Finally! The video of our new tiny pony track for my two tiny ponies. Track life has done wonders for the health and happiness of my ponies.
Finally I have things set up enough to make a little video.
I am so relieved that I won’t have to worry about grass growing on the track. Handsome Hubby took the Bobcat to it and scraped the topsoil off all along the track area. No grass will grow, though it may grow some weeds!
I want to add a bit more sand and also some road mix gravel. We will keep the sand and the gravel far away from the feed areas. I have rubber mats down and sweep them twice a day to give them a clean area to eat.
Strict Diets
Both Sky and Zorro are on very strict diets:
–> 1 1/2% of their body weight in hay a day. I spit this into two feedings. So they get 2-2 1/2 pounds of hay in the morning, each and then the same for dinner.
–> They also get about 1/4 pound of Timothy hay pellets with 1- 1 1/2 ounces of Soybean Meal twice a day, breakfast and dinner.
Surprisingly, their blood tests showed high liver enzymes when I took them to the vet last month. The vet could only guess this was due to them being over weight. He said they were both obese. He wanted them both to lose about 100 pounds. I agree that Sky could have lost close to that, but 100 pounds was too much for Zorro. I figured he had about 50 pounds to lose and I’m guessing he is half way there. He is actually looking really good. BUT he is being driven regularly.
I absolutely need to get Sky out and exercise her more. She is losing due to the diet but moving her feet would help as well!
This made me really think about all those fat ponies out there. People are literally loving them to death. My ponies didn’t even look that bad. Even the vet commented on that. So what about those that have fat pockets all over their bodies? Or the fat deposits around their sheaths and teats? Their blood work must be a mess. Makes so sad for them.
Please do your best to keep your ponies at a good, healthy weight. I make sure they have low sugar, low starch hay and though I was giving them a measured amount before, not allowing them access 24/7, they were still getting too much. If your pony is not losing weight but actually gaining, then it’s time to rethink your feed program.