Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

The other day it was rainy and I didn't want to get my friend's saddle  
wet.  Mine still hasn't come in the mail yet.  I figured I needed the  
exercise too so I took Pony Puff out for a long handwalk.  We went 6  
miles together.

It was great for bonding (she is new and we're definitely still  
getting to know each other) and good exercise for me, but what about  
for her?   Before I got her, I used to hike all the time for  
exercise.   But somehow since becoming a horse owner I find I never  
have the time.  I've *lost* 5 pounds since getting her, too-- I think  
I don't have time to eat, either.  My sleeping has been horrible and  
I've been grumpy because I need the workouts.  My knee can't handle  
jogging or else I'd make her trot more.  We're going to have to walk  
or ride.  My knee is fine for hills if I'm careful.  In theory she's  
been trained to pack, so if I ever want to get really serious about  
Horse-Hiking I could get her a pack-saddle to add weight.

Oh, since I asked about her diet and weight last week, I looked at  
pictures of her that I took when I first got her in mid-October.   
She's definitely slimmed down and toned up.  A friend of mine recently  
commented on it, too.   I guess when I was looking at her every day I  
hadn't noticed how much her shape was changing.  Taped her yesterday  
at 867 pounds (she was 880 two weeks ago.)  Is this too rapid a weight  
loss?  She is a 14 hand (maybe less?) mustang mare.  I am guessing she  
was around 900 when I got her and the vet said she was "moderately  
overweight".   The vet is coming out this week to float her teeth so  
I'll certainly ask him again about her condition.  She looks pretty  
good to me right now, weight-wise.  Maybe a hair on the fat side, like  
a "6" on the scale.

I think she was wasting a lot of her hay in the mud once it started  
raining, but she just got moved to a barn so maybe the weight loss  
will slow down.  The paddock where she had been living was nice and  
big but turned into a total mud pit once the rain started.  So now  
she's in the barn with the froo-froo dressage warmbloods and TBs.  It  
makes me want to giggle.  I will enjoy not having to wear my dairy  
boots though.

Betsy

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