Fat youngster...help!

[spacytracy]

I have a new(ish, got him in January) horse, he is a 3 year old draft cross. Like all babies, he goes through growth spurts, and when I first got him he was awkward looking, not abnormal. Well we had some amazing spring grass and he got chubby quickly, along with just growing.

I switched him to TC balancer, he gets a 1/2 lb 2x/day. During the day he gets a flake of some low-nutrition hay. He is on night turnout every other night (I have a horse recovering from choke so he alternates staying on a drylot paddock with him) and he is muzzled.

I feel like I’m doing what I can nutritionally, but I’m wondering if a supplement like Thyro-L, or another product could help keep the weight off.

[2DogsFarm]

IIWM, I’d ask your vet to assess your horse’s weight & for a feed/supplement recommendation.
I have a 10yo mini on TC Sr to keep weight off.
He also gets Thyro-L because 5yrs ago he toyed with laminitis.
My 20yo TWH gets TC Sr added to his feed (whole oats) to keep weight on.
Hay is 1st cut orchard grass for both.
They’re out on pasture 24/7, come in for grain & hay.

[JB]

@spacytracy

I switched him to TC balancer, he gets a 1/2 lb 2x/day.

What does he weigh?

Thyro-L is not for weight loss, unless a horse is metabolic, obese, and at imminent risk of laminitis as a result (in which case he’s likely to be hypothyroid as well).

Start hand walking. 20-30 minutes a day. It makes a big difference.

Is he actually overweight, or does his draft side just make him look like it? Do you know how to assess BCS?
https://www.minnesotahorsewelfare.org/henneke-body-condition-scoring

[Demerara_Stables]

@JB is definitely the expert here, but I would also say start walking him. At 3yo, there’s a ton you can do to give him some exercise. He can hand walk in the arena, on the trail, over obstacles, and even be longed at the walk (on a very large circle and I’d only do once or twice a week on the longe). Do you have another horse you can pony him from? That would also teach him about being ridden and if he can get solid enough to pony out in the open, teach him about trail riding with a buddy. I start ponying mine in the pasture so I’m in an enclosed space before we go out on the trail.

[CanteringCarrot]

@Demerara_Stables

@JB is definitely the expert here, but I would also say start walking him. At 3yo, there’s a ton you can do to give him some exercise. He can hand walk in the arena, on the trail, over obstacles, and even be longed at the walk (on a very large circle and I’d only do once or twice a week on the longe). Do you have another horse you can pony him from? That would also teach him about being ridden and if he can get solid enough to pony out in the open, teach him about trail riding with a buddy. I start ponying mine in the pasture so I’m in an enclosed space before we go out on the trail.

I just came here to say something along these lines. I have a 3 year old, also on TC Balancer, that’s an easy keeper type. Especially now that he’s not growing as dramatically.

I have started mine under saddle, but that’s not really his main or frequent form of exercise. We long line, handwalk, longe (free or on the line), do in hand pole stuff, and I would Pony if I had the right ridden horse for it.

So I’d exercise him.

[candyappy]

At 3 he should be ready for some structured daily exercise. Sounds like he is limited about as much as possible. It can take a while to see the benefits when muzzling.

[greywithchrome]

@JB

Is he actually overweight, or does his draft side just make him look like it? Do you know how to assess BCS?
https://www.minnesotahorsewelfare.org/henneke-body-condition-scoring

Another thing is sometimes young horses just look like they have a big belly because they’re growing and have no muscle. That’s where the henneke scoring comes in handy (is there a crest, fat pads, etc…)

[spacytracy]

Thank you all so much for the thoughtful replies! He has been under saddle for awhile (broke before I bought him, please no judgement, from what I can tell he was broken lightly and carefully, and besides, I have no control over it) so riding him can be a part of the equation, but I obviously can’t ride the weight off of him, since I’m sticking to short easy rides once or twice a week. Never really considered the hand walking… sometimes the best solutions are right in front of you!

[JB]

20-30 minute walks every day, under saddle for some or even all of them, does a lot more good than you might think, and isn’t detrimental to his health even if they’re all u/s. But at his age, in-hand offers a lot more benefits as well.