Archie joined the Weight Wise program 4 months ago to help him lose the excess weight he had gained during rehabilitation from colic surgery.
June
July
August
September
Archie is signing off from Weight Wise, keep up the good work!!
Tuesday, 12 September 2017
Mission Complete
Mission complete! I am pleased to report that Archie has reached his body condition score target of 3/5 (3.5/3/3) and a fantastic body weight loss of 36kg, the equivalent to a Giant Anteater. Archie has also been given the all clear to return to full work following his colic surgery earlier this year. Well done Archie!
We hope that Archie has helped to raise awareness with regard to equine
weight management and offer some tips and advice to achieve your goals.
As winter creeps ever closer, remember to use the colder months to your
advantage. Native breed ponies in particular are designed to drop weight
over the winter months, this allows them to come into the spring grazing season safely.
Avoid over feeding and over rugging the well conditioned horse or pony
during the winter.
Wednesday, 9 August 2017
How much weight has your horse or pony lost?
It can be hard to appreciate what the numbers really mean, so here is a fun guide to help you recognise your achievement.
Our ambassador, Archie, has lost an impressive Labrador of excess weight in his two months on the Weight Wise program!
Has your pony lost a porcupine this year, or maybe a kangaroo?
Our ambassador, Archie, has lost an impressive Labrador of excess weight in his two months on the Weight Wise program!
Has your pony lost a porcupine this year, or maybe a kangaroo?
Monday, 7 August 2017
Archie makes a break for it!
Archie is clearly feeling far more active now that he is returning to work and fighting fit. With improved energy levels Archie decided to jump his fence and explore outside of his restricted grazing paddock this week! Luckily he was found swiftly and returned to his paddock, whilst looking a tad sheepish.
Despite this cheeky break in Weight Wise protocol, Archie continues to do fantastically and is well on his way to his second target of 475kg and a body condition score of 3/5.
Despite this cheeky break in Weight Wise protocol, Archie continues to do fantastically and is well on his way to his second target of 475kg and a body condition score of 3/5.
Monday, 17 July 2017
Albert the Fjord Weighs In on Weight Wise
Albert, a very handsome Norwegian Fjord horse was seen today for a routine visit. In early June Albert was noticed to be carrying some extra weight, checking in as a body condition score of 4/5 and a weight of 500kg. Albert's owner, Sharon, has done so well following the Weight Wise scheme over the last few weeks, already smashing the first weight target of 470kg! Today Albert scored 3.5/5 and weighed in at 462kg! As his fitness continues to improve we expect he will reach his condition target of 3/5 very soon! Well done Sharon and Albert!
Sharon shared some top tips for keeping exercise fun and frequent for Albert, which has clearly been successful.
*Trailering out to different areas for hacking.
* Parelli natural horsemanship games in the paddock.
*Last but not least, Albert loves playing football!
⚽️⚽️Not only has the increased activity helped with weight loss, it has also increased their bonding time together.
Tuesday, 11 July 2017
Is your dieting horse at greater risk from Ragwort poisoning?
Ragwort that is actively growing in pasture is not particularly palatable to horses due to the bitter taste, however horses and ponies that are on restricted bare grazing are more likely to investigate weeds as a possible food source. In addition to this many horses that are on low sugar diets to prevent laminitis will receive soaked hay for much of the year, please be aware that Ragwort that has been dried and baled into hay is more readily consumed and poses an increased risk for ingestion. Pulling apart hay sections can help identify material that should not be present, especially if you have recently changed your hay supply.
Top facts about Ragwort poisoning.
Ragwort is a plant that we are all familiar with and spend a lot of time removing from our pastures, but why is this aspect of pasture management so important?
*Ragwort can be just as toxic to the liver when ingested in small quantities over a number of years, as it can be when large quantities are ingested.
*Dried ragwort that has been accidentally baled into hay is more palatable than growing plants and presents a hidden danger to horses.
