nhg
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Post by nhg on Oct 5, 2014 15:32:20 GMT
When we first brought him over from the place he was last at he was definitely fat. He had a huge, thick founder looking neck and fat rolls by his tailhead. He was put on a diet and lost weight but I think he needs to lose more. He has no rolls by his tailhead and his butt cheeks aren't close together like they were. But I've seen him slimmer than this and he looks better. At the same time, he has well sprung ribs and I can see and feel them. I'm showing pictures taken last night to show what he looks like from the side as well as from the front. He looks rough because he's already got a thick winter coat started.
Please tell me honestly what you think and how much weight you think he still needs to lose, if any. He's always tended towards being a bit heavy and often people ask if he's a Belgian cross in the winter. But the picture from the front makes him look fine. He's definitely out of shape, maybe that's all that's wrong. I need some outside opinions please.
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Post by horselady on Oct 5, 2014 19:19:14 GMT
I have a palomino that looks just like that. he is healthy, never sick and smart as they come. as for your horse. i would imagine him perhaps 50 pounds lighter but let him just be for now that winter is coming than start to give diet regime in the spring. He sure is handsome and he looks solid minded .  |
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nhg
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Post by nhg on Oct 5, 2014 20:40:44 GMT
He looks like the horse version of me. Not really fat but not slim, either. Short legs, stubby body.
You're right about him being a bit chubby before winter being a good thing but these guys feed really well so he's not likely to lose any over the winter. The times that he's been slimmer are when we had our own place and fed our horses carefully. |
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Post by 1fatmule on Oct 5, 2014 21:24:26 GMT
our horses re starting to get fuzzy too, and rain ALL day, and night with a high of 44 degrees yesterday helped i am sure. i think he looks like a healthy boy, i too agree having a little extra pounds is a good thing going in to winter. he is beautiful  |
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mingiz
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Los Lunas, NM
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Post by mingiz on Oct 5, 2014 21:42:23 GMT
He's not to bad. As HL said let him go now that winter is coming then in the spring put him on a diet. Reno was bigger than that!!! He and JR both lost weight and both were showing ribs. But I have them back up to were they look better. Reno lives off air. JR looks good but he's a tad skinnier that I like him to be. Yes he is a nice looking boy. The front shot he doesn't look to big in, but that side shot he has a thick neck.
Of course I have always been accused of having fat horses. My paly paint mare was chunky the vet poked her on top of her butt and said put her on a diet...I just figure they need to look like me!! Id rather have a fat one than a skinny one!
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nhg
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Post by nhg on Oct 6, 2014 1:52:23 GMT
Thank you but I don't like him looking so chunky. That first picture is not a very flattering horse picture at all.
The pictures are fuzzy because in the first one he's pouting because he kept following me around and I made him stay in one spot and in the second one he's following me. I rode him tonight and he was perfect as always. I love him so much.  |
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Post by diamondgirl on Oct 6, 2014 2:05:36 GMT
You said it yourself, he is a Belgian cross. What breed standard can you compare him too. I think he is beautiful, and as Ming said, winter is coming. He might be stocking up a bit, in preparation for leaner times. Is he fat? I don't know what to say. Well I do know what I think, and I think he is beautiful. Palys are such beautiful horses. Now I am no expert on horses, or equine nutrition, but he might be, just displaying characteristics of the Belgian cross, in his background. How old is he? Is he just maturing into the massive guy he was bred to be?
You know him best. If you can still palpate his ribs, then he might not be fat, but just be robust, as opposed to having a slight stature, of a lighter bread. I think he looks happy. That is all I see. A happy, beautiful horse. |
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nhg
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Post by nhg on Oct 6, 2014 3:35:19 GMT
DG they ask if he is but he isn't a Belgian cross. He's a quarter Morgan and I think he totally has the traditional Morgan body. He also had thoroughbred and quarter horse. He got very heavy at the last place we were at and almost foundered. His neck was huge. He tends to have a thicker neck but not like that. I just don't know if he's lost enough weight or if he should still be on a diet. I think his thick body makes his legs look shorter.
He's just as much of a pleasure to ride as ever, though, he still has a rocking chair lope and a nice trot. |
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hugs
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Post by hugs on Oct 6, 2014 11:40:53 GMT
First of all he is beautiful and looks like he has a loving manner, I can see why you love him so much. I believe it is the same for all animals; we can cut calories to lose weight but if we build our muscle, we are not only healthier in and of itself but our metabolism increases as well. If that beautiful man were my horse I'd focus on exercising him regularly but not hard in order to build his fitness. That is the most important thing he can do to improve his health, which is after all the goal of losing weight, not merely looks. I've heard too many folks exercise their horses way too hard right from the get go, sure the horses will do it, but it sure can't be any happier for them than it is for us and besides it makes them much more prone to injury. I know you'll do fine with him, but I say that warning for others who may read this in the future
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Post by lorddaxter on Oct 6, 2014 12:01:57 GMT
I think his little short legs make him look worse, he does have a flattish neck but honestly compared to dax and Isis his belly and butt really aren't that bad!
