QuestionQUESTION: we have a mini stud about 1 1/2 years old. he constantly has his nose off in the grass. he has the worst grass gut i have ever seen. i read one of your ealier answers to this problem about the grazing muzzle. i am considering getting one. we do not feed hay through the summer months and we alternate him between pastures. my questions are what kind of excersize routine should i be doing with him and also how often should i use the grazing muzzle if i decide to do that. could i use the muzzle every other day or should i just use it at night. i know that lunging before 3 could be dangerous for the horse so what other excersize could i get him to do. he leads well but is a little on the lazy side. he could also use a small attitude adjustment. sometimes he thinks he is a big stud. any advice you could give me would be appreciated. im still learning about the minis. thanks.
ANSWER: Hi Sally-
Thanks for the question(s). First off- he is getting way too much grass and you run the risk of founder as well as joint and bone problems from his carrying all that extra weight at his age. In my opinion, he would be better off being lunged for a short time each day for exercise than carrying around all that weight. The added benefit is that it will help him to gain some respect for you as that is a common problem with young stallions and you need to start soon or you may find yourself unable to handle him. If you are not going to breed him, I would definitely consider gelding him.
You need to limit his grass intake quite a bit. I would suggest either putting him on a dry lot or in a stall at least half of the time he would normally be out. He will not starve to death. If you cannot do that I would definitely use a grazing muzzle for at least 12 hours a day but they can be a problem because horses don't like them and he may start eluding "capture." It is very difficult to get the weight off once it is on- much easier to prevent it although we don't like thinking we are depriving them (and yes, I have been guilty of this myself). My research shows that you need to both restrict food AND increase exercise for best results and fewer health issues. Simply or dramatically restricting feed can cause colic, etc.
I use an enclosed flat space (a round pen is great) and have the mini trot for while using a lunge whip to encourage (snapped on the ground behind him). After a few minutes, "whoa" him and drop the whip, praise him when he stops and faces you, and then have him go the other direction for about the same amount of time. Start for short periods then gradually increase. It will take awhile- be patient but you should start to see results within a few weeks. It will take longer to really get him really fit.
I hope this helps and best of luck, Toni
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QUESTION: will lunging not hurt him at such a young age? i know with big horses not to lunge before 3 years of age.
AnswerHi Sally-
I believe "harmful lunging" that you are talking about with large horses is lunging on a lunge-line which, if the ground is hard and the turns are tight can be hard on any horse at any age. I am talking about "free lunging," getting them to move it TO lose it. If you think about the behavior of foals in the field, they run and play for seemingly hours with no harm (and they are generally not fat). If your horse's feet are well-trimmed and you limit the exercise to no more than half an hour (which you will have to build up to), I fail to see the harm to the horse. Think of the current movement to get kids "off the couch" and back to active play. I stand by my advice. I have done this with my large horses as a means of teaching them "who's in charge" for short periods of time with no adverse effects. I have a 2YO AQHA filly who really loves it- I think there's safety for them in running in an enclosed, known area and they love the praise "for getting it right." I couldn't find any advice in my reference books to the contrary but if you are concerned, you could certainly consult your vet. I think he/she will tell you that the good far outweighs the bad in an overweight horse. Just my opinion. Best, Toni
