Foal Gut

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Jess P

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It isn't worms since we wormed him the day after he got here, and two weeks later.

Diego has this huge gut. He had it when we picked him up to bring it home. I have been increasing his feed and I am up to 2.5 cups a morning, and 2.5 a night, working my way up to three.

Any ideas?
 
It could be worms, it could be not enough food, and/or it could just be a gut.

Alot of babies do get that pot bellied look at first.

Also in my experiance foals need more worming then adults. They seem to pick up anything and everything.
 
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Back View

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[SIZE=14pt]This is not a diagnosis since I am not a vet this is just an observation based on my experience with weanlings.[/SIZE]

Your little boy is not potty and thin in the chest and butt he is generally hefty with a gut.I would not increase his feed anymore if he were mine especially if he is on grass and getting hay. Sometimes you get gut fill from hay and grass. He has a nice chest and butt in addition to the gut. Not all babies get the bellies. Here is my 5 month old filly who is I would guess about the same age as your boy.

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You may want to cut back on his hay and grass and see what happens.

Lyn
 
Did his siblings and dam do that when they were weaned?

I only ask as we have a family tradition here of one line that does that, and it doesnt ever go back to looking normal. Hence they dont get a show career they grow up and go to the broodmare band.

I agree not all do, but I find the ones that dont are the extremally refined ones.
 
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His half brother does not look like that. The person who owns the half brother

closely monitors his feed and does an absolutely awsome job of maintaining her

horses. Linda B
 
He doesn't get any hay since he is out for about 10 or so hours on pasture. I will try to keep him in a for a longer time. His half brother is not like this at all, infact he is in nice shape and is used for show. I am still learning about nutrition, but I picked him up like this so I have no idea what his story is.

Thanks for your suggestions! He will for sure lose some of that gut during the winter since the grass is gone.
 
Forgot to add:

Those pictures were taken the day we brought him home, and the day after
 
He's too cute and I will ditto Lyn. Winter grass has little nutrition so I really wouldn't sweat the tummy. He's cute, myMissy has a tummy too but I won't keep her off the paddock. Winter is coming and they need some chubbies. I worm kids every 4 wks until they are a year old.
 
[SIZE=14pt]In my personal opinion based on personal experience, I dont feel that a horse destined for the show ring can spend 10 hours a day on pasture. You may have to adjust his schedule especially if he tends to be fat as he is in the picture. He looks like he is overweight to me. That is just my opinion of course. I am an advocate that show horses need to be fed like show horses all year not just durring show season. I know there are those like Erica that let them out all winter and bring the show horses up about march or april but, she is VERY experienced in diet and exercise and can fit her horses well in a short time. I am not so good at that so I have to work on the nutrition/feed aspect all year. IF there is a big difference between siblings then it is most likely the way they have been fed not genetics.[/SIZE]

Forgot to say also that if both horses were taken care of by the same person up to the point of him coming to you, and the other one doesnt look like this one, then it is the way this particular guy is destined to be.....hefty if now closely monitored and fed accordingly. The babies we chose for show horses sometimes turn out differently as they grow. I remember how he looked when you first posted he was coming. Very necky and refined. That boy might still be under there.

Lyn
 
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lyn_j said:
[SIZE=14pt]I am an advocate that show horses need to be fed like show horses all year not just durring show season. I know there are those like Erica that let them out all winter and bring the show horses up about march or april but, she is VERY experienced in diet and exercise and can fit her horses well in a short time. I am not so good at that so I have to work on the nutrition/feed aspect all year. Lyn[/SIZE]
476000[/snapback]


Hey Lyn, and Jessica...

I understand where you are coming from Lyn, although to be perfectly honest, I don't see how a horse can be at all happy on a constant show diet. Show diets are meant to keep a horse in shape, yet they will need a little extra food for winter.

I myself start working horses in March, and as soon as their last show is over, they become fat, and happy pasture horses. Then come march and April, they go on diets and work out and they look very nice. True I only have 2 horses, versus Ericas many horses, but still.

Just my opinion, please no flames.
 
[SIZE=14pt]Lyn, this is what happened. The pictures I posted when I first purchased him were taken at the owner of his sire's place. He was sent there for about a month when his dam was being rebred to his sire. Here he got a lot of corrective hoof trimming, proper nutrition, and very good care. I saw him in that condition but at his seller's house. Two months later when I picked him up, he was like this. I was shocked, it was such a change. I am trying really hard to get him back to the horse he was. I am not flaming his seller because I know she cares about him, but please believe he was like this when I brought him home, and those pictures are from two days after I brought him home. I am trying really hard, I know this boy can look much better, and I really want him to be. This is my dream boy, and I am shocked that he looks like this now, but I am promising myself that by spring he will look like he did months ago. I love him too much to let such a pretty boy go to waste.[/SIZE]
 
Well, I did not see if this fellow was meant for a show carrer. Mine are definitely NOT shown so are chubby bunnies. They are happy healthy little horses.
 
[SIZE=14pt]Being on show rations doesnt mean thin. It means fit. I do increase the concentrates as the cold weather comes by about a cup . They all get winter woolies and are in and out..... I have not had any come out of winter thin. Just my personal preferance.[/SIZE]

Lyn
 
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Well dont get mad, but I think he is a stocky boy now, and always be on the stocky side. I dont see him being a halter horse. But that is JMO.

Babys change alot and fill out alot in the first month. IN my opinon what they are born as really isnt any indication of what they are really gonna be like.
 
Wasnt going to post as I dont know alot about show horses but do have to say I really think it depends on the show you are wanting to show in. Nationals halter maybe not but local shows of course you can show him and do great with him. Also from my own experience horses change drastically from 5 months through 2 years old so dont give up. I would say do the best you can to get the belly off if it is bothering you but dont give up on this little boy showing in halter especially if you are going to be showing locally. My pet peeve with the forum is that many forget that we dont all have sanctioned shows within a reasonable travel distance.
 
[SIZE=14pt]I know that there are some who think that there is a difference between a halter horse and a halter horse depending on the shows. I have talked with Jessica on PMs and I know what she hopes for this boy. I wishfor her the best and in an effort to help her attain that best I make recomendations. She wants him to be the best he can be and if that means changing his diet etc then thats what it means. Yes she can do well with him at local shows even fat.... I think and ,correct me if Im wrong Jessica, that you have bigger aspirations than that for him.[/SIZE]

A good halter horse is prepared in the same way wether it is for halter at Dorey Park open show or Area 1 reginal show. At least that is how I believe. The hard part about buying babies as show prospects is that they change so much over time.The only way to buy the best show horse you can is to get one that is already grown. Thats not always possible or as much fun!

Lyn
 

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