How to get rid of a hay belly???!!!!

SongofBlaze · 02-21-2006, 09:19 AM

Hey there, ok so my gelding is turning 6 and i want to start showing him this summer, he has a huge hay belly and i have no idea how to get rid of it. I think the problem is that he is only on hay in a big pasture with about 15 other horses. He is quite dominant and get tons of food whenever. There are days when they don't have food and other day's when they have tons and tons. Other wise he is in good shape, lots of muscle and conditioned very well. It is also winter here so im not sure if that has to do with anything.
Any suggestions that would be great!

Thanks

Jennie'sPassion · 02-21-2006, 09:27 AM

My suggestion is to ride him/work him. Horses do gain weight in winter due to lack of exercise. Like people they usually tone up and lose weight with increased activity. I know I don't ride much when it is cold but have faith spring is around the corner...

ejforrest · 02-21-2006, 09:29 AM

Is the horse on a good deworming program? Parasites will cause a "hay belly". If he is so dominate, maybe he should be seperated so the others can get food. What do you mean there are days that they get "tons" of food but other days no food? This isnt healthy. I am surprised you dont have more health problems. You should be consistant with feeding. Horses are natural grazers. There digestive systmes are set up to take in small meals "frequently" throughout the day. Not gorge, then go hungry. This can cause ulcers. The stomach needs to be lined with feed most of the time to keep the acid down and to help the good bacteria.
Information on deworming:
Parasite Control Program for Mature Horses:
www.thehorse.com/printarticle.aspx?ID=5271

Shotgun93 · 02-21-2006, 10:12 AM

I would re-evaluate your feed program, and make sure that all of these horses are bring properly dewormed and getting the right amount of feed.

SongofBlaze · 02-21-2006, 11:43 AM

he is on a good program for worming, and the owners of the stable place out hay bales mostly big ones, so one day they get the bale then eat all of it and the next day they don't get one. I think that is how it goes. It's just like sometimes i go out and they have hay and other times they don't. im not sure if by the time i get there they already ate all the hay but i have no idea what goes on.I should probably talk to the owners about it and see what they say.

All their lesson horses are healthy, some are quite plump but none of them have any health problems.

So i'm not sure, thanks for your responses and i hope spring is just around the corner because it sucks to ride in the cold!!!!!!

i_luv_wildfire · 02-21-2006, 12:22 PM

Yeah, my question would be why aren't they getting food every day? Horses don't understand "If you eat all of this now, you can't have more later." That's just not how their mind works. They see food, and they're going to eat it. So I would see what's going on with the feeding situation-after all, he's your horse, so you should have control of what and when he's being fed.

Good luck.

Wrangler · 02-21-2006, 03:03 PM

It would be one thing if they had pasture also, but being in Canada, they probably can't even forage for a little grass. I do agree that seperating your gelding is the best bet, or setting the hay in more than one location.

Dilligaf · 02-22-2006, 04:32 AM

dont want this to sound as if am having a go at anyone or taking sides or beginning an arguement etc...i do just want to post my experience/comment on the subject

i used to keep my horse 12 miles away from my house at a riding centre where i used to work and the horses there also got a big round bale of hay put into the field one day and then didnt get another for the next 3 and they where all extremely healthy. We rarely had the vet out for a horse, and as it was a riding centre as well all the horses had to have a "MOT" every year to make sure they were all fit to work. Everyone passed, we only retired 1 pony when i was there and that was the bosses daughters pony who has a heart murmur.
I personally always made sure my own horse had enough food at all time, it is harder to do if there are loads of horses in the same field. We had 30+ horses in the field for a week as we were worming them on a 5-day herbal wormer. (We used to keep them a couple of miles down the road in a 42 acre field and just go and the get them if we needed them.) But i do know it is wrong for horses not to have food in the field for days. These were all being put out in the field last thing at night and being fetched in at sun-rise (trust me on the sun-rise bit i drew the short straw and was doing them all every morning on my own in the dark!) and getting fed twice a day..

