Big belly in weanlings

[spots n splashes]

Does anyone have suggestions on how to reduce weanling's milk belly? They will be going to Nationals. I am feeding them 2-3 cups of beet pulp (before soaking) and 2-3 cups of Strategy, mixed in with beet pulp. And they get either bagged alfalfa hay or timothy hay. Any suggestions or tips would be really helpful.

 

[txminipinto]

That's not enough grain for them. Weanlings need lots of protein to grow and to keep that belly trim. Deworm every 4 weeks alternating dewormers and I pretty much free choice grain my weanlings. Put out enough grain that they leave a little bit at the next feeding. Limit all hay to a few handfuls and turnout for an hour or two for free exercise.

 

[JWC sr.]

Exactly Carin,

we call it the "ethiopian syndrome", they need tons of protien, less bulk and lots of exercize to get that belly off.

 

[spots n splashes]

That's not enough grain for them. Weanlings need lots of protein to grow and to keep that belly trim. Deworm every 4 weeks alternating dewormers and I pretty much free choice grain my weanlings. Put out enough grain that they leave a little bit at the next feeding. Limit all hay to a few handfuls and turnout for an hour or two for free exercise.

Thanks for the quick reply. They get turned out every day until right before the sun goes down. I like to measure feed with show horses so how many cups should I give them? One of them is kind of like a "piglet", he eats everything you give him so I don't want to free choice grain him. They will be 5 months in Sept. Is it okay to use Ivermectin? I wormed them this morning with Safeguard and thats all I have been using. Is it possible that they may have worms because I haven't rotated wormers? I do with our other minis.

 

[spots n splashes]

Exactly Carin,

we call it the "ethiopian syndrome", they need tons of protien, less bulk and lots of exercize to get that belly off.

What if they don't exercize on their own? They are turned out all day long every day (weather permitting) but it's so darn hot outside they hangout in the run in. I never see them playing or running.

 

[HGFarm]

Many folks here in AZ, where the sun is so harsh on coats, turn their show horses out at night, rather than the day, as it is so hot too and the hair sunbleaches horribly.

I have used ivermectin on foals for years with no problems.

 

[JWC sr.]

I can' tell you exactly as we use grain for the mini weanlings instead of the stradegy. We have three we are fitting for a show and they are each getting 2 cups of Horsemans edge and 1 cup of crimped oats twice a day, plus dac oil, daily wormer and dac orange .

As far as turn out, like HG the sun is too hot right now for all day. We turn them out after feeding in the evening for 2 - 4 hours when it has colled down some and then really do run alot then.

 

[spots n splashes]

I also have Mare and Foal sweet feed by Seminole for one of our mare's and her foal. Would it be better to switch them to it rather than Strategy?

 

[txminipinto]

Ok, measuring grain in cups is a big pet peeve of mine. You need to weigh it(you can cheat by using a 1lb coffee can). The only people in the world who measure horse feed in cups are miniature horse people!! Its like measuring at the last hair of the mane. LOL! Right now I have an A mini filly and Classic shetland filly in a stall together. They each get a pound of grain plus 1/2 pound wet beet plup. I realize that they both don't eat equal amounts and 1 may eat more than the other, but that's what is offered to them. If they clean it all up, I give them 1/2 lb more until they no longer finish it. If they don't finish it, I hold what I'm giving them because eventually they'll hit a growth spurt and start finishing that amount. Make sense?

On exercise, there's a reason a lot of cattle operations use feed lots instead of free rangeing their cattle. It increases feed consumption and decreases calorie burn off which increases muscle mass. Same thing in horses. If you are going to show them, they really need to be stalled for the most part of the day. This way they put on pounds and take full advantage of any turnout they get. Our weanlings are stalled 24x7 if they are to be shown and turned out a few hours each day. All that pent up energy provides plenty of encouragement to exercise when turned out. Plus lets of practice leading back and forth!

Another piece of advice, if you are serious about showing weanlings, especially in futurity or sweepstakes classes, I highly recommend that you do not wean them. Staying on momma keeps that nice topline and slim belly. If you can't haul the mare, you can always wean right when you load everyone up for the show and leave mom behind.

Edited to add: I prefer a pelleted grain over sweet feet to feed show horses. Just my preference. Sweet feed attracts flies.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

You got to make sure they are wormed. Sign of having a big belly sends a red flag to me that they are wormy. SafeGuard IMO is fine when they are younger but once they are weaned I will worm them with Ivermectrin and a Pyrantel Promate and rotate them like anyother horse. Especially if they don't have a filled topline, that would mean to me they are skinny and with the big bellies they are wormy.

