My 'fluffy' mare & her diet

[HGFarm]

I want to thank Liz for her help and knowledge regarding the IR and thyroid issues in the Minis and for answering tons of questions for me. Also thanks to the person who had posted the discussion on feeding their horses a bit of cinnamon.

I have started this mare, who has a low thyroid problem, on thyro L, about six weeks ago. I had not noticed any change at all in her weight, but was warned by the vet already, that it takes months for that to change. I started her on cinnamon with her evening meal on Oct 17th, to see if I could help get some of the weight off, and balance her out. She was so obese it was scaring me- not healthy at all.

I decided that I will document this with photos every couple of weeks as we go, to see if or how much there is any change in her as we go along.

I will post a couple of pics of what she looked like before the thyroid meds and the cinnamon. After starting the thyroid, her weight did not change as far as I could tell, so though these pics are a couple of months ago. it is what she looked like, and on a strict diet.

I would like to add also, this mare did not play, would not get along with others at all, and was pretty lethargic actually. I am happy to say that I now have her out with two fillies all day and though she gets bossy, it was not the vicious attacks of before. She also has shown a bit off 'life' and actually trotted some with her tail up and bucked a couple of times!! Once she drops a bit more fat, I will start her on a mild excercise program also, to see about toning her up and continuing her weight loss.

The first two pics are of her before the cinnamon. You can see how much her belly sagged.. no definition in where her ribs ended and hips began- just round rolling fat all over. The next pics are after only 15 days with the cinnamon added to her diet. I had to start out slow as she was sure I was poisoning her with this smelly stuff, but now is up to a teaspoon a day and eats it with no problem, so she has actually only been on a full teaspoon dose for a few days now.

It is going to be harder, with a full winter coat, to tell where the fat ends and the hair starts, but I can see now that she does have some definition at the top of her flanks/ hip bone area and I dont think her stomache is quite so saggy and 'bloated' looking. She is also showing a little bit of definition now over the top of her shoulders too, rather than just looking like the back of a well fed bull.

She has a long way to go, but hopefully by spring will show a healthier difference. Even with the long fuzzy hair now, it seems that her stomache is tucked up a WEE bit more than it was. What do you all think?

Anyone else working on their problem horses weight or have some before and after pics to show?

 

[Margaret]

Hey Laurie, I can see the results

I did the cinnamon addition to the grain with a chunky filly that went thru a spell of the chubbies this year...

Then she lost all the weight, so I quit adding it to her diet after that..

I had worked my way up to a tsp also.. and she actually did not notice it after a while, lol.

Then I waited for a month or two before trying to re-introduce it back into her diet again, as we had run out.

She would have none of it,

no matter how little I added to her grain, lol.

She is not really heavy now, so I'm not really sweating it,... but if I ever have a serious tubby case again, I wont stop using it next time lol

 

[horsehug]

Laurie,

Are you talling straight regular cinnamon like you buy in the spices section of a grocery store?

I have a few minis I'd love to try this on.

Also, does this work on people too?

Susan O.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Wow! I can see the difference. That's amazing!

 

[DrivinTime]

Hey, Laurie, she is looking good!

I've been adding cinnamon to my gelding's food since that interesting thread was started, so about 3 weeks, I think? Unfortunately, I don't have any photos because that would require me to get organized...

But I can say that Risha's barrel shape has improved pretty much like your mare - more definition in the hip and shoulder area, and less belly sag. And I can feel his ribs a bit more now. Also, he's losing that flabby thing he had behind his front "elbows" - what is up with that, anyway? - and his neck is losing that hard crest fat. YAY!!! I have not changed his diet since starting the cinnamon.

For Susan O.: Yes, it's plain cinnamon like you'd buy at the grocery store. And there is "anecdotal evidence" that cinnamon works on people, too (not sure if there have been any clinical studies on humans yet, but there have been a couple of studies with horses). I've been putting cinnamon (with a little sugar - I know, I know, but I can't help it!) on my toast in the morning and I'd swear I have fewer hunger pangs during the day...

Anybody else seeing results with cinnamon?

Lori

 

[shorthorsemom]

I am eating it every night and morning. tee hee. I will let you know if I get any smaller.

PS, nice photos of your mini, keep us posted with more.

 

[horsehug]

Thanks Lori!

Susan O.

 

[Cathy_H]

Thanks for the update. Keep us informed please. I kept the info for future consideration for our chubby mare.. I pulled my cinnamon tablets out of the closet to start taking again.

