I would like some advise about whether or not I am not doing enough for my horse in the winter. He is an arab gelding 12yrs, due to the short days during the winter months I am unable to exercise him during the week at all, and if the weather is terrible during the weekend, we arent able to do much then either. He is turned out every day and in at night. He and getting to be over weight, although he doesnt get any hard feed. Our grass has held on. I am worried that he might get flounder. What can one do during these cold times?? Also he is a lazy little man and doesnt run arround the field much.
WINTER MONTHS
- Thread starter Tina Grobler
- Start date
hello!
You might need to give your horse a vitamin and mineral supplement during hte winter months as winter grass and hay are not good sources of vits and minerals. you could give him a measure of Equivite in a handful of Dengie Hi-Fi or Hi-Fi Lite twice a day just to keep him topped up.
The best way to keep the weight off him is, as you say, to ride him, but i fully understand that with the short days and horrid weatehr this isn't always an option. The other thing that horses use energy for is keeping warm - they ferment the fibre in their guts to produce heat. Is your horse rugged up at the moment? Perhaps you could take him rug off during hte day (unless it is really cold like the last few days have been, and if it is wet and windy). It sounds almost cruel to do this, especially if he is normally rugged up, but it does help horses lose weight - and anyway wild horses survive fine without rugs.
If that isn't an option, you could try limitting his time out at grass to a few hourse and keep him for the rest of the day with some hay and barley straw (which is very low in digestibale energy but perfectly ok for horses to eat - check that it is barley straw though as not all straws are suitable as feeds). this will however involve a lot more work for you though!
bye!
You might need to give your horse a vitamin and mineral supplement during hte winter months as winter grass and hay are not good sources of vits and minerals. you could give him a measure of Equivite in a handful of Dengie Hi-Fi or Hi-Fi Lite twice a day just to keep him topped up.
The best way to keep the weight off him is, as you say, to ride him, but i fully understand that with the short days and horrid weatehr this isn't always an option. The other thing that horses use energy for is keeping warm - they ferment the fibre in their guts to produce heat. Is your horse rugged up at the moment? Perhaps you could take him rug off during hte day (unless it is really cold like the last few days have been, and if it is wet and windy). It sounds almost cruel to do this, especially if he is normally rugged up, but it does help horses lose weight - and anyway wild horses survive fine without rugs.
If that isn't an option, you could try limitting his time out at grass to a few hourse and keep him for the rest of the day with some hay and barley straw (which is very low in digestibale energy but perfectly ok for horses to eat - check that it is barley straw though as not all straws are suitable as feeds). this will however involve a lot more work for you though!
bye!
Your horse is having about the same regime as my Anglo-Arab gelding - I have the same problems with lack of daylight. Normally I ride before work, but in December and January there just isn't enough light, so it's weekends only, weather permitting. I have trouble keeping weight off Mish too, particularly since we feed haylage, which is quite rich (hay isn't an option). His hard feed is just ration balancer and he has to be rugged up or he gets rainscald! My answer would be to turn him out full time (did this a couple of years ago and he stayed nicely slimline - there's little nutrition in the grass at this time of year, usually much less than hay), but can't do it now because our grazing would get too poached - is this practical for you? Other than that, I'm stuck too, until the days get longer again.
Do you have to worry about founder? I always thought that was from a large, sudden intake of rich food, like if your horse got loose in a wheat field and gorged himself? Am I right? That is always my worry since we are surrounded by fields. I always thought it was ok for the horses to gain a bit in the winter?? How can you tell if they are too fat?? I can feel Girly's ribs if I press on her sides. I have found that in the last year she is more solid but I figured that was her maturing (she is 4 in Jan) Thanks Brenda
Tina- first I want to emphasize, do not leave a horse outside without a blanket if he is clipped! If he has a natural coat he is fine outside with no blanket.
I would also like to add my problems, in hopes someone will have the perfect soultion. I have two QH mares, who live outside full time. They are not blanketed, are fed no grain, and are ridden 3-4 times per week. I would like to ride them more, but I get home from school at 3:00, and it gets dark around 4:45, so I only have time to ride one. I have no idea how to help them lose weight. They are fed approximately 1/3 of a bale of grass hay each day, plus whatever grass they eat. It can get pretty cold here, but they never lose weight. Last year they actuslly gained wieght over the winter, and I still have problems getting it off in the summer, as they then chow down on the grass. If anyone has any suggestions, please let both Tina and I know
Allie
I would also like to add my problems, in hopes someone will have the perfect soultion. I have two QH mares, who live outside full time. They are not blanketed, are fed no grain, and are ridden 3-4 times per week. I would like to ride them more, but I get home from school at 3:00, and it gets dark around 4:45, so I only have time to ride one. I have no idea how to help them lose weight. They are fed approximately 1/3 of a bale of grass hay each day, plus whatever grass they eat. It can get pretty cold here, but they never lose weight. Last year they actuslly gained wieght over the winter, and I still have problems getting it off in the summer, as they then chow down on the grass. If anyone has any suggestions, please let both Tina and I know
Allie
newrider.com