Hay bellied horse?

[mertastic]

Been reading a lot about “pot” bellied horses, but haven’t come close to finding what my situation is like. My horse is 16.2 hh, 1100, so a good weight. I got him a month ago and ever since then he has developed a hay belly.
Most things I’ve read said that I need to exercise him or feed him better storage, ect. His previous owner did not ride him and he fed him the cheapest food available and did not have a hay belly.
I, however, have since changed his food to a higher quality and exercise him daily. He has developed muscle, and has also developed the belly as well!

He came from a wooded pasture with little to no grass, so maybe the change from no grass to pasture with grass did it. Only thing I can think of that is left is a grazing muzzle, but I would like to drop that out of the picture if I can.

Here are some pictures if that’ll help!
When I first tried him:

Now:

[Stacie]

try a course of Opti-zyme by Manna Pro or a probiotic ( I like probiosblend by mare magic, but you have to order it online)
I suspect his gut flora may be changing due to the feed change. I had a filly as yearling who got hay belly due to gut issues and the Optizyme toook care of it in about a week. Huge difference.

[findeight]

Big belly usually does indicate heavy parasite load. I’d get an FEC (fecal egg count) and see what you are dealing with then treat accordingly. When was he last wormed and with what?

I would start there, no sense dumping money into feed and supplements to share with a veritable universe of parasitic life forms.

[mertastic]

[QUOTE=findeight;8672456]
Big belly usually does indicate heavy parasite load. I’d get an FEC (fecal egg count) and see what you are dealing with then treat accordingly. When was he last wormed and with what?

I would start there, no sense dumping money into feed and supplements to share with a veritable universe of parasitic life forms.[/QUOTE]

Already done, did it upon arrival at my barn. He was wormed with quest plus, so I’m ruling out worms. Forgot to put that in my original post. :lol:

[S1969]

I think he looks a lot heavier overall now, not just a hay belly. The first picture is just a month ago? He looks like he’s gained 50+ lbs since then…note the roundness over his rump as well.

I’d probably cut him back/muzzle him. I have a big APHA mare and she looks like him - easy keeper to the extreme and definitely does not need to be on pasture at all, let alone all the time.

[Katy_Watts]

I agree with S1969. This much weight gain (neck, too) in a month says to me ‘requires controlled intake’. He’ll be a blimp by end of summer if you don’t something now.

[Bluey]

How old is he?

If he is mid teens, you may want to test for metabolic problems, like Cushings, etc.

[RhythmNCruise]

Yeah, he looks like he’s just heavier overall, and his belly is part of it. I have one like that. I’ve found that mine actually does better if left on pasture 24/7 (not the greatest pasture, but not bad), and fed relatively little else. If he’s out all the time, he seems to regulate his grass intake better. If he’s kept off of grass for any length of time (8 or more hours, say), he gorges himself on the grass when he’s back out on it and turns into a blimp. I don’t like feeding hay when there is plenty of free forage in the pasture for him to eat, so I try to keep him out as much as possible. He gets Remission and Omega Horseshine because he does seem like the IR/Cushings type (not tested, just suspected due to obesity and sensitive feet in the past). These two supplements have turned him into a different horse. He’s slimmer, much more sound, more active, and just all around better. I’m just now switching him off of his winter feed (Triple Crown Sr) to alfalfa/tim pellets and a vit/min supplement (along with the OHS and Remission).
Your fella could probably thrive on very little feed, a good vit/min supplement, and just pasture/hay. If he can’t be on pasture 24/7, get him a small-hole hay net to slow down hay consumption so he can have the benefit of snacking all day without overeating.
Good luck! Fat horses are ten times trickier to feed than skinny ones, iMO! LOL.

[mertastic]

[QUOTE=S1969;8672558]
I think he looks a lot heavier overall now, not just a hay belly. The first picture is just a month ago? He looks like he’s gained 50+ lbs since then…note the roundness over his rump as well.

I’d probably cut him back/muzzle him. I have a big APHA mare and she looks like him - easy keeper to the extreme and definitely does not need to be on pasture at all, let alone all the time.[/QUOTE]

I will keep that in mind, thank you.

@Katy Watts;8672620

I agree with S1969. This much weight gain (neck, too) in a month says to me ‘requires controlled intake’. He’ll be a blimp by end of summer if you don’t something now.

