My fat lot. They live out 24/7 in Shetland. Shelter from the old buildings and low walls. Nothing else. No extra food, no extra anything. They are fat - they shiver it off. That is what winter is for.
Worried? No. Only if I feel ribs. We have no ribs.
Be careful grooming too much, you don't want to strip the oils out of their coats as that's their waterproofing, depends what brushes you're using though.
To me that sounds like a lot of food to give them. Have you condition scored them? Do they actually need this feed?
I agree with the advice to not clip them - unless they are hugely overweight in which case I would clip them to try and get the weight off.
I would also handle on a daily basis and get them used to routine. I think that if horses know they are coming in for a feed, they may well become bargy. I would question if you really need to feed them?
Mine get absolutely no feed any time of the year. They are fat ornaments.
They are allowed to get fat in summer so they can get think in winter. This is how nature works up here in Shetland.
If you are on good grass, then I would not feed, I would restrict.
if you are on mud in winter, I would only feed hay unless they are very very thin or old.
Thank you ladies. They are certainly not old, frail, or thin. I m only doing the bucket feed because its what they've had daily on the stud farm and they're used to it. Theres no grass left in their paddock now, so i automatically switched to the hay nets, one in the day one in the evening, but perhaps i should just do one at night and the small bucketed... i mean it is a very small portion... in the morning. I am fast learning that shetlands are extremely hardy.
ps.. ALL the bad behaviour has stopped now that they're both out 24/7!!!!
Hay should be enough. They don’t need hard feed imho unless they are thin.
Just wanted to ad re Shetland’s reputation. I did an intro dressage class before Christmas and won the senior section on 69%, the junior section was won by a child on a standard Shetland with a whopping 72%! It was nice to see one being ridden properly and going beautifully.
Was that Phyllis and Ed?