# The Diet Begins All updates on 1st post



## littlebigspots (Feb 24, 2013)

I picked up my new boy this week TF Buckin to the Beat and he is in some need of diet and exercise. I am switching him over to our hay a grass mix and looking into a low starch ration balancer. I'm going to try and photo document his progress. This will be a slow process as he thought he was going to die after 5 minutes of trotting on the lunge. 2/24/13










One month he has lost 3" in his flank area and belly, 2 1/2 in the girth area, and 1" around his throat. He didn't have much of a winter coat because he is so fat and just started shedding a little so I don't think the hair is affecting my measurements too much. Hopefully the next month I will see a little more progress. He spent more time inside then I would have like waiting for a muzzle. 3/24/13







2 months on the diet and he is still going good. I didn't get his measurements yet, forgot my tape. I think we might go to the local mini show in May and see how he does. If nothing else I will get to see how he behaves in that kind of situation. He seems to enjoy jumping more as he looses more weight. 4/24/13













Well it's been just over 4 months now and Skittles is looking good. Not sure if we will be in the halter ring but we might try some driving classes next year. He hasn't been exercised much in the last month but he has had a lot more outdoor time now that I have a dry lot for him. So whatdaya think? 7/7/13


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## Lil Eowyn (Feb 24, 2013)

Good luck!! =)


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## Reignmaker Miniatures (Feb 25, 2013)

I look forward to watching his transformation. I bet he's going to be lovely once he gets some weight off and builds a bit of muscle.


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## littlebigspots (Feb 25, 2013)

Oh he has the muscle from carrying all that fat it's just hiding lol.


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## eagles ring farm (Feb 25, 2013)

looking forward to your pictures of his progress. I like him I'll bet once the extra lbs leave he'll be one handsome guy


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## atotton (Feb 25, 2013)

He's handsome. I love the second picture it looks like he's strutting his stuff.


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## littlebigspots (Feb 25, 2013)

The standing picture is a current one I took a couple weeks ago when I was looking at him before it snowed ...again. I hope he gets back to something like this




I'm sure he will always be a lil chunk though


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## littlebigspots (Feb 25, 2013)

I am also open to suggestions for his diet but all I have available for hay it a timothy grass mix. We have started out with 10 minutes of lunging at the trot on a slight hill 5 minutes each way. When the snow melts he will start going with me for jogs down the road to get more varied terrain.


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## chandab (Feb 26, 2013)

Ok, so here's my mare's progress with her diet after I bought her 6 years ago or so.

I bought her from an agent, her previous owner had her on free-choice alfalfa (which didn't agree with her, and made her fat), the agent had her on pasture and free-choice grass hay; I put her on a controlled amount of grass hay (I think I gave her 1.5% of her body weight daily in hay) and Progressive Nutrition's grass balancer (a ration balancer).


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## littlebigspots (Feb 26, 2013)

Thanks for sharing chandab. Sounds kind of like what I'll be doing. Spring scale should be here tomorrow and muzzle on the way so he can't steal the mares food but can be outside with them. I don't have a weight tape but I think I'll be keeping track of his inches. He actually has a fat roll in front of his hips.


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## chandab (Feb 26, 2013)

Just for reference, here she is 4 days after having her first foal last summer (not too thin and not too fat):




she really enjoyed her first summer on grass in a very long time, Junior did a good job of helping her keep her figure.


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## littlebigspots (Mar 24, 2013)

One month he has lost 3" in his flank area and belly, 2 1/2 in the girth area, and 1" around his throat. He didn't have much of a winter coat because he is so fat and just started shedding a little so I don't think the hair is affecting my measurements too much. Hopefully the next month I will see a little more progress. He spent more time inside then I would have like waiting for a muzzle.


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## Rhondaalaska (Mar 24, 2013)

He is looking good


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## Lil Eowyn (Mar 25, 2013)

Lookin' Shnazzy!


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## sparklingjewelacres (Apr 4, 2013)

Oh wow.. he is looking so good! I need to figure out how to get my girls to lunge. I am needing someone to help. I've to try all the suggestions given so I know I will get there soon .. they just want to keep coming toward me and are not afraid of anything I do at all. I did start of jogging with the minis (one mostly that loves to trot with me) The only one that lost weight was me! And I just can't keep up with this jogging as I have struggled some health issues.

So your chunky boy is looking good thanks to diet and exercise. I will soon get our minis on this lunge thing so I don't wear myself out.


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## man0ns (Apr 6, 2013)

Goodluck! My mare is a little bit fat too, she is standing in a pasture with very short grass en then she get's a little bit of hay.

Every day I walk with her or I train her on the lunge.

I think it's also a lot of hair what they have. I know with my previous mare after shaving her that she was thin.

I always thought she was a bit fat, but when the her hair was gone she looked very good!

So I know for sure when she is in her summer coat how fat she really is..


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## littlebigspots (Apr 6, 2013)

Thanks guys. I can't wait to get his photos for April he looking even better. We started out just lunging 5 minutes each way building up to 15 each way. I have now added jumping (but not too much with the extra weight still there), lunge on a steep hill for 10 total minutes, and dragging a tire for about a half mile working up to a mile.

SparklingJ my other stallion will not lunge for anything. He has no fear/respect for the whip what so ever not even with a very firm whack, he just looks at me. The only way I can get him to go any faster then a walk is to ground drive him for some reason he loves it.


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## littlebigspots (Apr 28, 2013)

I put all the photos on the first post so they are easier to compare.


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## Rhondaalaska (Apr 28, 2013)

Way to go

He looks realy good


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## Boss Mare (Apr 29, 2013)

Looking good!


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## littlebigspots (Jul 7, 2013)

New update 7/7/13


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## happy appy (Jul 7, 2013)

He looks great!! Keep up the great work!


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## Rhondaalaska (Jul 7, 2013)

How is you little guy doing now? New pics?


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## littlebigspots (Jul 8, 2013)

He is doing great. New pics are at the end of my first post so they can all be seen and compared together.


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## atotton (Jul 8, 2013)

Nice, looks like a totally different horse.


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## stellabella (Oct 23, 2013)

I'm fairly new to minis and my guys are chubby, I would like them to be fitter and shed a few pounds. Did you have to use neck sweats to get those results with his neck and throat latch? Was it mostly just lunging for exercise? How long? How often! Thanks! What incredible results!


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## littlebigspots (Jun 1, 2014)

So it's been about a year and three months and this is where we are. I now need to build some muscle back up in his hind end. He spent more time then I would have liked him to in his stall this long winter. How's he looking?


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## HGFarm (Jun 14, 2014)

OMG! That is the same horse??!! He is looking fabulous! What a great job you have done so far! Love it.


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