Not pregnant...just fat

StormChaser · 11-10-2005, 05:49 AM

A while back I posted a thread on Betty possibly being pregnant. This last weekend I had her checked and she's not...she's just got some hay belly. I talked to the vet about how much I'm feeding her and even though she has a hay belly he feels like I'm still not feeding her enough.

That was kind of hard for me to compute. You would think that if the horse is fat then I'm feeding her to much and not exercising her enough. He recommended 4lbs of equine senior/day and 4 flaks of brome. That seems like an aweful lot to me??

I feed her 2 1/2 lbs of equine senior/day and 3 flakes of brome. She has 24 hour turn out but grass has been kind of sparse for the past couple of months. We only get to ride on the weekends so she doesn't get very much exercise.

What do you guys think about all this? Do you think he's trying to rev up her metabolism? I'm concerned about her foundering if I give her too much.

Cool Time 84 · 11-10-2005, 05:51 AM

She certainly isnt lacking in the weight department, I wouldnt raise her feed any....

Blistering Winds · 11-10-2005, 05:51 AM

How about just removing grain completely?

Blistering Winds · 11-10-2005, 05:53 AM

Looking at the pics, she isn't THAT much overweight. more exercise and just keeping her diet the same should do it.

cassidy · 11-10-2005, 06:05 AM

i have to agree with bw

No1Dazy · 11-10-2005, 06:12 AM

Maybe we're not seeing in the pictures what the vet is seeing? Hay belly usually shows as having a big, almost distended belly but still lacking on the topline (ribby, etc.).

My vet recommended more exercise and more protein (done through more alfalfa)...

Hope that helps. have you talked to your vet about your founder concerns?

Shotgun93 · 11-10-2005, 06:48 AM

She really doesn't look that overweight. Can you up her exercise? That's the best way to get her weight down. If you can't work her everyother day or so, I would cut down on the grain and feed hay.

StormChaser · 11-10-2005, 07:02 AM

My pictures are kind of old now. I found a more recent pic (the week before) Sorry it's a sucky pic! The pic was so tiny so I blew it up and clipped out the background. She's VERY round! lol!

The vet didn't think that she was in any danger. This was the first time I had been to this particular vet so I don't feel super comfortable with him yet.

For extra exercise would you do some lunging?

StormChaser · 11-10-2005, 07:08 AM

She's an appendix mare and should be nice and sleek. I had this same problem with my previous mare and she was a morab. Usually they are known to be more harder keepers. I'm kind of embarressed about it actually. lol

timberline · 11-10-2005, 08:00 AM

It is quite possible for a horse to have a hay belly and not actually be fat. (I've seen lots of horses with big bellys and ribs,hips,backbones sticking out).

From the pictures your horse looks like she's at a good weight, but needs more exercise to get rid of the belly. This might require an increase in feed to keep her from dropping weight at the same time. I wouldn't want to see her any lighter, just without the belly.

11-10-2005, 05:49 AM	#1
StormChaser Senior Member+ Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: I live in a really small town in Kansas. Posts: 2,044 Images: 636	Not pregnant...just fat A while back I posted a thread on Betty possibly being pregnant. This last weekend I had her checked and she's not...she's just got some hay belly. I talked to the vet about how much I'm feeding her and even though she has a hay belly he feels like I'm still not feeding her enough. That was kind of hard for me to compute. You would think that if the horse is fat then I'm feeding her to much and not exercising her enough. He recommended 4lbs of equine senior/day and 4 flaks of brome. That seems like an aweful lot to me?? I feed her 2 1/2 lbs of equine senior/day and 3 flakes of brome. She has 24 hour turn out but grass has been kind of sparse for the past couple of months. We only get to ride on the weekends so she doesn't get very much exercise. What do you guys think about all this? Do you think he's trying to rev up her metabolism? I'm concerned about her foundering if I give her too much. __________________ HGS's Big and Beautiful Queen Exercise is a bad word...everytime I hear it...I wash my mouth out with chocolate!!!

11-10-2005, 05:51 AM	#2
Cool Time 84 Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Posts: 6,024 Images: 849 Blog Entries: 2	She certainly isnt lacking in the weight department, I wouldnt raise her feed any.... __________________ *LUCKY B RANCH* http://www.freewebs.com/luckybranch/index.htm *STOP = Spin Tires On Pavement!*

11-10-2005, 05:51 AM	#3
Blistering Winds Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Augusta, Kansas Posts: 31,705 Images: 811 Blog Entries: 16	How about just removing grain completely? __________________ 20 lb club: New year Start: 175 Goal: 130 Current: 158 Total loss this year 17 lbs.

11-10-2005, 05:53 AM	#4
Blistering Winds Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Augusta, Kansas Posts: 31,705 Images: 811 Blog Entries: 16	Looking at the pics, she isn't THAT much overweight. more exercise and just keeping her diet the same should do it. __________________ 20 lb club: New year Start: 175 Goal: 130 Current: 158 Total loss this year 17 lbs.

11-10-2005, 06:05 AM	#5
cassidy Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2004 Location: england - its sunny sometimes honest! Posts: 21,428 Images: 815	i have to agree with bw __________________ May your life be like toilet paper - Long and useful A horse doesn't care how much you know until he knows how much you care. - Pat Parelli http://www.freewebs.com/linz88055/myprofile.htm

11-10-2005, 06:12 AM	#6
No1Dazy Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 2,024 Images: 77 Blog Entries: 14	Maybe we're not seeing in the pictures what the vet is seeing? Hay belly usually shows as having a big, almost distended belly but still lacking on the topline (ribby, etc.). My vet recommended more exercise and more protein (done through more alfalfa)... Hope that helps. have you talked to your vet about your founder concerns?

11-10-2005, 06:48 AM	#7
Shotgun93 Senior Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Southwest SD Posts: 13,369 Images: 124	She really doesn't look that overweight. Can you up her exercise? That's the best way to get her weight down. If you can't work her everyother day or so, I would cut down on the grain and feed hay. __________________ 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

11-10-2005, 07:02 AM	#8
StormChaser Senior Member+ Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: I live in a really small town in Kansas. Posts: 2,044 Images: 636	My pictures are kind of old now. I found a more recent pic (the week before) Sorry it's a sucky pic! The pic was so tiny so I blew it up and clipped out the background. She's VERY round! lol! The vet didn't think that she was in any danger. This was the first time I had been to this particular vet so I don't feel super comfortable with him yet. For extra exercise would you do some lunging? __________________ HGS's Big and Beautiful Queen Exercise is a bad word...everytime I hear it...I wash my mouth out with chocolate!!!

11-10-2005, 07:08 AM	#9
StormChaser Senior Member+ Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: I live in a really small town in Kansas. Posts: 2,044 Images: 636	She's an appendix mare and should be nice and sleek. I had this same problem with my previous mare and she was a morab. Usually they are known to be more harder keepers. I'm kind of embarressed about it actually. lol __________________ HGS's Big and Beautiful Queen Exercise is a bad word...everytime I hear it...I wash my mouth out with chocolate!!!

11-10-2005, 08:00 AM	#10
timberline Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 1,057 Images: 140	It is quite possible for a horse to have a hay belly and not actually be fat. (I've seen lots of horses with big bellys and ribs,hips,backbones sticking out). From the pictures your horse looks like she's at a good weight, but needs more exercise to get rid of the belly. This might require an increase in feed to keep her from dropping weight at the same time. I wouldn't want to see her any lighter, just without the belly. __________________ *Let The Evidence Speak For Itself...*

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