is clipped like this because she is too hot when worked and currently itches with a sheet on. She has lots of mane and feather. She is bib clipped all year because she gets so warm,

As an aside I would be for my peace of mind doing bloods for possible ems, mine ticked some boxes last year coming into Autumn 500kg with crest and fat pads. But blanket clipped, work, rugged when required and she dropped 50kg. Bearing in mind she didn't hack out, trust me I bloody walked miles!
This Autumn its 464kg with trace clip.
As it reads MP your workload is more than ours, your diet more controlled than ours, so I wonder why his weight isn't less if you follow.
 
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I really wouldn't worry about H&H thread - really who cares what they think. And they do like a good row!!

I don't think anyone has been judgemental, just offered their own ideas as to how the issue could be resolved. Vets are very good, but they aren't God and much like anyone else they all have opinions. Some are right, some are wrong. For instance, I would far rather have a farrier sort an abscess than a vet having seen some of the work that the very best Equine Clinic has to offer abscess wise - it was a mess. If my horse had Cushings/IR or EPSM, I would rather join the Yahoo group run by Doctor Kellon who is a visionary in her field and knows FAR more about these issues than your general equine vet - BECAUSE she deals with it every day and this is one of her specialist fields.

So don't flounce off!
 
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I won't flounce off! But I do seem to have joined HHO!

Why do most of us post on NewRider in the first place I tend to post threads when I am either very excited and happy about something (e.g going jumping), or when I am very upset about something (e.g. the vets visit). Yes, I make my decisions based on real life people around me (my vet, my riding instructor, yard staff and my real life friends). Of course I do, I am not going to make huge management changes on my horse based on feedback from an internet forum. Sorry if that offends anyone, but I actually live in the real world and not in internet land. My reason for posting on here was mainly to vent - to write down what I was feeling because it upset me. It wasn't because I am clueless and stupid.

I'm also sorry some of you are so narrow minded to be able to view things from a different viewpoint. Horse care isn't always black and white. Sometimes a different style of management is needed. I will not let my horse suffer and I am quite frankly appalled that some of you seem to think that I will follow vets advice blindly and to the letter without using any common sense myself. After all the years I have posted on this site, I would have thought that you 'knew' me better than that.
 
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wow Im intrigued MP who is actually narrow minded? Theres nothing wrong with different styles of management at all, but why cannot someone have a different viewpoint then you on it, or see it as cruel? Oh sorry did I disagree with you? I personally dont ' know' you at all only what odd threads I have read when musing on the forum. I think a horse will suffer being fully clipped with no protection ( that includes a rainsheet) does that make me narrow minded? I couldnt really care what you do with your horse! I am allowed to feel sorry for it from my own point of view. I come to a discussion forum to discuss viewpoints. If you dont like a persons attitude or opinions there is always the ignore function !
 
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Well I actually came on here to learn and talk to like minded people and because I don't look through blinkers and only listen to a,b and c because I see them in the flesh,that's a very narrow minded view in my opinion! Where do you research mp when you havnt got your 'real life' peeps in front of you,I put money on it you Google.
People on here especially the regulars and long standing members offer their advice because they care and k ow not because they live in internet world! I have had huge help and advice from here that I am always grateful for as people have taken their time to help and respond. It hasn't always bee what I've thought or even k own but I take it on board and learn. I personally think that what you have said there is very unfair when i know a lot of people on here have listened,helped, sympathized etc with you and Ben and actually taken time to get to know you.
You asked a question,your title has ?????? On the end not a I'm having a rant! People have answered, my main problem was your vets pig headed view! And dare I say it narrow mindedness!!!!!
 
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Its great to vent we all do it, but if that's what you were doing it would have helped to say you don't want advice/suggestions. We are not psychic.
The title of the thread implied you did want suggestions.
I agree Iwould most likely listen/fall back on my vet, farrier, real life friends etc, but to be honest people on the internet aren't necessarily stupid either. We do have qualified professionals on here.
No I won't make huge management changes but I have tried things I have come across, we all want the best for our horse.
 
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Your original post seemed to be asking a series of genuine questions including about your vet's judgement. People answered in good faith and constructively. Including agreeing with your own apparent doubts about the vet. Only for you to fly to his defence and to take any alternative view points very personally. If you didn't want advice but just reassurance and support in what has been a stressful long standing struggle for you thats fine. Buy just say so! And the lovely nr peeps will be only too happy to give it ime.
 
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Just as a matter of interest, question marks don't necessarily imply it is a question seeking an answer - rhetorical questions are more statements , often made in exasperation. That is the way I interpreted the original post. That the post elicited an informative discussion is great, lets not trash the thread with a who did what and why o_O
 
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You felt it fine to belittle my professional experience with heavy horses, apparently' just pulling carts' is something to look down on ! but of course internet folk are just narrow minded who can offer a view point backed up by years of working with heavy horses as head of carriage and competing nationally and overseas aswell as training horses and ponies up to be fit agile and supple working/competing horses. ! Is it any wonder some folk have felt just a little irate. You know what we mainly did... HILL WORK !
 
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