As others said coming into winter I wouldn't worry, I'm sure you don't blanket him?....I don't rug mine up and they lose that extra fat by the time it gets super cold, the last two winters though they didn't get skinny coming into spring like I like them too, i have to be feeding them too much, all they get is hay, I just feel bad if they are standing around and I worry about colic, I do plan to get slow feeder nets this year, hope it makes a difference:)
I love pallys:)
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mistersmom
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Abita Springs, LA
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Post by mistersmom on Oct 6, 2014 13:49:56 GMT
I agree with the others. I certainly don't think he needs to gain weight! Maybe once you are feeling better, you will be able to exercise him more and he will tone up a bit. Does he get grain/feed or just grass/hay? Maybe cut back on the amount of feed or switch to a lower protein/fat feed?
He does have such a soft, loving eye.
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Lipizzan
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Europe, Croatia
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Post by Lipizzan on Oct 6, 2014 15:30:28 GMT
I just think he needs toun up his muscles. It looks like he is built that way, and that long hair is making him look like a teddy bear. He is beautiful. I can imagine how nice is to hug him :-)
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Oct 6, 2014 15:32:24 GMT
And make sure to check him up for parasites , that tail looks like it has seen some poles :-)
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Post by horselover4life on Oct 6, 2014 17:35:51 GMT
Your horse has a very unique build to him.
When I look at the picture of him straight on...his flanks have a slight curvature outward, so surely not to thin and maybe a bit to heavy.
When I look at your side shot his neck is glaring however it is also shadowed enough I can not truly make out his neck and where his mane starts from or if he has cowlicks in how his mane lies..
What does pop out at me is he is lacking in muscle-tone and that tricks the eye to seeing more fat than there is there I think.
He has a large belly with a well-sprung ribcage, but not a fantastic topline honestly. His chest is poor in muscle quality and definition right now...as are his flanks and butt. You know this though.
I truthfully think when you are able to work him some consistently he will lose the "pudgy" look and regain the look you have seen in the past.
His neck will always be somewhat deceiving because it is how he is built...shorter and thicker with a thicker throat-latched area.
He does have some excess fat deposit right behind that shoulder blade and wither area...he also has been a couch potato by his appearance of no work to speak of...all areas I would expect to see him have "weight" lingering. The to much of it though....a fine line right now because he does lack that muscling.
He actually looks very much like a "foundation" bred old-time Morgan horse....the Lippett line of horses. They were not sleek and Thoroughbred-ish looking, but were bred to plow the field, pull the farm wagon to church and do errands and to carry his rider for miles every day if needed...they were a very distinct breed and look.
Old-blood Morgans do not resemble any of today's Morgans who have been refined and sleeked down from tip of the ear to heel of the hind foot. Something many are not used to seeing...heavier boned animals...
I had a Morgan, named "Ben" as a kid. He was a beautiful bay but heavier boned, thicker stronger neck, extremely powerful shoulder and hindquarter build to him...athletic {couldn't keep him inside a near 6' fence he jumped out of every day!} Ben was a slight cross of new and much old blood...and the most gorgeous eyes...melting beautiful in intelligence.
Two excellent references and you can see how the breed has evolved, from a heavy boned to a lightly boned near saddle-bred in appearance look to them.
foundationmorganhorse.com/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_horse
Thanks, but I like my Lippett horse any day!!
NHG... honestly, I think I would not look to take much more off till you start to put more muscle on him. I think he will come around and sculpt very quickly those muscles.... and lose the "fat" look you don't like. He is also wool-ling up and that is deceiving some too... again, you know this.
I want to see pictures of him as he progresses though...he is a beautiful horse with a great many "old-breed" characteristics not seen today....
I love him!!
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Post by diamondgirl on Oct 6, 2014 17:41:13 GMT
DG they ask if he is but he isn't a Belgian cross. He's a quarter Morgan and I think he totally has the traditional Morgan body. He also had thoroughbred and quarter horse. He got very heavy at the last place we were at and almost foundered. His neck was huge. He tends to have a thicker neck but not like that. I just don't know if he's lost enough weight or if he should still be on a diet. I think his thick body makes his legs look shorter.
