Saga of the Fat Cows

Guys. I own thoroughbreds. Right? Not beef cattle? Someone set me straight, because I'm starting to feel unsure.
"Who you calling cow?"

Seriously, though. Since the grass came in, both boys have blimped up like bloated ticks on a dog. It's borderline grotesque.
Triplets due any day now.

Weeks ago I reduced their grain down to a handful of ration balancer once a day, which has stabilized the weight gain a little bit. However, the biggest key to their weight is going to be exercise, which has been freaking difficult with the two boys springing holes in their bodies right and left. Ugh.
Clearly starving. Wasting away.

Thankfully, a few weeks of somewhat regular work is making some headway. Plus the spring grass is finally starting to turn into summer grass. The pastures here are almost too good. I really don't want to have to put the boys in muzzles. I think Pig would actually kill himself over such a violation of his personal body.

Anyone else out there dealing with some fat thoroughbreds? Any advice other than muzzles and work?

Comments

  1. Hello my name is Emma and I am also an owner of a sausage barrel OTTB.....

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  2. My dilemma is that I have two horses on pasture. One gains weight really easily (Carmen) and the other one does not (Irish, who is half-TB). The good part is that Carmen is in work so it helps. Right now she looks like a muscled beef cake. Irish looks ribby and it's irritating me no end. He literally will not eat all the food I give him. It's frustrating. Over the years I have tried everything. Literally- beet pulp, alfalfa, special feed (he actually LOST weight on that), oil (all of them), rice bran (he will not eat). I am at a loss.

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  3. Are you sure they aren't quarter horses? ;-) Hopefully the abscesses, etc. stop so you can get Bast working at least! I have a QH that needs fattening up (rare, I know) - I'm just starting them on grass now, so hopefully that does the trick.

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  4. God, Henry and Pig are rocking an eerily similar bod right now. Presto needs to get on the easy keeper bandwagon.

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  5. We have some THICC ottbs at our place too! Which is awesome, but definitely a bit confusing lol

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  6. All the hours and hours of trails we've been doing combined with being turned out with the world's most obnoxious baby racehorse have kept Opie super fit this spring. Thank goodness because homie was PURE LARD coming out of winter!

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  7. "I'm feeling fat and sassy" - Pig and Bast, probably

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  8. My air fern tb would absolutely pop on your pasture!

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