Fat or Fit?

[Loren&Rocky]

I just bought Rocky a grazing muzzle because I think he is going to have serious problems here in the "Evergreen" State. I have no way of keeping him off the grass and I am starting to get worried.

What do you guys think?

Height, 34 inches:

Chest, 11.5 inches

Accross his back, 11 inches,

Accross his bum, 11 inches

Total look of his body (Please ignore the clip job )

look of bum,

Lumpy bum,

Lumpy neck,

So, should I be using a grazing muzzle on this boy or just go with lypo? :bgrin

I can't seem to upload them the other way. I will get back to this with pictures that work.

I think I fixed it!!

 

[FoRebel]

Can't see the pictures when I bring up the link!

 

[Loren&Rocky]

I don't know what is the deal with PutFile. I have had nothing but trouble with them for some reason.

I did them my old way.

 

[Danielle_E.]

I can see the pictures and I don't find him overly huge or anything, especially the picture taken from the back and it's hard to tell until you get him a closer and even body clip :bgrin . Now if you are going to show him yep you want him slimmer but not sure how you feed in the summer time, do you adjust your feeding plan based on the "pasture" available? and do you work him every day or every second day. That will play a part in it as well. Cute guy!

 

[just2minis]

I think the lumps are bug bites. One of mine has them also. We have some nasty biting flies around here, or could be mosquitos.

 

[Loren&Rocky]

I think the lumps are bug bites. One of mine has them also. We have some nasty biting flies around here, or could be mosquitos.

I am pretty sure they are not bug bites. He has had them for a while now. They don't go away. They are also hard and do not feel like a bug bite at all to me. I think they are fat deposits.

 

[Bess Kelly]

Yes, typical fat deposits. Muzzle, confine, or risk founder. Sorry..........but, glad you saw it now. How about a small drylot area for much of day?

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Hate to say it but Rocky is well on his way to being obese. Muzzle, dry-lot, or risk founder! And Rocky is much too cool to let founder.

: How's Slick doing on the same pasture?

Leia

 

[dangerranger]

I use a differant measurement. I measure body length, from the front of the chest to the back of the butt. and the heart girth at the location where a saddle girth would go. there is a math formula that converts this into lbs. I dont use it for that exactly, I just keep it on a callender for use later. I measure them each time they have there feet done . that way I know when they are due for a trim , worming, what size they should be at this time of year, etc...one of ours gains weight at the drop of a hat, so I have to really keep an eye on her. Good luck, DR.

 

[Loren&Rocky]

Hate to say it but Rocky is well on his way to being obese. Muzzle, dry-lot, or risk founder! And Rocky is much too cool to let founder.

: How's Slick doing on the same pasture?

Leia

I can't dry lot, there is nothing DRY about Washingotn! :no: I have my horses on a piece of my aunt's property and that is the only place I can keep them. So, they are on grass. I got a muzzle on eBay and am just waiting for it to get here.Slick is doing fine though. I will see if I can find some pictures of him, but he is not shaved so he may look fatter then he is.

Thanks for asking!

 

[Miniv]

HATE muzzles........ Okay, now that I've made that statement......Yep, he's fat.....cute though!

Here are my suggestions (just my 2 cents, so take them for what their worth. :bgrin ) ---

First, exersize him. Doesn't matter how, but get him moving.

Second, diet -- Believe it or not, if you mow down his grazing area, no grain, just supplement and a mineral/salt block, he will start to lose. He will eventually start thinning out the grass and added hay will be required. In the meantime, let him graze the shorter stuff.

The other option is to CREATE a DRY LOT. Having at least one dry lot area is probably not a bad idea. Then, you will have to portion out how much hay he gets per day. BTW, doing what I described in the previous paragraph will eventually create a dry lot for you.

MA

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Hey, I live here too and all of my pastures are dry lot! It's very easy- you just turn your horses out 24/7 on a small grass area and within weeks- BOOM! Dry lot.

: They keep it nibbled down so low it never has a chance to recover and within a year or two it stops trying. Sadly, I'm serious.

Leia

 

[Loren&Rocky]

Hey, I live here too and all of my pastures are dry lot! It's very easy- you just turn your horses out 24/7 on a small grass area and within weeks- BOOM! Dry lot.

: They keep it nibbled down so low it never has a chance to recover and within a year or two it stops trying. Sadly, I'm serious.

Leia

They are out 24/7 already. I have no barn for them at this time. The grass is VERY short, but it still grows. They eat it down very short, but Rocky is still totally fat. He gets NO grain or supliments of any kind.

 

[Marty]

We fought the battle of the buldge here for years. My grass is always lush and plush and my horses were insanely obese and in constant danger of founder all the time.

I too hate muzzles. Been there, done that, horses went insane, got sad, very depressed, found another way. I hope you can too.

Buy a porta corral, or get some cattle panels, or cross fence; do something to make a dry lot.

It can also double as a round pen.

My horses are dry lot part of the day and grassing the other part of the day. Inside at night.

Everyone happy.

I also put my horses on Purina Ration Balancer Born to Win

They all look fabulous now.

You can also get a calf hutch for a quick shelter

 

[Loren&Rocky]

We fought the battle of the buldge here for years. My grass is always lush and plush and my horses were insanely obese and in constant danger of founder all the time.

I too hate muzzles. Been there, done that, horses went insane, got sad, very depressed, found another way. I hope you can too.

Buy a porta corral, or get some cattle panels, or cross fence; do something to make a dry lot.

It can also double as a round pen.

My horses are dry lot part of the day and grassing the other part of the day. Inside at night.

Everyone happy.

I also put my horses on Purina Ration Balancer Born to Win

They all look fabulous now.

You can also get a calf hutch for a quick shelter

Thank you! Great ideas.