I highly recommend switching them over to some type of Junior feed. Something that has a high protein like 16%. I wouldn't worry so much about the beet pulp. I would just give them some nice grain and nice hay.

As exercise goes you pretty much just have to let them exercise on their own. Their is just not that much you can do when it comes to babies. They pretty much exercise themselves anyways.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

If you can't haul the mare, you can always wean right when you load everyone up for the show and leave mom behind.

I'm sorry but I highly don't recommend weaning one right before it goes and shows, especially at Nationals. Going to a competely new place, in a stall its never been before with other horses, and the added stress and possible diseases I think its a recipie for disaster and stess can really make a baby sick.

If you are going to show a baby especially at Nationals I prefer mine to be weaned atleast a month before. I haven't had one that looked bad right after you wean them, they look just fine. Or you can always leave them on with momma. Its a personal preference. I just would not wean one literally right before a show.

 

[txminipinto]

Worming: Every horse that comes on to our place, their first deworming is with Fenbendazole (Panacur). Its a very safe and mild dewormer. My reason is Ivermectin kills everything and while we want that, you do not want a very large worm kill at first. This can cause an impaction. 2 weeks later, I go up and use Pytrantel Pamoate (Safe Guard). Its a stronger ingrediant but not as strong as Ivermect. 2 weeks later, I finish with ivermectin and put them on the normal farm rotation. BUT! A big heavy belly and a skinny topline means they aren't getting enough nutrition. That could be partly due to worms but most likely they just aren't getting enough to eat.

 

[spots n splashes]

Ok, measuring grain in cups is a big pet peeve of mine. You need to weigh it(you can cheat by using a 1lb coffee can). The only people in the world who measure horse feed in cups are miniature horse people!! Its like measuring at the last hair of the mane. LOL! Right now I have an A mini filly and Classic shetland filly in a stall together. They each get a pound of grain plus 1/2 pound wet beet plup. I realize that they both don't eat equal amounts and 1 may eat more than the other, but that's what is offered to them. If they clean it all up, I give them 1/2 lb more until they no longer finish it. If they don't finish it, I hold what I'm giving them because eventually they'll hit a growth spurt and start finishing that amount. Make sense?

On exercise, there's a reason a lot of cattle operations use feed lots instead of free rangeing their cattle. It increases feed consumption and decreases calorie burn off which increases muscle mass. Same thing in horses. If you are going to show them, they really need to be stalled for the most part of the day. This way they put on pounds and take full advantage of any turnout they get. Our weanlings are stalled 24x7 if they are to be shown and turned out a few hours each day. All that pent up energy provides plenty of encouragement to exercise when turned out. Plus lets of practice leading back and forth!

Another piece of advice, if you are serious about showing weanlings, especially in futurity or sweepstakes classes, I highly recommend that you do not wean them. Staying on momma keeps that nice topline and slim belly. If you can't haul the mare, you can always wean right when you load everyone up for the show and leave mom behind.

Edited to add: I prefer a pelleted grain over sweet feet to feed show horses. Just my preference. Sweet feed attracts flies.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I totally understand. I have been with minis for almost 3 yrs so I am still learning about them and this is the first year I am raising and will be showing weanlings. There is so much I don't know and I am just trying to learn but I don't want to sound stupid when asking a question. Seems like if I leave a weanling in a stall some people may think its bad and that they are suppose to be turned out to play 24/7 because they are babies. The measuring thing is confusing to me because sometimes there are other forums that mention using cups so I thought it was okay to measure that way. However, I always thought you measure in pounds depending on horse's weight. I will do that from now on. I am not planning on showing in futurity or sweepstakes(what is that?) anytime soon. Does it not stress the foal if you wean right before going to a show?

 

[txminipinto]

I'm sorry but I highly don't recommend weaning one right before it goes and shows, especially at Nationals. Going to a competely new place, in a stall its never been before with other horses, and the added stress and possible diseases I think its a recipie for disaster and stess can really make a baby sick.

If you are going to show a baby especially at Nationals I prefer mine to be weaned atleast a month before. I haven't had one that looked bad right after you wean them, they look just fine. Or you can always leave them on with momma. Its a personal preference. I just would not wean one literally right before a show.

