Horse with food issues needs to lose weight

Question
Hi-I am 50 years old, a female, and I have 2 horses that came from the same herd situation. Both are 8 year old geldings, one raised from birth at the farm I got him from, and the other, the one in question, was a rescue purchased by the same farm. I have had these guys for almost 2 years. This boy is a Friesian/ Walker cross and he is big boned, but he is now also fat. Here is my situation. I work crazy hours so they are boarded at a wonderful farm where they have their own 3 acre pasture. They are turned out only during the day for safety reasons-we live around a large bear and coyote population. I have an injury now so I am not riding these guys but try to do light ground work 2 or 3 days a week. Where they came from they were turned out 24/7 with a constant supply of hay. That amount of turnout is not possible here. I understand that probably has a lot to do with the problem because his life now is very different from his farm life 2 years ago. He was probably happier living with the herd at that farm. I know he got way more exercise. But before that farm he came from an abusive situation. He and 4 other horses were turned out into a half acre yard with no grass and very little hay so he had to fight for his food and he usually won. Still he became dangerously thin before this lady rescued him. It took her a year to get him back to health and weight. But  during that time and now- he has serious issues about food. When he is without hay in sight-he gets very loud-banging his stall door, tossing his head, biting the wood on the stall, Stomping his feet, biting at his buddy next to him. That is not so important, but he is difficult to walk out to his turnout area. He is constantly hungry. He can also get aggressive when it comes to food which complicates it further. The woman I bought him from told me that even with more than enough feed and 24/7 turnout-he still would fight for food if he felt there was not enough for his share. So this issue and fear about almost starving has stayed with him. The problem is he now needs to lose weight-about 100 pounds-and I was told by my vet to cut his hay consumption by at least 1 flake a day. That is easier said than done. He now eats about 6-7 flakes a day because pasture grass is about done. He only gets 1 1/2 cups of Legends 11 textured feed twice a day and he looks forward to that like you can't imagine. So the better part of his diet is made up of hay. He is happy and sweet when he is satisfied but when I tried to cut his hay back a little he noticed and he has been miserable and very difficult to handle. So he is back up to his regular amount. I want to do what's best for him-but I don't want to stress him out with this diet thing. I have no idea how to handle this because of his food issues. I genuinely think he fears not having food again and that is why he eats so much-or maybe it is boredom. I am not sure if this is a behavioral issue or a nutrition issue-that is why I wrote you. And yes, this is about him, not me. I want to do what is best but I also don't want to make him miserable doing it. I suspect, and I could be wrong here with this notion, but I think maybe the hay we have purchased this year is not really nutritionally complete. We have had a bad climate season for hay and it has way too much fiber and not enough protein. I think maybe this deficiency in the hay is also causing him to seek more food. Maybe that is wrong- I don't know. My vet has no sympathy for him, though, which saddens me. This guy went through hell and food is his security blanket. Do you have any suggestions for me? I know his weight will cause him problems eventually. I didn't mean to write a book, but I didn't want to omit anything important. He is on a regular worming program also. He is not fed any additional supplements at this time. Thanks so much for your time.

Answer
Well, I would buy very low quality hay.  When you said your hay was not that good, I thought Good!, by feeding low quality hay with less nutrition  then the horse can eat more and still lose weight.  More exercise is the best way to drop weight. Out in pasture will give him more exercise and will help him.  So you say this not possible.  Well you have to make some decisions.  Move the horse where they can be out more, leave them out and take your chances with the bears, feed low quality hay, find time to exercise them more or get rid of them.  You sound like you want to help them but have a hundred excuses on how you can't.  If you can't then find them a good home where they can be put out in pasture and live a good horse life.  You say it is not about you, then do what is best for them.  You work a lot and don't have time.  The old saying, it is more than fine stables and food to give good care to a horse.  Horses always do better when people stay out of it.

If he is getting chased by bears he will lose weight, which I don't think will happen, especially if he has a herd with him, a bear will not attack several horses, maybe a lone horse and a horse is faster than a bear so as long as he has room to run, I don't think a bear will get him.  I would like to hear how many horses have been killed by bears in your area?????  This sounds like another excuse not leave your horses out in pasture.

So, spend more time exercising them, have someone else do it, feed low quality hay as much as they want, leave them turned out more or get rid of them.

That is my take, it does not sound good but it seems right.

Rick