[Cashela]

*sigh* I own a fat horse.

She doesn't get grain, she gets a handful of beet pulp with Accel vitamins in the morning when my other two are eating. They are out 24/7 with access to a shed row, we do not have pasture in the summer. We do not have acres for them to roam but they have a good size corral that they can and do run in. All three are turned out together. I put out ~60 pounds of hay a day for the three of them in small hole hay nets. They aren't big giant warmbloods. My fatty is probably 14.2, my gelding is a hair shorter and my other mare, the thinner one of the group is probably 15 hands. The other two look good. I guess I could put out less hay. I'm a trail rider and we haven't been going out a whole heck of a lot this winter. Plus this mare is PSYCHO in the winter, so the most she would be doing is getting ponied because I am just getting old enough to realize that I do not bounce any more and I can't afford to have her break me. But the footing is icy now anyway. She is the alpha mare in the "herd". She did have to be on stall rest for a few days a month or so ago because she did something to her shoulder. I restricted her hay then and didn't have much luck.

I need to get some weight off of her. I really don't want to separate her because I think having her move around in the larger corral with the other two helps burn calories, especially having her turned out with my gelding because he can antagonize her into playing and I figure every little bit of exercise helps and the other two try to break her out any way…

Would a grazing muzzle be beneficial to limit her hay intake? I'd hate to put one on her all the time. I work full time so they get fed before I go to work, and then the evening hay gets put out when I get home. Maybe put it on her during the day and then take it off at night, but I can't use a grazing muzzle with my hay nets because I don't think she would be able to get anything to eat.

I was looking at a foal pic of her that I have with her mother, and her mother looks like she was a big FAT mare as well. It must "run in the family"

I need the footing to get better before I can really lunge her. Any other ideas?

[2ndyrgal]

use a muzzle and feed hers on the ground, and not much at that. With the muzzle, she shouldn't be able to eat their hay.

Give her a small flake am, then another flake when she comes in at night.

That's it. Nothing else but water.

[deltawave]

Yeah, a fat alpha horse is a huge problem. I'd go with the grazing muzzle, too, with hay on the ground or in a feeder for her, nets for the others. She'll soon learn to chase everyone away from "her" loose hay and/or poach tiny bits from their nets while the others eat her loose hay.

[Cashela]

That's a great idea. Thanks!

[Cashela]

Is there a grazing muzzle that is better then others or are they pretty much all the same?

[GoForAGallop]

Have you done any bloodwork on her?

I have a fat alpha gelding as well. His bloodwork came back normal, but just as a trial I started him on some Quiessence. The full dose for him would be four scoops, I just do one, and it strips the weight right off of him.

He's not skinny, but he loses his big thick neck, and the extra weight on his butt. His hay belly is all the fault of his lazy owner who doesn't ride him.

Tried Remission, didn't see the same results. Quiessence is expensive, but at 1 scoop a day, even a smaller container lasts for a while.

[deltawave]

IME they're all pretty close to the same. If you're only feeding hay and no grass, a cribbing muzzle might also be effective--the ones with the metal "cage" instead of a rubber mask with a little hole.

[Cashela]

I have not had blood work done on her. She doesn't really have a cresty neck so to speak. Let me see if I can find a pic of her.

[Cashela]

I couldn't find a great recent pic, just this one...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../Kitwinter.jpg

[rockfordbuckeye]

Can you add in some hand walking? Like dedicated hand walking for 30 minutes at least twice a day? It would probably be good for both of you. Bonding time. Chill out time. Gentle exercise time.

[Cashela]

Yeah once this dreaded cold snap breaks I will get my butt out there and start handwalking her. LOL she really is a "special" horse and makes things difficult in the winter.

[GoForAGallop]

I have not had blood work done on her. She doesn't really have a cresty neck so to speak. Let me see if I can find a pic of her.

My guy isn't cresty either.

This is him in work:
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...68475863_n.jpg

And this is him fat:
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...44922698_n.jpg

Hard to see, but his neck gets thick (width-wise, not crest), his ribs get covered, and his butt gets jiggly.

The Quiessence slims and tones...he's certainly not fit, but he's gone from very fat to "pleasantly plump and very obviously out of work." I dunno, just personal experience, but for $24 for about two month's worth it might be worth a shot for your mare.

[candyappy]

I don't see fat build up along her spine or tail and no cresty neck or fat deposits. She may be a little round looking to you but I wouldn't put a muzzle on her if she has to compete with the others for hay. If she is the alpha mare she may be hungry in her muzzle and keep the others from their hay. I would separate her during feeding times and keep them together when hay is gone. I have a " former fattie" myself who slimmed down not with starvation, but with the correct amount of hay fed 2x a day.

[Cashela]

Ok she looks similar! I will give it a shot and buy a grazing muzzle

[nylonalter]

Give her a small flake am, then another flake when she comes in at night.

That's it. Nothing else but water.

My barnmate has a horse that eats air and bedding. He gets 2 flakes of hay a day. I do not know how much they weigh, 10 lbs each maybe. That is not much hay. He has lost 50 lbs. I saw his ribs the other day when he arced to the right. He is worked a little 4-5 times a week. He looks good now.

[Cashela]

You can't really see her belly in that pic. She is fat, I don't want her to get any fatter. Every year my vet looks at her and says, uhm Kit really wintered well huh? Seems like the older she gets the harder it is to keep the weight down. She is 13.

[deltawave]

How about a partial clip? Having to burn calories to stay warm (I don't mean shivering cold!) really helps my Shetland stay reasonably slim. And I use the word loosely! She has a big tummy from 4 foals and a perpetually cresty neck, but I can easily feel her ribs and no fat pads anywhere. She is at the bottom of the pecking order, which helps, but I always clip her in December to remove a little of her insulation.

[rockfordbuckeye]

I would encourage hand walking and no excuses. It's negative something here today and I hand walked mine (very fresh, very spooky, very big) for 45 minutes. If you love your horse, put on some warm clothes and get moving.

[deltawave]

rockford, how is the handwalking going, by the way?

[rockfordbuckeye]

It's going ok! We have ruled out the indoor arena for hand walking (too much space = bucking broncho) but the concrete isle ways keep it respectable with only the occasional mini bolt/spook. We have an outdoor "stall" that is helping keep her more sane though she can still work herself up and on a bad day will stand in her stall (inside or outside) bucking and rearing. Bleck. She sure would like to have a little romp So hard to watch the mental and physical toll it takes.

She lunged sound at her 90 days check and we are getting close to walking under saddle....which will be with pharmaceutical assistance

Oh and I should add - yes, I did almost cry with happiness when I saw her trot sound. Thank you again for your part! We still need to do ice cream!