Condition After Winter

[Claire1605]

I can't believe I have let my Trakehner go through winter with a lightweight rug and he has been living out most of the time (except when really cold, icy and snow).

I normally treat him like he has to be wrapped in cotton wool and he comes in at night at the end of October until April with heavyweight rug and neck but not this year.

I am getting braver. OK so he was not clipped this year due to me being ill for a month in November and then December was snow and ice so menage un-usable so didn't bother.

He is looking fab and I am so so pleased. Just goes to show that not all TB types need wrapping in cotton wool at all.

Just fed him loads and loads of haylage and no hard feed.

The only bad thing is that he is coming out of winter unrideable so he is being lunged every day and after lunging 20 mins is fine to ride.

I am sooooooo happy :cloud9:

 

[CMP]

I feel a bit ridiculous now!

I didnt clip Caymen as he never grew a winter coat at all but he was out in a heavyweight rug in the worst weather though that was maybe just a few weeks.

He was overweight when I got him but he has now lost the weight so I'm really pleased how he is looking too :biggrin::wub:

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

I am feeling a bit worried about Mattie, he is a purebred Arab with not much coat and although he was fine all through the winter (living out 24/7 with appropriate rugs) in the last couple of weeks he has lost a lot of weight. You can just see his ribs :frown:

He is glossy and seems happy but just looks a bit thin, perhaps some haylage will be the answer.

 

[Bodshi]

Claire1605 - I'm really happy to read your post but unless you post the pics to prove it, how do we know you're telling the truth?! :tongue:

Pics would be really nice!

 

[Kite_Rider]

I'm always getting told off for being mean, I haven't had anything heavier than 170gm fill on Oscar and that was only in the really cold weather, he's come out of winter looking great I think (also un clipped BTW) but everyone else on yard thinks I'm horrible for not smothering him in rugs - been told off as he's spent the last couple of weeks in just a rain sheet while their all in medium turnout still... he's going out naked tomorrow if it stays dry too, he's a tough old boy for a TB though.

 

[happy_bunny]

I've been 'mean' to mine all winter as well - only has her rainsheet to go out in and a fleece in the stable when it went below freezing. She has lost some weight but she was fat before so I'm quite pleased with how she is looking now - some of the people that commented on how badly I was treating her have had to admit that it has worked wonders :bounce:

 

[bitsnpieces]

A few years ago I moved Puz from Essex to Surrey and since then I've had real issues keeping weight on her during the winter - until then I've always fought to keep the weight off her, it's giving me grey hairs trying to keep the weight on her at the moment!!!!!

 

[Claire1605]

Claire1605 - I'm really happy to read your post but unless you post the pics to prove it, how do we know you're telling the truth?! :tongue:

Pics would be really nice!

I'll try to do that today for you :biggrin:

I have to say he has had tonnes of haylage over winter. I think that is the thing. As long as he is kept dry with a light rug and has plenty of haylage he's fine. His coat is very fine so that didn't really keep him that warm. He didn't even get any hard feed!

 

[Claire1605]

Claire1605 - I'm really happy to read your post but unless you post the pics to prove it, how do we know you're telling the truth?! :tongue:

Pics would be really nice!

Here's a pic from this afternoon just for you :biggrin: Ignore his neck as he hasn't done much over winter so his neck just disappears and his stupid face due to the fact that he's impatient and doesn't like standing still so he pulls stupid faces LOL.

 

[CMP]

Here's a pic from this afternoon just for you :biggrin: Ignore his neck as he hasn't done much over winter so his neck just disappears and his stupid face due to the fact that he's impatient and doesn't like standing still so he pulls stupid faces LOL.

Victory looking as handsome as ever :angel::biggrin:

 

[Bodshi]

Victory looking as handsome as ever :angel::biggrin:

Isn't he though? What a lovely looking boy and he hasn't got a stupid face! He does look well too - I believe you now Claire1605

 

[Claire1605]

Thank you ladies :biggrin:

I will have to get some ridden photos taken as he is a real stunner when he is working!

I love my horse :happy:

 

[laceyfreckle]

Glad to see someone else 'bit the bullet' in less pampering this year.

I really struggled with not rugging Harvey up myself as he did have a chaser clip in November and doesn't normally do winter well, live out or grow a coat of his own.

Partly due to family circumstances he has had to rough it a bit this year and seems to be doing really well on it. Like Victory he has only had hay (but lots of) and a balancer rather then hard feed (last year he had a lot of hard feed to keep weight on) but he actually looks pretty good for it.

Also like Victory he needs a bit of lunging before work now he's coming back into work but other then that is being good! His neck and bum also lack when he doesn't have much work but it builds up quickly again.

Now you just have to get out there and compete Victory this year too :wink::smile: