What's your best weight loss advice?

[LostandFound]

I've never had this problem before. I got a new mare who was a little underweight when I got her. I put her on the same feed that everyone else gets, and she started gaining weight. Then I started working her. Light work 3x a week. Then she started looking a little too plump. So I cut back her grain. Started working her a little harder. She's still gaining. Cut her grain out entirely. Started working her heavily 5x a week. She is still getting bigger. She has a dry lot and is getting low sugar 2nd cutting hay. What should I try next?

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I've never had this problem before. I got a new mare who was a little underweight when I got her. I put her on the same feed that everyone else gets, and she started gaining weight. Then I started working her. Light work 3x a week. Then she started looking a little too plump. So I cut back her grain. Started working her a little harder. She's still gaining. Cut her grain out entirely. Started working her heavily 5x a week. She is still getting bigger. She has a dry lot and is getting low sugar 2nd cutting hay. What should I try next?

Billy would be very interested in replies!

 

[HersheyMint]

I've never had this problem before. I got a new mare who was a little underweight when I got her. I put her on the same feed that everyone else gets, and she started gaining weight. Then I started working her. Light work 3x a week. Then she started looking a little too plump. So I cut back her grain. Started working her a little harder. She's still gaining. Cut her grain out entirely. Started working her heavily 5x a week. She is still getting bigger. She has a dry lot and is getting low sugar 2nd cutting hay. What should I try next?

How long have you had her? Any chance she could be pregnant? You are doing everything you can to control her weight ,so it was the only other option I thought of.

 

[chandab]

I'd test for pregnancy, if she's open, then work on her diet. If she is open, safe dieting is to feed 1.5% of current weight or 2% of ideal weight daily in forage, whichever is greater, making adjustments as weight is lost (all she would need for "grain" is a ration balancer to fill in nutritional gaps left by all forages). If she's pregnant, you'll just have to weight until after the foal is born to manage her weight.
Can you share a couple pics of her current condition? While pics don't tell the whole story, and don't always "show" pregnancy, sometimes there are tell-tale signs. Both from down at her level: preferably a pic from the side, about straight on; and one from the back; hopefully showing her belly (sticking out beyond her hips).

 

[LostandFound]

I've had her about 6 months, and hopefully she is pregnant, but she should only be about a month in. Vet will be out tomorrow to hopefully confirm. I was told there is no way possible she was pregnant when I got her.

 

[Abby P]

What Chanda said, but also, maybe switch to first cut hay that is still low sugar. Second cut can just be too easy for some horses to eke every calorie from, first cutting makes them "work" a little harder for every calorie! But having been a pregnant mare myself I can tell you it makes you start looking portly fairly early in the process. So hopefully your wish comes true and that is what is going on.

 

[chandab]

I've had her about 6 months, and hopefully she is pregnant, but she should only be about a month in. Vet will be out tomorrow to hopefully confirm. I was told there is no way possible she was pregnant when I got her.

I've read it way too many times on the FB mini groups... Sellers say there is no way the mare can be pregnant, only to find out later (when you have the evidence); an intact young colt was still with the mares, a stallion escaped for just a short period of time, the new "gelding" wasn't a gelding (just hadn't dropped yet or something), the dividing fence wasn't all it was cracked up to be, etc. Where there is a willy, there is a way; so, I'd get the mare tested.
Do you know if she foaled last year? If so, when?

 

[Abby P]

"where there's a willy there's a way"

 

[HersheyMint]

"where there's a willy there's a way"

I was laughing at that also @chandabso true!

 

[LostandFound]

Trust me, I spent quite a bit of time looking at that belly, which very clearly looks like a pregnant belly, muttering "you better not be pregnant, you fat little snowball" Especially since she didn't come into heat until last month. Which is why the vet was out today. She was not pregnant, but she is now, about 30 days. So Yay! But she still needs to slim down some and exercise just isn't cutting it.

 

[chandab]

Trust me, I spent quite a bit of time looking at that belly, which very clearly looks like a pregnant belly, muttering "you better not be pregnant, you fat little snowball" Especially since she didn't come into heat until last month. Which is why the vet was out today. She was not pregnant, but she is now, about 30 days. So Yay! But she still needs to slim down some and exercise just isn't cutting it.

Don't crash diet her and be sure to feed at least a ration balancer to ensure she has the nutrients she needs, even though she doesn't need extra calories. Maintenance dose of a ration balancer is 1/4-1/3 pound per day, depending on the size of the mini; it won't increase until last trimester, then it'll about double. You should still be able to follow the dieting instructions I gave above, just remember, as a pregnant mare, it'll take time to lose weight.

 

[LostandFound]

So I thought I'd update on my fat little snowball's weight loss journey. I moved her to a different dry lot and for some reason in this one she walks the fence line by the stallion after she is done with her hay. It seems to be helping a lot, and while I don't think she has lost much she isn't gaining anymore. I taped her at almost 350lbs today. Vet checked her and says that she isn't at the point where she needs intervention yet, but that a low dose of thyroid medicine often helps. Has anyone heard of that?

 

[candycar]

I've uses Thyrol L on a few of mine that needed to lose weight. Under vet advice and not long term. It may make them hungrier tho. When stopping you have to ease them off it, not stop suddenly.

 

[Standards Equine]

Is this a situation where perhaps using chasteberry will help?

 

[Abby P]

I think that would only be if there is Cushing's.

 

[LostandFound]

Hmmm, it doesn't make sense for short term, I wouldn't think. No signs of cushings at all. She is young, has a pretty short coat, no feet issues or health issues at all other than being too round. I'll look into chasteberry.

 

[Abby P]

Sorry, I should have been more clear, I meant that chasteberry would be for Cushing's symptoms. Thyroid hormone might help with weight loss.

 

[LostandFound]

Ah, got it. I thought you meant they thyroid stuff would only work for cushings. I only have known one horse who was on it and he was a cushings horse.