True, stress can bring all of that on. In a foal that's dam has received prenatal vaccines and is HEALTHY, generally, they'll actually be fine. I've seen foals haul on their dam's side get sick and I've seen full grown horses that have been hauled all over get sick. Its the risk of showing. Someone is going to get sick eventually. Ideally, I prefer to haul the mares with the foals. But I know people who have weaned foals by hauling them to a show with a buddy and it has worked for them. As long as they have someone to buddy up too they are usually pretty calm about and if they aren't, then they aren't ready to be weaned.

 

[txminipinto]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I totally understand. I have been with minis for almost 3 yrs so I am still learning about them and this is the first year I am raising and will be showing weanlings. There is so much I don't know and I am just trying to learn but I don't want to sound stupid when asking a question. Seems like if I leave a weanling in a stall some people may think its bad and that they are suppose to be turned out to play 24/7 because they are babies. The measuring thing is confusing to me because sometimes there are other forums that mention using cups so I thought it was okay to measure that way. However, I always thought you measure in pounds depending on horse's weight. I will do that from now on. I am not planning on showing in futurity or sweepstakes(what is that?) anytime soon. Does it not stress the foal if you wean right before going to a show?

Its ok to measure anyway you want but most people and VETS use pounds when talking feed. There's never a stupid question! What's stupid is not asking the question and ending up in trouble.

Sweepstakes is a program where stallion breedings are auctioned off and then those resulting foals the following year compete for the auction procedings purse. Its a fun program to participate in and it pays better than the futurities. There is a sweepstakes program for AMHR, Classics, and Moderns.

Yes, it can stress the foal. Which is why its best to either haul the mare or wean with another baby and take both babies. I've shown several weanlings on and off their dams and I've been fortunate to have very good minded babies. Just expect that they will throw themselves down at some point whether its about their momma or not!!

That's the fun of showing babies!

 

[spots n splashes]

As far as hauling to a show I dont think it will be a problem. It's 2 colts and they have been weaned already and are turned out together. I don't stall them together simply because I like to feed each horse individually but they will be stalled together at Nationals. So, I wormed them this morning with Safeguard. How much longer do I wait before worming them with Ivermectin? Would 2 weeks or 4 weeks be enough time? Also, they don't have a problem with backbone sticking out, their bellies are just getting bigger, seems like day by day.

 

[txminipinto]

2 weeks. Any sooner and it bothers their liver. I would look at how much hay you are feeding and most likely cut back. Stall them more and turn them out so they spend most of their time "bucking and farting". Keep the grain up as I mentioned. Its a little late to totally pull off a belly but you can trim one down well by stalling and cutting back on hay.

 

[AnnaC]

Sorry but I need to ask a question now - and I'm not being 'funny', I am seriously interested.

How do you equate the idea that horses are 'trickle feeders' (or should be to the best of our ability) if you cut right back or even cut out completely their hay, then only feed them 2 to 3 lbs of feed and let them out of their stalls for only 2 to 3 hours - with the idea that they will play rather than stuff themselves with grass. How do you get enough fibre into them to satisfy their hind gut and how do you prevent boredom/possible stable vices during the long hours that they are not eating anything? This must be even more difficult with recently weaned foals which have, presumably been either out 24/7 with their dams or at least out most of the time with access to grass or reasonably free choice hay.

As I said, I am really interest in finding out the different ways in which folk handle getting their weaned foals ready for the show scene.

Anna

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I just show mine straight off the pasture. If I had the facilities to keep them stalled if I ever did would be maybe for nights. Other then that I think they should have a chance to be babies. You can focous and work with them being show horses when their yearlings. I personally feel like they need the chance to grow up first. Now that does not mean I just let them go runnin loose out on the pasture and not do anything with them. I will train them up as babies, but thats pretty much it.

 

[spots n splashes]

The reason I am showing them as weanlings rather than waiting till they are yearlings is because I believe its helpful for them to experience at a young age. They learn to haul, stay in unfamiliar places, etc.. Yes, they can get sick or stressed but there are things you can do to prevent it. You prepare them for it. IMO spending time in a stall for long periods of time is actually a good thing for them because when you go to Nationals, they spend most all of their time in a stall. Of course to prevent boredom you can give them maybe one of those jolly balls or just a small amount of hay at a time. Also I am planning on taking them for walks atleast once or twice a day while we are there.