# how much weight should we lose???



## kickshaw (May 7, 2008)

umm... he's a pretty chunky boy!

I know the arab barn i worked at would free lunge them at a canter for 5 mins to start, then move up to 10 minutes...it really toned them down.

I would try to eliminate the grain all-together, or do what you said and stall/feed less hay. 

He's such a cutie!


----------



## Jubilee Rose (May 28, 2008)

The first pic he looks heavier than the second pic. He doesn't actually look that bad, in my opinion. I have seen way worse. Try lessening his grain a little at a time. And yes, ride him more!

BTW, he's so cute!


----------



## mudypony (Jan 30, 2008)

I agree he doesn't look too bad. I think cutting out his grain would help and the free lunging idea is awesome for helping him lose weight.


----------



## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

He is a bit chunky.  But what a cutie he is!!
I say ride him more & give him less grain. Oooh free-lunging is not a bad idea!
Good luck!!


----------



## Dumas'_Grrrl (Apr 2, 2008)

I am SUCH a sucker for a grey! :shock: I think he's awefully cute...I like em a bit chubby too....... He could stand to loose a bit. I would go with taking the grain away...maybe just the morning ration and then yes...ride him. :wink:


----------



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

...but! BUT THAT'S SO MEAN!!! take his precious little grain away.... I'll cut it back even more, maybe just the teenies weensiest bit... I mean, I bet he gets maybe 2 cups? I could give him just a cup...??? I mean, we are talking teeny bits! POOR BLUE BOY!!!! He's gonna starve!!! WAIL!!!!

When he went to reform school a couple years ago he dropped a ton of weight... like I bet 100lbs... do you think he needs to lose that much????


----------



## chasin the dream (Jun 2, 2008)

yeah lunging is a great idea....but free lunge.make it fun not work.i wouldn't necissarily down size on grain amounts quite yet but deffinately go with more exercise.i mean hes only 9 right??or you said hes your trail horse.but you can try trail riding more or set up some courses in your arena.what im saying is exercise more!! he is a little chunky but i personally think its a cute chunky


----------



## kickshaw (May 7, 2008)

i think 100 pounds would move him from "fleshy" to "moderately fleshy"...right about where i like mine to be


----------



## Dumas'_Grrrl (Apr 2, 2008)

OOOoOooOOoh.... You're only giving him 2 cups... I see. That makes more sence. LOL... I thought you were talking like scoops not cups... I am going to change my answer, Ride that beautiful baby! :lol: Treat him with the grain but ride cowgirl ride! LOL

Edited to add the rest of my thought! :roll: -

No... I don't believe he needs to loose 100#'s. Maybe just like 54#. :wink:


----------



## paws (May 27, 2008)

5 piles? Thats a TON! Only feed him one flake at night and one in the morning. Also put a grass muzzle on him he will slim down an AMAZING amount. Trust me. I use to ride a Welsh Pony section B (I show him so we needed him to come down) and he was about to be at the point were he could founder and we have had the grass muzzle on him for about a week and holly mackerel. He has come down about 200-300 pounds. We still kept him on 2 tiny handfuls of beetpulp a day and he his fine. Also he sticks with 2 flakes of hay a day. Also I now ride this Shetland cross (Her name is Truffles ha she is so cute she is black with 1 white sock) and she is at the point where she could founder. She is on the same diet as Baily(The Welsh Pony) but she only gets 1 handful of grain a day. Baily gets 2 because he is on meds for his sore back. We don't put the grass muzzle on her because there is nothing to eat out in her pasture that she shares with 2 other mares. But HELLO he looks AMAZING! He is in good shape and OK I see a bit of chunkiness but it is not that bad. Like he might be overweight by 50 pounds.


----------



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

the five piles are for 4 horses silly! um... 4 fat horses... I should post pix of them all... I think maybe only one is not fat... but I can't tell w/ BlackHorse because he's so swayback.... he might be ok.... OH MAN!!! 

OK OK, I'll ride that pony!!!!!


----------



## Janine (May 28, 2008)

He is really cute!! Love his colour! 

I wouldn't feed him any less, I would ride/lunge etc. him more. Bonny is a bit overweight and I try to "work" her as often as possible, sometimes twice a day. 

Eg. my parents live near the stable where I board Bonny. On my way to their place I quickly stop off at the stable and lunge Bonny or have her run free in our arena. 

When I go back to the stable at night I take Bonny for a ride. 

She doesn't just only lose weight because of this, she also stays in training which is very important to me as she is 20 now. 
I also have a girl who rides her on the weekends, when I normally haven't got a lot of time due to work etc. 

You can check yourself if your horse needs to lose a lot of weight. When you can't see it's rips but feel them without putting a lot of pressure on your hands, your horse is in a perfect shape. 

The harder it is to feel his rips, the more weight he has to lose :wink:


----------