He’s at a healthy weight right now, and his neck is at an even muscle tone right now.
Many people believe he’s cresty but if you look closely it’s just his mane sticking up.
I’m keeping an eye on him but hasn’t gained or lost any of the belly since he poofed up so just leisurely strolling through options!

[QUOTE=Bluey;8672629]How old is he?

If he is mid teens, you may want to test for metabolic problems, like Cushings, etc.[/QUOTE]

He is 13 (as of today; it’s his birthday!) I will keep that in mind, thanks.

[QUOTE=RhythmNCruise;8672761]Your fella could probably thrive on very little feed, a good vit/min supplement, and just pasture/hay. If he can’t be on pasture 24/7, get him a small-hole hay net to slow down hay consumption so he can have the benefit of snacking all day without overeating.
Good luck! Fat horses are ten times trickier to feed than skinny ones, iMO! LOL.[/QUOTE]

Thanks! Now that you mention it, he did start bloating up when we added a round bale into the pasture. He lives with an older horse that needs the extra, I already cut his feed in half, was thinking about maybe trying to change him to just a balancer feed (such as equibalance) once or twice a day (so he can still get his supplements daily!) when we have the round bale out there for him to eat off of.

[Lisa_Preston]

First of all, your horse has cute down pat. Congratulations on acquiring him. Hope you two have many miles and the rest of his years together.

Re his belly, it really just looks like weight gain from what I can see in the pics.
Unless he’s in moderately hard or genuinely hard work, he probably needs less energy intake than you’re providing. You didn’t specify what you’re feeding…have you tried him on a free-choice, slow-feed hay with a small amount of ration balancer?

Sounds like you wormed him but it’s not clear whether or not you did prior or follow-up FECs. Especially if the change in ownership brought on a change in address, a FEC makes sense. Different barns have different parasite loads and you’ll learn whether he’s a low or moderate shedder, like most horses, or a high shedder.

[RhythmNCruise]

[QUOTE=Lisa Preston;8672918]
First of all, your horse has cute down pat.[/QUOTE]

I meant to say something like this in my post as well. I said, “How adorable is HE?” when I opened the first picture. And he was still adorable in the second one. Cutie patootie!

[mertastic]

[QUOTE=Lisa Preston;8672918]
First of all, your horse has cute down pat. Congratulations on acquiring him. Hope you two have many miles and the rest of his years together.

Re his belly, it really just looks like weight gain from what I can see in the pics.
Unless he’s in moderately hard or genuinely hard work, he probably needs less energy intake than you’re providing. You didn’t specify what you’re feeding…have you tried him on a free-choice, slow-feed hay with a small amount of ration balancer?

Sounds like you wormed him but it’s not clear whether or not you did prior or follow-up FECs. Especially if the change in ownership brought on a change in address, a FEC makes sense. Different barns have different parasite loads and you’ll learn whether he’s a low or moderate shedder, like most horses, or a high shedder.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for the compliment. He pretty much fell into my lap when I was somewhat “horse shopping”. Fate, maybe? He is quite adorable. :winkgrin:
He’s on a high quality seminole feed as of right now, and I have not tried a balancer but will probably try it (we have equibalance so will try that). There is a round bale out in his pasture now because the horse he is in with needs the extra (although I never see him eating it, only my horse pretty much lives there at it… ugh!) Anyways, I’ve done all the FEC, wormed, ect, ect. he had a moderate count, I wormed him accordingly with Questplus.

@RhythmNCruise;8673004

I meant to say something like this in my post as well. I said, “How adorable is HE?” when I opened the first picture. And he was still adorable in the second one. Cutie patootie!

Thank you for the kind compliment! :love-struck:

[S1969]

@mertastic;8672769

He’s at a healthy weight right now, and his neck is at an even muscle tone right now. Many people believe he’s cresty but if you look closely it’s just his mane sticking up.

I see the mane is an issue but his neck is “heavier” than the first picture.

If you posted another pic maybe we’d have a different opinion, but I think he looks fat, not a “healthy weight”…so if it is possible to cut him back a little, I would do it now before he gains more.

I have two fat ones at my house too - it’s hard to keep the easy keepers in the same pasture as other “needy” ones. My 21 year old TB looks amazing…my APHA…is fat. :o

[stb]

He is adorable. Seminole makes a nice ration balancer. I would consider switching to that. I also agree with a course of probiotics. He’s probably not going to need the extra calories from regular feed.

