Condition scoring for fun!

Wally

Wally

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2000
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After the 3 rescue foals being confirmed a condition score of 0, the vet and I went round the Icelandics and condition scored them for fun!:ninja::giggle:

One @ 3
One @ 3.5
One @ 3.9
and one just over the 4 mark :redface::redface:

I am cutting haylage down a tad!

To be fair to the chap scoring 4 he has been confined to barracks with a poorly paw! Not been ridden and very little exercise
 
The saddler did mine the other day and they were spot on for this time of year. Weight just starting to drop off a bit now so upping feed for a week or two.
 
I wouldnt dare do Sam, we are waiting for the winter to come and drop some off him... I am also going to drop the haylage, which is tough as two dont need much and 1 needs it:help:

I
 
Seriously, I had to push hard to find a rib on Ziggy today, although he is very, very woolly.

Mattie I would say is a perfect 3 and spot on for the time of year.
 
I would condition score Ben as a 4. I wish that I could say that he is a 3.5, but he just isn't. As soon as we get any growth in the grass, the grazing muzzle is coming out.
 
We used to do ours regularly as did our old annual inspecting vet. New one is 'different' has a great reputation as a horse vet but I cannot relate to or read her!! Never passes any comment but since we are still licenced must be happy!!

We now weigh tape or even just note which holes girth is done up on..acts as a very good early warning system, We tend now to use condition scoring for new ponies/horse we don't know to decide whether to increase or decrease weight. What are these 'ribs' you talk of I may find them once woolly coats have gone??! Seriously we keep ours about 3 on the 0-5 scale!

We do have a mystery growth bug in our place however and everything grows in height, I suspect most is putting on top line/muscle but a few are surprising. One of CK's ex racers bought as a 4 yo and to my shame my first comment was 'well he is lovely but isn't he going to be a bit small for you' ( I thought a small 16hh)

Forward three years he is now 16.3 and in a wide saddle!!
 
I think Kev is a 3, I would like him to be a 2.5 by the end of winter though so I don't have to be as enthusiastic about the starvy!

He is still only getting hay at night and a couple of scoops of speedi beet, so a cold snap should get the last bit off.
 
nat17 said:
Wally, are they really a 0? Its heartbreaking....

Is there anything we can do to help with the rescue ponies?
Click to expand...

Yes, they are really a 0, I wish I could convey how thin they are as the photos don;t show it under all that fuzz.

Lots of people have been very kind and offered help. Frances went to the feed merchant on Friday to stock up on food and the chap who owns it loaded a few things into the Land Rover that folk had bought for us and paid for for us to collect.

The only thing that will do is time and careful feeding. They are not off their legs like the last one was (thank god, I don't like sleeping in stables with chain blocks and harnesses winching them to their feet. These guys are so small I can physically lift them ATM)
 
I'd say Rubic is a 3/3.5 but it is sort of difficult to tell with all the fuzz. I can feel the last few ribs quite easily and her neck and bum are looking much smaller than they have done (but I do think that part of that will be lack of muscle). Hopefully she will be going out 24/7 in 3 weeks so that will help matters I think rather than coming into a big haynet (and I can't cut it down any more as she'll be done in a couple of hours and I can't soak it because it is freezing here)!
 
Tbh I think Storm is going to be 3 plus - verging on 4 (insert shame icon). I am trying sooooo hard this winter with her: no rugs, ridden daily - even just in walk, soaked hay, weighed nets (double) and still she defies all calorific rules... Please can we have some PROPER cold now?!!!!!!!!!!

Vet coming end of week and I am expecting to be thoroughly told off - I just don't know what else I can do! Wonder if clipping would help?
 
You folk are very kind, we are lucky, they are so small their appetite won't overwhelm us. The biggest expense will be bedding. Although we have rubber mats they need a deep fluffy bed to lie on to cushion all there sticky out bits.
 
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