Hay Belly?

TravelingGirl · 01-23-2006, 08:11 AM

Is this caused by too much hay and not enough exercise or poor quality hay? Thanks!

Drafty1 · 01-23-2006, 08:15 AM

Poor quality hay, too much hay or worms.

Dawn · 01-23-2006, 09:09 AM

'Hay belly' is caused by too many of the horse's calories being provided by carbs (instead of protein). It's called 'hay belly' because that is a horses #1 source of carbs.

Other things that can be mistaken for 'hay belly' are worms, sand in the gut, and diseases or injuries that cause a loss of muscle along the spine.

irideazip · 01-23-2006, 09:24 AM

too much hay, not enough exercise, IMO

Beau · 01-23-2006, 09:33 AM

From what I know, and what I think of as a hay belly, it's from poor quality hay. It sits in the gut much longer because the horses body trys to get all the nutrients it can out of it, causing the big round belly. A horse with a hay belly isn't a fat horse, usually they're skinny(except for the bellly...), because they aren't getting all the nutrition they need.

Dawn · 01-23-2006, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beau

A horse with a hay belly isn't a fat horse, usually they're skinny(except for the bellly...), because they aren't getting all the nutrition they need.

If you have this situation, it will almost always be caused by either worms or sand, not hay.

The belly caused by hay is caused by excess weight. It's just stored in the belly rather than in other spots because it came from carbs. (Think about a beer belly on a person. Exact same concept.)

Sancho · 01-23-2006, 03:26 PM

Ok this is a good thread, as my little 14 month old. I don't give her any food. She has been eating off the paddock for about 3 months now, and she has a hay belly. She was only just wormed. I might take a sample to my vet just in case there is anything else he can track down, maybe she still might have worms.

Dawn · 01-23-2006, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sancho

Ok this is a good thread, as my little 14 month old. I don't give her any food. She has been eating off the paddock for about 3 months now, and she has a hay belly. She was only just wormed. I might take a sample to my vet just in case there is anything else he can track down, maybe she still might have worms.

At that age only receiving grass, she probably is not receiving near the protein that her growing body needs. That, is why she has a hay belly most likely.

Sancho · 01-23-2006, 03:48 PM

what is the best to feed her then??? As when I was feeding her food. they hay belly got worse. And I was feeding her Horse and Pony pellets, sun flower seeds, supplements and wheat charf....

Dawn · 01-23-2006, 03:51 PM

Perhaps you were simply feeding her too much then and she was getting fat all over?

It depends on the exact roughage available to her, how much she eats (or is allowed to eat), her activity level, her size, etc.

There are so many factors that go into creating a balanced and correct feed program for a horse, particularly a young one.

If you went from feeding so many concentrates to nothing at all, then you can expect her to have lost quite a bit of weight.

01-23-2006, 08:15 AM	#2
Drafty1 Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Northern California Posts: 3,406 Images: 518 Blog Entries: 1	Poor quality hay, too much hay or worms. __________________ Yeah, I guess you were riding, until you fell off.

01-23-2006, 09:24 AM	#4
irideazip Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: In the Pocono's (Honeymoon capital of PA!) Posts: 5,478 Images: 138 Blog Entries: 6	too much hay, not enough exercise, IMO __________________ Zipped Up Totally: aka. Fancy: One of HGS'S Top Stock Horses! 2006 NPHA Open Western Champion!

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01-23-2006, 08:11 AM	#1
TravelingGirl Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NJ Posts: 2,205 Images: 240	Hay Belly? Is this caused by too much hay and not enough exercise or poor quality hay? Thanks!

01-23-2006, 09:09 AM	#3
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 30,117 Images: 1328	'Hay belly' is caused by too many of the horse's calories being provided by carbs (instead of protein). It's called 'hay belly' because that is a horses #1 source of carbs. Other things that can be mistaken for 'hay belly' are worms, sand in the gut, and diseases or injuries that cause a loss of muscle along the spine.

01-23-2006, 09:33 AM	#5
Beau Senior Member+ Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Olds, AB Posts: 1,138 Images: 101 Blog Entries: 2	From what I know, and what I think of as a hay belly, it's from poor quality hay. It sits in the gut much longer because the horses body trys to get all the nutrients it can out of it, causing the big round belly. A horse with a hay belly isn't a fat horse, usually they're skinny(except for the bellly...), because they aren't getting all the nutrition they need.

01-23-2006, 03:26 PM	#7
Sancho Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 1,812 Images: 108	Ok this is a good thread, as my little 14 month old. I don't give her any food. She has been eating off the paddock for about 3 months now, and she has a hay belly. She was only just wormed. I might take a sample to my vet just in case there is anything else he can track down, maybe she still might have worms.

01-23-2006, 03:48 PM	#9
Sancho Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 1,812 Images: 108	what is the best to feed her then??? As when I was feeding her food. they hay belly got worse. And I was feeding her Horse and Pony pellets, sun flower seeds, supplements and wheat charf....

01-23-2006, 03:51 PM	#10
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 30,117 Images: 1328	Perhaps you were simply feeding her too much then and she was getting fat all over? It depends on the exact roughage available to her, how much she eats (or is allowed to eat), her activity level, her size, etc. There are so many factors that go into creating a balanced and correct feed program for a horse, particularly a young one. If you went from feeding so many concentrates to nothing at all, then you can expect her to have lost quite a bit of weight.