# Ideal weight for a 12.3hh Welsh Pony!



## ilovemyhorsies (Mar 9, 2008)

I was just wondering if anyone could give me an estimation on an ideal weight for my tubby boy? 

He's a Welsh Pony (sect. B), 12.3hh and recently turned 14. In the 9 years I've owned him, he's always been a bit on the 'large' side even when ridden daily (he wasn't as fat then as he is now though!) 

We have a bit of an issue with him being borderline foundering.. which has led to the development of seedy toe. I haven't been able to ride him properly for a while.. I can't lunge either which makes losing weight difficult! 

I measured him with my height/weight tape today and he read about 380kgs.. but my measuring skills aren't too crash hot 

He and my other pony have been locked up in a paddock with very minimum grass since the first of October.

They have recently started to get about one&half to two biscuits of meadow hay to share between them each day (they insist on sharing the same pile even if I put two out :lol.

But enough babble.. what is the average ideal weight for a solidly built 12.3hh Welsh Pony (sect. B)?


----------



## ilovemyhorsies (Mar 9, 2008)

Also: 

He has a roll of fat around his heart girth and fat everywhere though the photos don't show it too well. 

He's a bit tender on his feet today (27/11/11) which shows in the photo.


----------



## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

Are you sure he's not already laminitic? Sounds like he is, and looks like it, too. I'd almost want to get X-rays of his hooves to check for founder. He needs to get off the grass and avoid all grains and grass. If he must be turned out, he needs to wear a grazing muzzle. I would also have him tested for insulin resistance and equine metabolic syndrome, and ask for the vet's specific instructions for a weight loss protocol.


----------



## ilovemyhorsies (Mar 9, 2008)

bubba13 said:


> Are you sure he's not already laminitic? Sounds like he is, and looks like it, too. I'd almost want to get X-rays of his hooves to check for founder. He needs to get off the grass and avoid all grains and grass. If he must be turned out, he needs to wear a grazing muzzle. I would also have him tested for insulin resistance and equine metabolic syndrome, and ask for the vet's specific instructions for a weight loss protocol.


He hasn't foundered before but has come close to it. 
He is turned out 24/7 in the 'diet paddock'. Definitely off grass (paddock is pretty much all dirt, grass cropped short right to the roots or 'sour' grass in the corners that the ponies urinate on) and I'm definitely not feeding him grains . All he gets is a small amount of hay which he shares with my other pony - I'm not cutting out the hay because he has to be passing something through his digestive system and I'm not having him starve in order to lose weight. 

I'll look into the tests, hopefully he isn't positive for anything.

What would be a guideline for an ideal weight though? 350kg?


----------



## ilovemyhorsies (Mar 9, 2008)

He's been moved from the paddock pictured in photo 18/10/11 since the photo was taken into paddock in photo 27/11/11 as without the Clydesdale the grass wasn't being eaten fast enough.


----------



## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

I don't know how many kgs he out to weight, but you can just use the handy-dandy BCS to judge whether or not he's obese. And he's probably a 9/9 right now...


----------