02-21-2006, 09:19 AM	#1
SongofBlaze Full Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Manitoba, Canada Posts: 25 Images: 3	How to get rid of a hay belly???!!!! Hey there, ok so my gelding is turning 6 and i want to start showing him this summer, he has a huge hay belly and i have no idea how to get rid of it. I think the problem is that he is only on hay in a big pasture with about 15 other horses. He is quite dominant and get tons of food whenever. There are days when they don't have food and other day's when they have tons and tons. Other wise he is in good shape, lots of muscle and conditioned very well. It is also winter here so im not sure if that has to do with anything. Any suggestions that would be great! Thanks

02-21-2006, 09:27 AM	#2
Jennie'sPassion Senior Member+ Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,102 Images: 612 Blog Entries: 27	My suggestion is to ride him/work him. Horses do gain weight in winter due to lack of exercise. Like people they usually tone up and lose weight with increased activity. I know I don't ride much when it is cold but have faith spring is around the corner... __________________ Someday I will ride Freedom, Cutter and Big John! I dream big huh? Current weight 132.2 lbs. Goal weight 125 lbs. 20 pound club 2008 Have faith in your dreams and someday your rainbow will come shining through.

02-21-2006, 09:29 AM	#3
ejforrest Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: U.P. Michigan Posts: 2,523 Images: 363	Is the horse on a good deworming program? Parasites will cause a "hay belly". If he is so dominate, maybe he should be seperated so the others can get food. What do you mean there are days that they get "tons" of food but other days no food? This isnt healthy. I am surprised you dont have more health problems. You should be consistant with feeding. Horses are natural grazers. There digestive systmes are set up to take in small meals "frequently" throughout the day. Not gorge, then go hungry. This can cause ulcers. The stomach needs to be lined with feed most of the time to keep the acid down and to help the good bacteria. Information on deworming: Parasite Control Program for Mature Horses: www.thehorse.com/printarticle.aspx?ID=5271 __________________ ej ----------- And God said to horse, trust no man if you cannot see your own image in his eyes.

02-21-2006, 10:12 AM	#4
Shotgun93 Senior Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Southwest SD Posts: 13,392 Images: 124	I would re-evaluate your feed program, and make sure that all of these horses are bring properly dewormed and getting the right amount of feed. __________________ In the quiet light of the stable, you hear a muffled snort, the stamp of a hoof, a friendly nicker. Gentle eyes inquire, "How was your day old friend?" and suddenly, all your troubles fade away. -Author Unknown

02-21-2006, 12:22 PM	#6
i_luv_wildfire Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: At the barn Posts: 4,191 Images: 214 Blog Entries: 3	Yeah, my question would be why aren't they getting food every day? Horses don't understand "If you eat all of this now, you can't have more later." That's just not how their mind works. They see food, and they're going to eat it. So I would see what's going on with the feeding situation-after all, he's your horse, so you should have control of what and when he's being fed. Good luck. __________________ *equestrian sports...* strength \| determination \| energy \| heart eat. sleep. ride.

02-21-2006, 11:43 AM	#5
SongofBlaze Full Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Manitoba, Canada Posts: 25 Images: 3	he is on a good program for worming, and the owners of the stable place out hay bales mostly big ones, so one day they get the bale then eat all of it and the next day they don't get one. I think that is how it goes. It's just like sometimes i go out and they have hay and other times they don't. im not sure if by the time i get there they already ate all the hay but i have no idea what goes on.I should probably talk to the owners about it and see what they say. All their lesson horses are healthy, some are quite plump but none of them have any health problems. So i'm not sure, thanks for your responses and i hope spring is just around the corner because it sucks to ride in the cold!!!!!!

02-21-2006, 03:03 PM	#7
Wrangler Full Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: IDAHO Posts: 111	It would be one thing if they had pasture also, but being in Canada, they probably can't even forage for a little grass. I do agree that seperating your gelding is the best bet, or setting the hay in more than one location.

02-22-2006, 04:32 AM	#8
Dilligaf Full Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Isle Of Bute, Scotland, Uk Posts: 91	dont want this to sound as if am having a go at anyone or taking sides or beginning an arguement etc...i do just want to post my experience/comment on the subject i used to keep my horse 12 miles away from my house at a riding centre where i used to work and the horses there also got a big round bale of hay put into the field one day and then didnt get another for the next 3 and they where all extremely healthy. We rarely had the vet out for a horse, and as it was a riding centre as well all the horses had to have a "MOT" every year to make sure they were all fit to work. Everyone passed, we only retired 1 pony when i was there and that was the bosses daughters pony who has a heart murmur. I personally always made sure my own horse had enough food at all time, it is harder to do if there are loads of horses in the same field. We had 30+ horses in the field for a week as we were worming them on a 5-day herbal wormer. (We used to keep them a couple of miles down the road in a 42 acre field and just go and the get them if we needed them.) But i do know it is wrong for horses not to have food in the field for days. These were all being put out in the field last thing at night and being fetched in at sun-rise (trust me on the sun-rise bit i drew the short straw and was doing them all every morning on my own in the dark!) and getting fed twice a day..

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