My 'fluffy' mare & her diet

[HGFarm]

Wow Appylover!!!!! Doesnt even look like the same horse!!!! My mares neck is not thick like that, but her belly looks like your original pic with your mare- fat and saggy... Hot dog, I can't wait til a few more months go by and see if mine looks like your 'after' pic!!! Nice!!!

My mare did not want anything to do with the cinnamon in the beginning either... I had to start her out on a 1/4 tsp and I put it in her soaked beet pulp. She picked in it at first, but hey, if you are hungry and you are a pig- you will eventually eat it. After she was cleaning that up well in a few days, so I went to 1/2 tsp, then 3/4 and then a full one.

I would not put any in the water- if the water is 'poison' he will not drink and then you will have colic and other issues on your hands and you dont want that!

Maybe if you try even 1/8 tsp to start, and mix it in to dampened feed (so it is not snorted or blown away) - at least til he gets used to the smell, etc... in there... I dry lot feed so they have no other choice here but to eat what is in front of them...

 

[AppyLover2]

Thanks so much Laurie. I was beginning to think I was the only one who saw a difference.

Good thought about "poisoning" the drinking water. Hadn't thought about it that way but, even if it didn't float, I wouldn't want to do something that may cause them to stop drinking. I know the idea is to slim them down but if they absolutely won't eat it any other way you could try cinnamon & sugar until they get used to it. Or maybe dampen their favorite treat and put the cinnamon on that.

 

[HGFarm]

Oh no, Appylover, what a dramatic change- she has definition and a NECK and her belly is tight, not sagging and flabby. Just overall she looks SO much better and healthier and much more fit!!

OK, I am hoping that slow and steady wins the race... I am not sure I can see much difference in the pics from a month ago, but her hair is thicker and longer too since it has been about 40 for our lows over night.. I guess I will REALLY notice in the spring when it all comes out!

I will alternate pics and I tried to catch her in similar poses so it is comparing the same thing. The top one of each set will have been taken about 34 days ago, then the one under it, today, and so on.... So pictures 1, 3 & 5 were taken on Nov. 2, 08 and pics 2, 4 & 6 were taken this morning, Dec. 6, 08. All I still see is fat and fuzzy but it has only been weeks, so I guess I can't expect miracles, LOL

 

[Hosscrazy]

Donna - those before and after pictures are awesome!!!

What a difference!!!!

Laurie - it's so hard to tell with all that hair!!!

But my guess would be that will all the hard work you've been doing with this mare, there must be a difference!!!

celery has been known to cause health issues in many different animals due to the "strings" in the stalks

Should have mentioned in my previous post -- cut the celery into bite size peices first

Liz R.

 

[AppyLover2]

Thanks Liz! BTW I tried my lil ones with celery when you mentioned it to me earlier.....they all turned their nose up at it.

Laurie I can see a difference, even with the winter woolies; especially pix 1&2 and 3&4. Tummy looks better to me and her front legs are longer because her girth area is smaller. Looks like you've got a good start. You'll be delighted in the spring. Gotta say I love that little mare's looks. She'd fit right in with all the spots I have around here.

 

[HGFarm]

Oh good, I am glad you can see a bit of difference. I was hoping to be able to tell a bit more, but I think as she is slowly shrinking, her hair is making up for it, LOL You know, lose an inch of girth but gain two inches of hair, hahaha

Yes, her belly and fat makes her look stubby legged when she really isnt.. her belly was hanging way below her elbow!

Appylover, you have given me encouragement to keep on with this with your pictures that you shared here. Yes, I still can't believe the difference in yours. Wow.... So I will keep at it and hopefully will get to a point that her hair will stop getting longer, hahaha, so we might look like we are gaining some ground....

And yes, she certainly does have spots- it's so funny how they change color in the winter though- half her spots have disappeared under the coat, and I noticed a couple of others of mine look different too. My yearling filly was really roaned out this summer, but her winter hair now makes her look pretty much solid brown again!!