Feeling really down about Homeys weight again. Vet came on Wed to do his vaccinations and teeth and general health check and said Homey has got too fat again. He is not obese as can still feel just about feel ribs but does need to lose weight. He was muzzled from May to end of August and ridden or lunged every day and then in September was in the bare paddock without his muzzle. At end of Sept he moved out of the bare paddock into paddock which was not bare but did not have much of grass. He had a week with his muzzle then the weather got terrible and was not much grass so I took his muzzle off. Bib clipped no rug. I can still feel his ribs but not as easily as before and he has put on 10 kilos on the weight tape {390 kilos} and his stomach is now big. interesting his stomach is bigger than other ponies in the same field who are fatter than him - cant feel ribs at all on the other ponies. I was stupid and have been giving him some hay as I thought he was looking a bit tucked up and that the bad weather was set to stay for a while As soon as he dried out and the weather changed it was obvious he not thin at all! YO said ponies can stay in the paddock a bit longer but one of the ponies may go on loan, as no-one can be left on their own, if that happens the 3 ponies left will have to join the rest of the herd who are getting fat on the winter grazing. Homey will have his muzzle back on when he goes on to the winter grazing. I am quite tempted to put his muzzle back on again now as it is going to be mild next week but I dont think he would get enough fibre as there is not much grass in his paddock and it has got to the stage where they are starting to eat fallen leaves though with less on the fields. There were 7 in paddock but 2 have joined the winter grazing group and 1 has moved yards so I expect more grass coming through. I only going to cut his balancer down to half rations, no more hay and I have managed to change some meeting times so I can take 2 half days off work next week to give him more exercise. I am going to buy some better clippers so I can clip more fur off him as well. I dont want Homey to get laminitis and he does not need to be fat going into winter as there is loads of winter grazing. It is so stressful managing his weight as just needs so much more work and less grass than everyone else and I like him to be thin to prevent laminitis.
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 19:37:18 +0000
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