Need help for pot bellied mini

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MiLo Minis

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I have a horse who was nicely tucked up at the beginning of the summer through exercise and good feed, worming on schedule, etc. Half way through the summer he started to develop a pot belly and yet show ribs on his top side. I have eliminated salt from his diet, wormed him heavily, tried less hay and more grain, less hay and hay cubes, more hay and less grain, more exercise, beet pulp, putting him on grass and nothing else..... I am running out of ideas! Anyone have any suggestions?
 
If his ribs are showing and he has a belly, then he is probably wormy. My suggestion would be to change your worming product. Try something new.

I don't know what you've been using, but Zimectrin Gold would hit a wide variety of worms and I've always had good luck with it.
 
We had the same problem this summer with one of our mares. Our first reaction was to think she looked "wormy" however, she is on a regular deworming schedule as well as vaccinations, dental work, etc. We had the veterinarian out to examine her and she suggested we wean baby a month early, use a Power Pac dewormer for 5 days, and make sure she was getting free trace minerals with selenuim. A selenium deficiency can cause this and our area is deficient in selenium. The veterianian took a fecal sample which showed she was parasite free but she suggested we Power Pac her anyway. All three of these things, in combination, have helped. Her coat is much healthier, her ribs are no longer showing, and her tummy has decreased in size. She is doing really well now. Hope this helps.
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yankee_minis said:
If his ribs are showing and he has a belly, then he is probably wormy.  My suggestion would be to change your worming product.  Try something new. 
I don't know what you've been using, but Zimectrin Gold would hit a wide variety of worms and I've always had good luck with it.

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Thanks but I really don't think it is worms - he had a double dose of ivermectin at the beginning of the summer and has been on a daily dewormer since. I have also tried Equimax twice on top of that which is supposed to get everything.
 
CAM said:
We had the same problem this summer with one of our mares. Our first reaction was to think she looked "wormy" however, she is on a regular deworming schedule as well as vaccinations, dental work, etc. We had the veterinarian out to examine her and she suggested we wean baby a month early, use a Power Pac dewormer for 5 days, and make sure she was getting free trace minerals with selenuim. A selenium deficiency can cause this and our area is deficient in selenium. The veterianian took a fecal sample which showed she was parasite free but she suggested we Power Pac her anyway. All three of these things, in combination, have helped. Her coat is much healthier, her ribs are no longer showing, and her tummy has decreased in size. She is doing really well now. Hope this helps. 
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This is a possibility!!! I am going to try the trace mineral with Selenium free choice. I checked his feed and NONE of it has Selenium in it. I have never had this trouble before and the feed I used to use HAD Selenium in it! Maybe that is the problem. Thank you!
 
mountain_waif said:
I would feed more grain and hay.  Some minis need more feed than others.  If the ribs are showing I would boost the grain.  It takes them a long time to loose the belly and gain weigh on the back.  Since you have "wormed him heavily" I would really think he needs more feed.  But do it gradually.
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I was wondering about a protein deficiency??? I know foals can get potty if deficient in protein. He is a 5 year old stallion in heavy work - he is driven approximately 5 miles daily (at least 5 days a week) He is getting 3 cups of oats, 1 cup of Finishing Touch (a mineral feed supplement) & flax seed twice daily and 1 flake of Timothy grass hay 3 times daily right at the moment. I have tried cutting him back but his ribs started showing then and I haven't been able to get them covered again. That is when I added beet pulp to his feed for several weeks - didn't change a thing!
 
that imo is definately NOT enough protein/feed for a horse working that hard! Get him on a good complete feed like omolene or purina. Start with a couple cups per day and gradually work up.
 
[SIZE=14pt]Three cups of oats is NOT adequate nutrition for a 5 year old horse that is working that hard 5 days a week. My non working show horses get 4-6 cups of 10% fat 10% protein sweet feed and a pound and a half of hay cubes with the flax and boss supliments. 3 flakes of hay a day is unnecessary and just fill.If your horse has a belly and ribs he is not eating enough. Grass and hay are not going to give you the wt you want on this hard working horse. All you will get there is gut fill hence your big belly. this horse is screaming for concentrates![/SIZE]

Lyn
 
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I think you are on the right track and would try to increase his feed a bit. oats are a great feed i use them as well- but they are pretty low in protien as a grain
 
[SIZE=14pt]Oats are very low in fat as well.[/SIZE]

Lyn
 
lyn_j said:
[SIZE=14pt]Three cups of oats is NOT adequate nutrition for a 5 year old horse that is working that hard 5 days a week. My non working show horses get 4-6 cups of 10% fat 10% protein sweet feed and a pound and a half of hay cubes with the flax and boss supliments.  3 flakes of hay a day is unnecessary and just fill.If your horse has a belly and ribs he is not eating enough. Grass and hay are not going to give you the wt you want on this hard working horse. All you will get there is gut fill hence your big belly. this horse is screaming for concentrates![/SIZE]Lyn

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I tried increasing his feed to start off with and gave him some corn oil mixed in and it didn't help so I cut him back on feed. I am guessing that it may be the selenium deficiency and went out today and got some minerals with selenium to feed free choice and will now start to increase his feed again as well. I am in Canada and our hay is pretty good stuff but I would also like to see him on more grain.
 