 

[Hosscrazy]

Laurie -

You are very welcome! It's my pleasure to help others - there were so many people on the Cushings/IR site that I now moderate who helped me so much with my horse Misty and I am committed to helping others as people helped me and my Misty.

Your little fluff-ball looks GREAT!!!! You are doing SUCH a good job with her and she's a very lucky girl to have someone like you taking SUCH good care of her! Please keep us posted with her diet-in-progress --- she really is looking good!!!!!

Liz R.

 

[HGFarm]

Thanks, I will continue tracking how she does. If I had been smart, I could have taken some measurements of her girth, etc... with a tape measure and recorded those... perhaps will still do that, but I just wont have the original measurements. (which might also indicate that I am organized too, lol)

Susan, yes, I found a place here, a small 'grocery' type place but they carry tons of bulk stuff and bulk spices and herbal things, etc.... and did find the cinnamon in bulk there and it is MUCH cheaper than what you can buy in the store or even that I found on line by the pound!! So, I bought about a pound of it while I was in there. It's not that far from work either, so will make it easy to replenish when it's time!!

And I will say also, that my friend's husband is now taking honey and cinnamon on a daily basis- fresh 'real' cinnamon like this, and he has dropped a few pounds!! Maybe I should have bought TWO pounds while I was there, LOL. I did have some on my wheat english muffins in the a.m. that I snagged out of my mare's jar!!!!

I hope this poor little mare continues to improve and can drop some weight- she was so dangerously fat.

Wonder how much pumpkin pie I'll have to eat to get my daily dose of cinnamon??!!

 

[Sixstardanes]

Anyone else working on their problem horses weight or have some before and after pics to show?

Looking good. Wishing you continued success!

This is what our stallion Saber looked like when we added him to our family in Aug 2007

(in the halter he came with)

and this is him as of spring of this year

 

[HGFarm]

Wow Rachel, looks like a different horse altogether!!! Fabulous job!! He could have stuffed two heads in that halter, LOL

How long did it take you to get him shaped up? Gosh, he even has muscle creases! I hope she can look half that good when we're done!

 

[Sixstardanes]

There is a 7 month time space between the two pixs.

I think the two things that worked the most for Saber were taking him out on walks and such instead of letting him be a lawn ornament and cutting down the sheer amount he was being fed.

When he brought Saber home he was pooping in size & quantity like a big horse!

His portions were trimmed but he was fed more frequently which he still is.

 

[HGFarm]

Oh, but he doesnt have other problems like IR or thyroid etc... that would make him put on weight and not take it off, it was just because he was over eating?? He does look so much better. You did an amazing job getting him into shape.

I think walks, etc... with her will be a good start!!

 

[maplegum]

I've got Bailey locked away in diet boot camp, away from the spring grass. He got really fat too! I decided to feed him only plain grass hay which was basically free choice.

I now weigh his hay out at 2% of his body weight and that equates to quite a lot of hay! It's almost the same as free choice hay.

After one week he is already looking better. He only grazes on the spring grass for an hour or two a day now.

I'll post pics once he looses some weight.

Your girl looks so much better, keep posting those updates.

 

[miniaddiction]

Hmmm....I'm giving it a go! My marshmellow mare got her first dose tonight, I gave her a full teaspoon and she scoffed the lot! No fussies around here haha

I'll let you know how we get on.

 

[minie812]

Anyone else working on their problem horses weight or have some before and after pics to show?

Looking good. Wishing you continued success!

This is what our stallion Saber looked like when we added him to our family in Aug 2007

(in the halter he came with)

and this is him as of spring of this year

WOW that second photo he looks great!

 

[HGFarm]

Miniaddiction... mine would not touch it either.. had to start out with only a quarter teaspoon for about three or four days and build it up from there. She knew I was trying to kill her with something strange. I mix mine on the beet pulp that is soaked so it doesnt blow away (or get 'snorted' away, lol) and she eats it right up now but it took several days for her to do so.

Try starting out a couple of days with just a bit, and slowly increase it every three days. That will probably work!

 

[BlueStar]

Is the cinnamon okay for preggo mares as well? We have one mare that always packs too much weight and is cresty but dont want to do too much and are limited because she is bred. Any insight would be great. Is there just a simple blood test to check for thyroid?

 

[HGFarm]

Cinnamon is a natural spice so shouldn't harm anyone or anything.

There is a simple and inexpensive test for thyroid, however, the symptoms, I am learning are VERY similar to IR horses as well... fat, cresty, etc..... Some could have BOTH problems, some may have one or the other. I would probably test for both!! That way you are sure.