Hay Belly in minis

[miniblessingsfarm]

Hi!

Does anyone out there have any tips on reducing or eliminating a mini's hay belly? I have tried excercise and feed reduction, but the stubborn hay belly just stays right there! I used to use Ration Plus on my "big" horses and this seemd to help quite a bit. Has anyone out there ever used Ration Plus on minis with any success? Is so, how much did you give and how often?

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks a bunch!

Debbi

 

[chandab]

What size mini? And, what do you currently feed? And, how much do you feed? [Pictures would help, if you would like to post them.]

"Hay belly" can be attributed to many things; sometimes its actually too little feed (usually the horse needs more protein), sometimes the feed is too coarse (older hay cuts, coarse hay cuts, so the feed sits in the gut longer trying to digest), sometimes its time to deworm (even those on a good schedule sometimes get resistant worms or a different species that is hard to get rid of the with usual rotations), I'm sure there are other reasons, but these are usually at the top of the list. Unless you are showing, "hay belly" really isn't much of a problem.

 

[Miniv]

Chanda pretty much covered everything that I would have mentioned.

*Worming

*Enough protein?

*Quality hay?

*Exercise?

 

[muffntuf]

Yes sometimes is lack of protein, hay is older, etc.

 

[targetsmom]

All the things I thought of have already been mentioned, especially not enough feed (or not high enough quality). You might want to try a complete feed, such as a senior feed. That might help if it is a quality, quantity, or protein issue. And of course, you can feed less hay with it, so if it really is a "hay belly" then it should help there. A senior feed will also have probiotics to help in nutrient absorption, in case that is an issue.

Good luck!

 

[MiLo Minis]

I would add to that list a vitamin/mineral deficiency as well. Sometimes a good free choice mineral supplement will take care of a "hay" belly.

 

[jegray21]

Can some people post daily diets for their minis? My weanlings have hay bellies and yearling seems hard to keep steady weight? they are on a good worming schedule...I am afraid to over feed for fear of founder...

feeding hay three times a day (orchard)

they get about 1lb of the Purina mini food per day?

They seem more complicated to feed then my big horses? or am i just an idiot....

 

[~Lisa~]

I think is most cases minis need more then many people including vets think they do.

I have no pasture- my minis get 2 to 2.5 lbs a day of alfalfa/orchard hay- they get 3/4 lbs of beet pulp (measured dry) and 2/3 lb of alfalfa pellets

I have a couple of hard keepers who get more and 2 under 30 inch horses who get a bit less but that is a pretty good general idea

they all get Calf Manna added to their ration daily as well as some rice bran to show horses during show season

That avgs out to about 1.5 percent of their body weight daily