He's just as much of a pleasure to ride as ever, though, he still has a rocking chair lope and a nice trot. So sorry. I am going to have to stop trying to read, after I have spent all day digging a hole, then tipped a few back, to take away the stiffness. Founder would be a concern. I didn't think about that.
I looked at the pictures again. In the view from the front, he doesn't look fat at all. He does look stocky, in the side view, and fuzzy. He is such a pretty boy.
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Oct 6, 2014 22:55:10 GMT
Your horse has a very unique build to him.
When I look at the picture of him straight on...his flanks have a slight curvature outward, so surely not to thin and maybe a bit to heavy.
When I look at your side shot his neck is glaring however it is also shadowed enough I can not truly make out his neck and where his mane starts from or if he has cowlicks in how his mane lies..
What does pop out at me is he is lacking in muscle-tone and that tricks the eye to seeing more fat than there is there I think.
He has a large belly with a well-sprung ribcage, but not a fantastic topline honestly. His chest is poor in muscle quality and definition right now...as are his flanks and butt. You know this though.
I truthfully think when you are able to work him some consistently he will lose the "pudgy" look and regain the look you have seen in the past.
His neck will always be somewhat deceiving because it is how he is built...shorter and thicker with a thicker throat-latched area.
He does have some excess fat deposit right behind that shoulder blade and wither area...he also has been a couch potato by his appearance of no work to speak of...all areas I would expect to see him have "weight" lingering. The to much of it though....a fine line right now because he does lack that muscling.
He actually looks very much like a "foundation" bred old-time Morgan horse....the Lippett line of horses. They were not sleek and Thoroughbred-ish looking, but were bred to plow the field, pull the farm wagon to church and do errands and to carry his rider for miles every day if needed...they were a very distinct breed and look.
Old-blood Morgans do not resemble any of today's Morgans who have been refined and sleeked down from tip of the ear to heel of the hind foot. Something many are not used to seeing...heavier boned animals...
I had a Morgan, named "Ben" as a kid. He was a beautiful bay but heavier boned, thicker stronger neck, extremely powerful shoulder and hindquarter build to him...athletic {couldn't keep him inside a near 6' fence he jumped out of every day!} Ben was a slight cross of new and much old blood...and the most gorgeous eyes...melting beautiful in intelligence.
Two excellent references and you can see how the breed has evolved, from a heavy boned to a lightly boned near saddle-bred in appearance look to them.
foundationmorganhorse.com/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_horse
Thanks, but I like my Lippett horse any day!!
NHG... honestly, I think I would not look to take much more off till you start to put more muscle on him. I think he will come around and sculpt very quickly those muscles.... and lose the "fat" look you don't like. He is also wool-ling up and that is deceiving some too... again, you know this.
I want to see pictures of him as he progresses though...he is a beautiful horse with a great many "old-breed" characteristics not seen today....
I love him!!
I love the old Morgans too as well as the old Appaloosas, stringy manes and tails and all. IMO it ruins those foundation breeds to TB them up like that. TBs are great for a TB. |
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nhg
Junior Member
Posts: 2,429
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Post by nhg on Oct 7, 2014 0:14:16 GMT
This is a picture of him from two years ago that shows how his neck looks even when he's an ideal weight.
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hugs
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Post by hugs on Oct 7, 2014 2:45:57 GMT
He's a handsome, handsome man!
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nhg
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Posts: 2,429
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Post by nhg on Oct 7, 2014 4:10:10 GMT
I think he is, thank you. With his personality he could be ugly as a mud fence and he'd still be wonderful. But look at that thick throatlatch. With his short, thick neck and thick throatlatch he isn't a good western pleasure horse in shows. But, he can do western dressage where the horse is encouraged to move in their natural frame while still collected. He collects up nicely.
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Post by lorddaxter on Oct 7, 2014 14:59:13 GMT
I think he is, thank you. With his personality he could be ugly as a mud fence and he'd still be wonderful. But look at that thick throatlatch. With his short, thick neck and thick throatlatch he isn't a good western pleasure horse in shows. But, he can do western dressage where the horse is encouraged to move in their natural frame while still collected. He collects up nicely. He does have a little short neck which prob makes him look worse, he looks gorgeous in that last picture, so smooth, Dax had a real upside down neck when I got him and thick, he would run with his head right up hollowing out, I just ignored it, when I started riding him in the kimblewick this year I noticed a huge improvement, even in the field he is moving out lower, nice to see, his neck is looking way better, anyway I digress lol!....yes he's a bit porky but soon it will be friggin freezing and gone! |
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