Just curious with as much as you have changed his feeding this summer how do you know if it is working or not?
 
There were some excellent suggestions made. I agree the horse is not getting proper nutrition. Rather than oats and this supplament and that additive I would go with a good quality mixed feed and a limited amount of a good quality hay. Animal nutrition is not a guessing game and providing proper nutrition can be achieved easily simply by talking to your feed dealer. Every feed company has a person on staff who can help you.
 
[SIZE=14pt]Increasing his concentrates meaning grain slowly and reducing the hay is your best bet.... it will take several weeks before you know if something is working or not. If your not sure what to do with him and are not willing to listen to those of us that are successfully feeding workng minis then please do as geese said get a good mixed feed and feed according to the package and reduce his hay. there is VERY little nutrition in a mostly hay diet.[/SIZE]

Lyn
 
Hi Lori? Is that you?

I feel your frustration on the pot belly issue. I've got an older guy here that I've been working on since the fall! Still no real changes
wacko.gif
Our guy had his teeth floated, dewormed on schedule, dlb dose 5 day too, grain increased gradually, beet pulp, flax, exercise...& we've followed all forum advice. He is now on 4 cups X2/day Purina Senior & I'm waiting to see. I agree with all the others that it's the right grain that helps. Sometimes just increasing isn't enough. You need to find out what that individual is lacking or what his own special diet requirements are. Good Luck!

And thanks again for the driving clinic you gave for our 4-H club 2 wks ago!!

Sandy
 
Ashley said:
Just curious with as much as you have changed his feeding this summer how do you know if it is working or not?
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I have given it a couple weeks each time I made a change and noticed absolutely NO improvement - he has just got gradually worse.
 
lyn_j said:
[SIZE=14pt]Increasing his concentrates meaning grain slowly and reducing the hay is your best bet.... it will take several weeks before you know if something is working or not. If your not sure what to do with him and are not willing to listen to those of us that are successfully feeding workng minis then please do as geese said get a good mixed feed and feed according to the package and reduce his hay. there is VERY little nutrition in a mostly hay diet.[/SIZE]Lyn

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I have had horses all my life - did some eventing, endurance riding and riding for pleasure. I have had minis for 12 years now and most of them drive. I have very successfully fed horses and kept them fit for years. Horses are grazing animals and need to have roughage in their diet. They are not meant to exist on concentrates except for when we put them to work. I have always increased my hay until the point where the working horse cannot eat enough of it to keep himself in condition and then I add concentrates. He was driven all winter long and did not have this problem. In the spring he was tucked and fit and looked great. All of my other horses, even the other ones driving are tucked and fit. I am only having trouble with this one and I have almost 20 adult minis. Our hay is very nutritious - the only think lacking in it is Selenium and I have added a mineral to his diet and will gradually increase his grain back up to where it was in the spring. I am hoping that this will solve his problem. Thank you very much for your input though.
 
lilfoot said:
Hi Lori?  Is that you?  I feel your frustration on the pot belly issue.  I've got an older guy here that I've been working on since the fall!  Still no real changes
wacko.gif
  Our guy had his teeth floated, dewormed on schedule, dlb dose 5 day too, grain increased gradually, beet pulp, flax, exercise...& we've followed all forum advice.  He is now on 4 cups X2/day Purina Senior & I'm waiting to see.  I agree with all the others that it's the right grain that helps.  Sometimes just increasing isn't enough.  You need to find out what that individual is lacking or what his own special diet requirements are.  Good Luck!

And thanks again for the driving clinic you gave for our 4-H club 2 wks ago!!

Sandy

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Hi Sandy Yes its me! Finally got frustrated enough with Beau and his belly to try this out. I have tried pretty much everything you have and one lady suggested a selenium deficiency which I think could be the culprit! Our hay IS deficient in selenium and none of the feeds Beau has been getting have selenium in them but over the winter he did have it. I went out Monday and got some mineral with selenium and he now has it free choice - he is gobbling it up literally. I will let you know if it works - maybe it would help your guy as well! I talked to the guys at Cayuga Feed again and they are baffled as well - we have been in touch with their suppliers several times but of course they aren't really well versed in mini feeding. They are eagerly awaiting my results!
 
[SIZE=14pt]This will be my last coment on this thread as it is obvious that you are not willing to hear what I have to say but.... minis are different. It took me a while to get that.....You have to feed them differently and what works for a large horse doesnt work for them. I gave you the advice I used when I had a horse in your situation. Granted all horses are different but you are getting the feedback from several of us here to increase his concentrates. If you chose not to listen it is your problem....dont ask for advice and then tell those of us who know that we dont know what we are talking about. Sorry to be blunt.[/SIZE]

Lyn
 

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