Question

I have a 10-year-old Paso Fino. When I got her five months ago, she was a body condition score of 8. I have tried to use the winter weather as a weight-management tool. I have three horses with 24/7 access to 12 acres. I have been letting her pick what she can from the pasture, hoping that the low-calorie winter forage would get the weight off of her. She gets no hay. Going into spring, she’s still fat as can be! I don’t get it. The only other option I can think of is to put her in a drylot at night to reduce her grazing hours. Thoughts on how to get the weight off? Also, is it safe to not supplement with hay in the winter if they are maintaining their body condition?

Answer

The mild weather has been favorable for maintaining pastures this winter. If pasture grazing is not limited due to low sward density or height, then it is possible that horses will need little supplemental hay to maintain weight, as you’ve discovered.

Easy keepers may maintain weight even when forage is restricted, so it is important to ensure their dry matter and nutrient needs are still being met. Offering a flake or two of good-quality hay per horse is a good way to determine if supplemental hay is needed or not. If the horses clean up the hay offered, then I would continue to feed hay as needed without generating waste. It is advisable to have hay available to them during adverse conditions, such as prolonged periods when the pasture is frozen or snow-covered.

During the spring and summer when pasture is growing, you will likely need to limit grazing and this can be done with the use of a drylot, grazing muzzle, or strip-grazing management. Managing the amount of calories in your mare’s diet is essential in facilitating weight loss, as is implementing a regular exercise program if possible.

Even overweight horses need to receive supplemental minerals and vitamins for optimal health and performance. Choose a scientifically designed micronutrient supplement to deliver essential nutrients in a low-calorie package.