16 MO OLD;HOW MUCH EXERCISE?

[kdtexas]

My sweet Liberty (16 months) old, had her first dentist visit and has a slight underbite so dentist did some corrective work and will come back in 6 months to check on it. But dentist did say Liberty was overweight and I needed to cut back on sweet feed (Omolene 100) and start exercising her. she is about 29" and weights about 160 to 170 I think. I give her 1 cup feed in am and same in pm along with grass grazing 1 hour am and about 1.5 hours in pm and then some hay in am and pm(about 1/2 flake am and pm). I was also giving some BOSS but will stop that I guess.

question: How much lungeing can I do and not harm her bone growth? Can I do 15 minutes of walk/trot maybe 3 times a week? It's so hot here in Houston that I'll have to do the exercise late evening around 7:30pm when maybe it's 90 degrees. Should I only let her walk/trot in each direction and not canter any?

She has a couple fat pockets on each side about size of a half dollar in front of the flank area on her lower belly; vet dentist showed them to me. I knew she was overweight so now need to exercise her.

thanks for your thoughts and opinions on this. I've been away a few weeks with out of state company and on vacation but I'm back now.

 

[mizbeth]

Gosh, that does not sound like much to eat at all!

Perhaps cut out her extra hay and leave the omalene and grazing? Has she ever been lounged before? You might have to teach her how to do that. You can start with 10 mins, 5 in each direction and the next week double it.

Mine when they get fat get fatty shoulder pads. You poke your finger into their shoulder blade (near the withers) and if your finger tip disappears they are too fat!

Good luck,

Beth

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I agree that sounds like very little and, if he really weighs that little he is NOT overweight. Is it possible he just has a gut which your dentist mistook for "weight"?? I would not lunge a horse this young, I would only round pen him- which if you have the space you can rig up for very little money, lungeing tends to build up muscles unevenly and they always pull slightly on the rein no matter how careful you are, which can cause no end of problems. I would first off get him weighed properly- "overweight" also depends on build, is he light or heavy boned- could you post some pictures. I would really get another opinion on whether or not he is actually overweight, before you do anything.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

I agree with Rabbitt. This is a young growing horse and needs food to maintain and grow. If anything he isn't getting enough. Mine are plenty chubby but not fat. He sounds chubby but not fat. A pic would help. Is he alone? The liberty thing sounds perfect if you have a proper place to do it. Young fellas will get lumpy and outta shape if all they do is stand. My kids get plenty of feed am & pm and graze all day long and get hay am&pm.

 

[Margaret]

One thing you can safely cut out is the boss, for now. Since she has visual fat on her frame, than she does not need any more. Boss has a high percentage of fat in it. Also it is good to check an compare the fat ratios on the products that you are supplimenting in her diet. Or ask a represenitive, to help you. I had to switch over from one that I was using to another because it was lower in fat and mine were getting tubby too. See if your product is corn based, also as that can put on the pounds as well.