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 Expert
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Location: IL | So I have 2 over weight horses...How do you put them on a diet without giving them ulcers?? One is very prone to ulcers. I give a slow feed hay net, so they are not with out food for a long period of time to help with ulcers. Neither horse gets grain, only a handful of oats to get supplements in. I have 1" slow feed hay nets, so its not like they can consume the hay quickly. They do get worked but not super consistant right now with weather up by me. |
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 It's not my fault I'm perfect
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Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | I would say working them would be your best bet? Do you have somewhere you can lunge? Or even just put miles on down the road?
Do you feed alfalfa? I've cut my alfalfa down moving into summer. |
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Location: Not Where I Want to Be | Thrive
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It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | 1DSoon - 2016-04-27 2:52 PM Thrive
this made me LOL  |
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 Elite Veteran
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| If I am gathering correctly, you aren't wanting to cut back on oats or hay?
I understand weather is an issue...but do they get adequate turn out time? Do they run and play or drop and eat? When I can't ride...I lunge my horses, which I know isn't typical in the barrel world...but it does help. Even just 15-20 min at a time a few days a week or in between days when I can't ride. |
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It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | RedHead84 - 2016-04-27 3:01 PM
If I am gathering correctly, you aren't wanting to cut back on oats or hay?
I understand weather is an issue...but do they get adequate turn out time? Do they run and play or drop and eat? When I can't ride...I lunge my horses, which I know isn't typical in the barrel world...but it does help. Even just 15-20 min at a time a few days a week or in between days when I can't ride.
Same here, I try to get them doing at least something if I can't ride. Or I suit up and ride anyways, regardless of weather. Of course unless it is dangerous. I live in ND so I don't get too many life threatening situations, minus blizzards ;) |
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Expert
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Location: IL | RedHead84 - 2016-04-27 3:01 PM
If I am gathering correctly, you aren't wanting to cut back on oats or hay?
I understand weather is an issue...but do they get adequate turn out time? Do they run and play or drop and eat? When I can't ride...I lunge my horses, which I know isn't typical in the barrel world...but it does help. Even just 15-20 min at a time a few days a week or in between days when I can't ride.
My horses are turned out, I really never stall unless it's extreme weather and they have about an acre to run around. I don't think a handful of oats is really making them fat. I feed a 80% grass, 20% alfalfa mix. And I don't think there is really 20% alfalfa in the hay. How long can they go without hay? My one mare is super prone to ulcers. In fact I'm battling stomach problems right now. They are ridden 2 to 3 times a week. So really I'm at a loss at what to do?? |
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It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | Just like people, some can eat all day and not gain a pound, some look at food and get fat. I would say more exercise |
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Expert
Posts: 2335
Location: IL | bump |
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 Elite Veteran
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Location: TN | I'm struggling with this on one horse too. He gets a tiny bit of grain am and pm because he's turned out with horses who get fed grain so I have to bring him in to eat too. I put him on a cheaper lower calorie feed and cut back on the amount. I'm hoping that helps. Just a tiny bit of feed and a good bit of grass hay and he's obese! It's a struggle. |
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Expert
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Location: IL | KatieMac88 - 2016-04-28 10:26 AM I'm struggling with this on one horse too. He gets a tiny bit of grain am and pm because he's turned out with horses who get fed grain so I have to bring him in to eat too. I put him on a cheaper lower calorie feed and cut back on the amount. I'm hoping that helps. Just a tiny bit of feed and a good bit of grass hay and he's obese! It's a struggle.
I agree! I don't want fat horses, harder on joints, etc. It's not like our horses never get ridden either. When it's nicer outside they will get worked more but I don't think it will help with weight. I hate to cut them back on hay and have their belly empty for a long period of time. Especially with with ulcer issues going on. |
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
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Location: North Dakota | what about a grazing muzzle OR, put your horses in a pen where they only have a slow feed hay net with a small amount of hay-something they can pick at but not eat all day long-I would say 4-5 hours with nothing is OK for a horse-not ideal but OK.... |
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Fat horses-Diet ideas