[TheJenners]

Such adorbs!! :yes:

He looks heavier and more grown up in the second picture. Admittedly I thought he was a bit of a baby horse in the first picture. My WB is also a super easy keeper and gets super fat on grass. I’ve cut hay out completely and he only gets a cup of alf pellets to take his supps, but he was on 24/7 turnout, with two buddies, on less than two acres. He’s been locked in for a week now due to a foot issue, and the difference is amazing. He went from this to this. Perhaps your horse just gets chubs on all the forage? Mine has thin soles and has had mild laminitis a couple times now, so I suspect that he will have to be locked in during spring and fall seasons for the rest of his life. He has been fatter, I present one VERY obese gelding…

[mertastic]

[QUOTE=S1969;8673380]
I see the mane is an issue but his neck is “heavier” than the first picture.

If you posted another pic maybe we’d have a different opinion, but I think he looks fat, not a “healthy weight”…so if it is possible to cut him back a little, I would do it now before he gains more.

I have two fat ones at my house too - it’s hard to keep the easy keepers in the same pasture as other “needy” ones. My 21 year old TB looks amazing…my APHA…is fat. :o[/QUOTE]

I would have to disagree, 1100 is a great weight for his size.
Here’s a visual: http://www.horsemart.co.uk/health/what-is-the-average-weight-of-a-horse-/659#51l0XuJkiJx6KIoJ.97

I think the “gain” of the weight is muscle. You have to put that into play as well since he wasn’t worked for years and now he definitely is more toned up since his last home a month ago. You also have to look at how he is built (he will never have a small lean “thoroughbred type” neck ever, because of his build.)

Here’s another picture at a more… attractive(?) angle taken on the same day as my original posts picture:
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv40/dakotawo/tumblr_o7l33uOXu31roqz40o1_540_zps6goxsjue.jpg

@stb;8673386

He is adorable. Seminole makes a nice ration balancer. I would consider switching to that. I also agree with a course of probiotics. He’s probably not going to need the extra calories from regular feed.

Thank you. Will compare with the equibalance feed. :yes:

[Katy_Watts]

http://www.equine.umn.edu/research/equine-genetics-and-genomics-laboratory/current-projects/equine-metabolic-syndrome/body-measurements

Since so many problems have been caused by using subjective methods for determining body condition, these equations have been worked up by researchers focused on early detection of metabolic disease.
I would find it very interesting if you would measure your horse using this protocol and post the results.

[FLeventer]

I checked out both angles and hes a tad chunky. I think that a ration balancer would be a good idea. You say hes on grass, grain, and hay now?

I understand adding muscle and I understand changing feed/environment. I get a bunch of OTTBs as well as WBs and I have fed air ferns to hard keepers.

If your guy came in, Id be putting him on a bit if a diet. Its not just muscle, hes become fat with his enriched life style. You say you dont want a grazing muzzle but if hes out on hay and grass with his pasture buddy then it may be the best option. My WB gelding is fat on grass in the summer and winter and wears a muzzle from spring to fall unfortunately. That or he goes on a dry lot all night.

Its to keep him healthy. Fat horses are not happy horses. Im sorry but both pictures you show of him are fat. With the summer coming its just going to get worse.

[S1969]

@mertastic;8673685

I would have to disagree, 1100 is a great weight for his size.
Here’s a visual: http://www.horsemart.co.uk/health/what-is-the-average-weight-of-a-horse-/659#51l0XuJkiJx6KIoJ.97

I think the “gain” of the weight is muscle. You have to put that into play as well since he wasn’t worked for years and now he definitely is more toned up since his last home a month ago. You also have to look at how he is built (he will never have a small lean “thoroughbred type” neck ever, because of his build.)

Here’s another picture at a more… attractive(?) angle taken on the same day as my original posts picture:
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv40/dakotawo/tumblr_o7l33uOXu31roqz40o1_540_zps6goxsjue.jpg

Ehh…I own this horse in black. I would call your guy on the heavy side…just like my mare. Here is my mare a couple of years ago in a similar pose and looking similarly chunky with my dd:

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/313732_2149602471323_1720724_n.jpg?oh=155c72a822616e5b9db7eec4c9dc86b5&oe=57DDABD1

I have also owned her when she was too thin, and it’s not a good look either; losing muscle doesn’t help either…finding the right balance is hard. When my mare gets worked enough - she loses the belly, as well as in winter, even if she’s not in work. The grass is her downfall, because she’s an easy keeper. She would do best with hay on a dry lot; I actually decided against fencing another field for my horses because two of the 3 would probably be healthier if they never had pasture again.