I split up the herd yesterday into fatties and non-fatties.

The fatties were left in a smaller field with less grass and they hated it. They missed their friends (and grass).

I caved in this afternoon and reunited them in the smaller field, which is not that short on grass anyway.

My dilemma is not dissimilar to the fox, wheat and the goose on the boat going back and forth across the river.

Ok, this is Iacs (19yo) = fattie, fairly fit and never going to get his youthful manly figure back.

Next up is Haakon (20 yo) = fattie.  Fit, if not more, as Iacs, his cousin.  It is his build.  He is the old-fashioned Icelandic farm horse type.  Built for function.

Then there is Klængur (11yo) = fattie – He arrived much thinner, had 2 years off and turned into a Suffolk Punch when I wasn’t looking.  His weight worries me.

This is Kappi (10yo) – Bjørn’s horse = fattie.  He needs to lose weight.  He is a very good doer.  He is worked daily and no weight is dropping off.

And then there are the not-so-fatties. This includes The Minions and Taktur.  The Minions are a good weight, they are happy, bouncy and going into winter just right.

Taktur, on the other hand, has daily hard food and is ridden daily to build muscle.  He is well covered but needs to get back into condition.  I don’t want to starve him as he needs his grub and is prone to slim down.

So what to do?  They all want to be together.  If The Minions are left with Taktur, they will probably eat his mane and tail and Taktur likes being with the big ones more than baby-sitting.  Kappi is the main baby-sitter and if he is in Fat Camp then he can’t be with them.

I told you this was a dilemma.  I hate splitting up the herd.  My answer so far is to keep them all together in slimming field.  Watch like a hawk anyone losing weight (yes please fatties) and feed Taktur and/or Minions if they look like they are losing condition.  Then, when filthy weather arrives, move them into grassy field so they can eat and burn fuel keeping warm!