Thursday, May 28, 2009

The Weighty Issue.................


I've decided what I am going to do about Miss Kola's overweight issue and her bitchiness and today was the start. I've separated the girls, Misty in the paddock and Kola in the training pen. Both have a water source and the paddock has access to the pasture in which Misty will be able to visit the pasture. My U-Guard showed up today and Kola was started back on it. Kola will receive her maintenance dose of hoof supplement along with her U-Guard with less than a cup full of grain. The hay that I have is the hay that I have, so she will receive one flake of hay in the morning and one flake of hay in the evening. It was still too wet to exercise her today as well, but in saying that, once I let Misty out into the pasture, she will be doing her share of trotting around to see where Misty has gone to. I will do this until I see some progress in her weight loss, she will get exercised on dry days when I'm not working as well. I think separating them for now is the best thing as she was an unbearable bitch to Misty. This way there can be no scraps over food, she will get only what I want her to get and already this evening she has seemed to have an attitude adjustment. Go figure.............

13 comments:

Grey Horse Matters said...

Horses are amazing, they seem to adjust to the situation they are in very quickly.Hopefully, she'll lose the weight and be able to join Misty soon.
Good luck with your plan.

smellshorsey said...

I think I need to come stay in your paddock. Diets are hard for all species.

Dusty Devoe said...

Good luck! I started the Dustbuster on a work out routine today. He carries his weight in his tummy. Just like me!!! He didn't have to work to hard this winter, and now he's not going to like me!

Jean said...

Sounds like a plan to me. It's always harder on us, I think, than the horses. They tend to accept life as it comes to them.

UGard seems to be pretty good stuff.

I will be interested to see how long it takes Kola to lose the weight. Hope it works quickly.

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Go you! hehe!

In that photo Kola doesn't look that happy. But she'll adjust and she'll be looking like the svelte diva she's supposed to sooner than you can say HAY! :)

~Lisa

Twisted Oaks Quarter Horses said...

Callie, you could contact your local 4-H group and see if they have a kid that needs a horse to show or just use as a project. They can ride her to exercise her. The parents can sign a contract and the child wears a helmet. Before I bought my horses, I went out to ride a horse for a friend that couldn't ride anymore.

Gerald calls Jack, Jackass. He follows him around and won't let Gerald pet him. He's snoozing on the couch right now. He looks so cute, I just can't push him off.

Paint Girl said...

Good luck with Kola's weight loss program! Sounds like a great idea, separating the 2. It is so much easier to monitor feeding when they are on their own.
I wish I could keep my 2 in their own pasture, Fritzy is dominant, although she doesn't chase Brandy away from food. So that is good!

Pony Girl said...

Sounds like a good plan, Callie! Has Misty always been nasty to her at feeding time, or is this just a mare in season thing?

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

That should work.

Molly said...

God Kola, I feel your pain. Heavy, hungry, horrible.

Callie, it will be worth the effort when your girl gets healthy again.

My Bella started getting turned out into the desert with the other girls and her weight fell off like a teen-aged girl.

Callie said...

Thanks, All, I actually think it's already working!

Donna said...

Obviously you're on the right track! I can't really imagine how on earth you would know which horse was eating what when you house two together.

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

My mom is always seperating this horse or that horse if they seem to be getting overly crabby or blow up like balloons. About 3 days and it really seems to make a difference in their attitude.