*Effective removal and dilligent prevention of spread into agricultural land is important. https://www.gov.uk/
*The symptoms of Ragwort poisoning will not become apparent until a large number of liver cells have been damaged.
*The first signs to look for in your horse will be depression, loss of body condition, poor coat, poor appetite, diarrhoea, photosensitivity - sun burn on areas of pink skin, often the muzzle and lower limbs. You may notice a yellow colour to the gums or eyes.
*The later stages of liver failure will cause behaviour changes such as aggression, circling, aimless wandering, poor coordination, head pressing against walls, noisy breathing, collapse and can prove fatal.
*Diagnosis of liver damage in horses can be performed with blood testing and biopsy of the liver under ultrasound guidance.
*The earlier the diagnosis is made the better the prognosis for survival.
*Prevention is better than cure, as well as removal of the weed from pasture please do monitor your hay content.
Ragwort is a plant that we are all familiar with and spend a lot of time removing from our pastures, but why is this aspect of pasture management so important?
*Ragwort can be just as toxic to the liver when ingested in small quantities over a number of years, as it can be when large quantities are ingested.
*Dried ragwort that has been accidentally baled into hay is more palatable than growing plants and presents a hidden danger to horses.
*Effective removal and dilligent prevention of spread into agricultural land is important. https://www.gov.uk/
*The symptoms of Ragwort poisoning will not become apparent until a large number of liver cells have been damaged.
*The first signs to look for in your horse will be depression, loss of body condition, poor coat, poor appetite, diarrhoea, photosensitivity - sun burn on areas of pink skin, often the muzzle and lower limbs. You may notice a yellow colour to the gums or eyes.
*The later stages of liver failure will cause behaviour changes such as aggression, circling, aimless wandering, poor coordination, head pressing against walls, noisy breathing, collapse and can prove fatal.
*Diagnosis of liver damage in horses can be performed with blood testing and biopsy of the liver under ultrasound guidance.
*The earlier the diagnosis is made the better the prognosis for survival.
*Prevention is better than cure, as well as removal of the weed from pasture please do monitor your hay content.
Monday, 10 July 2017
Archie Trots On
Today Archie received the great news that his incisional hernias have improved sufficiently for him to start trot work! Fantastic news, Archie is raring to go. While Archie was visiting our surgeon today he received a Weight Wise check up. Right on target Archie recorded 503kg on the weight tape. Body condition scoring was 3.5/5 over the neck and shoulder, 3.5/5 over the ribs and back and 4/5 over the rump.
Having achieved his first weight loss target, Archie received a second target to aim towards of 475kg and a body condition score of 3/5. Now that Archie's exercise levels will be increasing we are expecting his metabolism to improve and his muscle tone to return. Great work from Archie and Fran!
The low down:
520kg on weigh scale. 503kg on weigh tape (target 1 met).
BCS Neck/shoulder 3.5 Ribs/back 3.5 Rump 4 Overall BCS 3.5/5
Excellent improvement.
Grazing 12hrs over night with muzzle.
Feed intake 2kg/day (dry weight of hay prior to soaking).
Cleared to start trot work so exercise levels will increase and help with metabolism.
New target weight set for 475kg (weigh tape). Target BCS 3.
Having achieved his first weight loss target, Archie received a second target to aim towards of 475kg and a body condition score of 3/5. Now that Archie's exercise levels will be increasing we are expecting his metabolism to improve and his muscle tone to return. Great work from Archie and Fran!
The low down:
520kg on weigh scale. 503kg on weigh tape (target 1 met).
BCS Neck/shoulder 3.5 Ribs/back 3.5 Rump 4 Overall BCS 3.5/5
Excellent improvement.
Grazing 12hrs over night with muzzle.
Feed intake 2kg/day (dry weight of hay prior to soaking).
Cleared to start trot work so exercise levels will increase and help with metabolism.
New target weight set for 475kg (weigh tape). Target BCS 3.
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