That Belly!!

[cretahillsgal]

I have a couple horses that I want to take to a local show in about 1 1/2 months. Some of them have what I call a hay belly. How do you guys get that lean trim underline on your show horses?

They are a yearling and a weanling. Both are fed a 14% pelleted senior feed twice a day and also given a small flake of bermuda grass hay each day. I treat all of my horses with SandClear one week each month so I don't think that is causing it. I was told that they may need ProBios so have been giving them that for the past week. If I need to be doing something different with them, then I really want to know.

This will be my first show and definitely a learning experience!

OK, Here is a picture of my yearling filly. Slim everywhere but the belly.

 

[kaykay]

If she was mine i would deworm her and up her protein and more feed. Do you have more pictures?? Big bellies on yearlings and weanlings is usually (not always) because they are not getting enough protein. I feed my equine jr which is 16 percent protein. You didnt say how much sr feed shes getting??

 

[JWC sr.]

I showed Jose the picture of your filly and his comment was you need to increase the amount of feed and work her more. She has what we call the Ethopian syndrome, where they are not getting enough nutrients and get the belly no matter how much exercize or work you do on them.

His suggestion was to put her on a good sweet feed(we use omeline), with rolled oats added and beet pulp. He also suggested using alfalfa instead of the bermuda, again to increase the caloric intake. Then in addition to that she needs to be worked more to tone her and develope musculature definition.

Bottom line increase her caloric intake and increase her exercise.

good luck

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

My young horses (for that matter my older ones too) lost the hay belly when I switched from straight grass hay to a grass alfalfa blend. I agree with increasing the protien level in their diet. It doesn't take all that long to see an improvement. I also feed all my horses under 2 years old nearly free choice with the alfalfa blend hay, rounding that out with whole oats, flax, BOSS and a good mineral mix.

 

[cretahillsgal]

Thanks KayKay. She is dewormed every month, with the last worming about 2 weeks ago with Ivermecterin.

I have to feed her a Sr. horse feed because none of the feed stores here carry a Jr feed. In fact, 14% is the highest protein feed I can find. She is currently getting 1 pound AM and 1 pound PM with the flake of Bermuda Hay. She is also turned out during the day on Bluestem grass. She is about 28" tall and I figure her weighing just over 100 lbs with the tape. I am in the process of buying some alfalfa hay to give her and the weanlings, but still waiting on hubby to go get it.

What are some other ways to increase the protein?

Posted at the same time! Thanks for the additional info!

 

[cretahillsgal]

I wanted to add that everyone around here (vet, other horse owners) keeps telling me to not feed my horses alfalfa because of the extremely high heat that we have been having. What do you guys make of that and how do you get around it?

Here she is about a month ago.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

I add Calf Manna to bump up the protein.

Lucy

 

[kaykay]

Be really careful with the calf manna. I sometimes use it on really hard cases but a little bit goes a long way.

creta I have no idea what heat has to do with alfalfa hay?? never heard that one. But I will say there are a lot of myths out there about alfalfa. We love it and its what we have always fed, and it gets really hot here.

Remember too you can always use alfalfa cubes or pellets if you need to.

All of ours get more then a pound am and pm. Slowly increase that until you see the belly starting to go away and like said above work her trotting some but I dont like to work yearlings too much and never on a line.

Here is tease our yearling we have been showing this year (over mare) fed equine jr and hay

 

[Bess Kelly]

More calories, more protein. If you can't get a Jr feed---Blue Seal makes a 16%feed, others do, I'm sure. Next, if another feed not there consider a ration balancer...Tiz Whiz, Born to Win, etc.....feed a little of it at lunch for extra protein, your usual feed at the normal feed time...etc.

 

[MyBarakah]

I would not buy alfalfa hay from OK because of worrying about the blister beatles. If you are going to buy alfalfa hay you need to make sure it is imported in from some where else that is blister beatle free.

You would probally be better off to feed the alfalfa cubes with soaked beet pulp & grain....

The hay is what also puts on the belly. Beet pulp & alfalfa is the "key" ingredients to get that belly tucked up and to fill them out in all the right places.

 

[disneyhorse]

Yearlings can be tough... be sure they are getting a lot of exercise and a LOT of food. The exercise should be low-impact and not tight circles... think long walks around the neighborhood, I really like free-lunging in a smallish arena (our arena is 90 feet by 90 feet or so) with other horses and "forcing" them to "play." If you can turn them out and they run for 20 minutes on their own that would be even better, but my own horses are pretty lazy even though they are stalled and need some motivation. It will help tone and even out the weight they put on from feeding program.

I feed beet pulp, grain, and daily dewormer to keep bellies down. And their hay is 50% alfalfa (either pellet or hay). I really do find the daily dewormer (I use Strongid C 2x) helps keep baby bellies down for whatever reason... my horses don't have worms I am pretty sure, as they are stalled and never on pasture... and I paste deworm with rotating dewormers every eight weeks on top of that. I don't look at the bellies as much as I focus on the toplines and spine when I am trying to condition the horse... if their spine sticks up at all that means more food and a little more work.

My yearling colt is very short backed and he tends to be thick in the body, so keeping his belly down can be a challenge but here he is this year showing for me:

To me, a hay belly means not enough work, perhaps deworming is in order, and they need more concentrated food and less fiber.

Good luck, she will look great in no time!

Andrea

 

[Miniv]

Thanks KayKay. She is dewormed every month, with the last worming about 2 weeks ago with Ivermecterin.
I have to feed her a Sr. horse feed because none of the feed stores here carry a Jr feed. In fact, 14% is the highest protein feed I can find. She is currently getting 1 pound AM and 1 pound PM with the flake of Bermuda Hay. She is also turned out during the day on Bluestem grass. She is about 28" tall and I figure her weighing just over 100 lbs with the tape. I am in the process of buying some alfalfa hay to give her and the weanlings, but still waiting on hubby to go get it.

What are some other ways to increase the protein?

Posted at the same time! Thanks for the additional info!

I tend to agree with providing more protein in her diet.........If you can't get alfalfa right away to mix in with the grass hay, Add a cup of the SMALL alfalfa pellets to her grain for each meal.

 

[disneyhorse]

Alfalfa is a "safe" way of adding protein to the diet, because unlike Calf Manna, it is a roughage. I shy away from feeding straight alfalfa because of epiphicitis (not as common with minis but more common with slower growing heavy breeds) and out here with our hard water, entroliths. Alfalfa has plenty of issues, but as a balanced part of a feeding program can be valuable for its protein and minerals for a growing or working horse.

Feeding pellets is a great way to regulate the amounts that a small mini gets.

Keep in mind, too... the size of your mini filly is prohibitive. The smaller minis are much tougher to condition and will tend towards looking heavier. The conformation of the animal is always a factor. Some of the refined, slender horses can eat and eat and eat, and the tiny thick ones have a smaller threshold. Much like people

Andrea

 

[Charlotte]

I think others have suggested to increase the calorie intake of your youngsters and I would agree with that, BUT, a senior feed is definitely not suited for young growing horses! Get your youngsters on a feed formulated for growing horses. Read the labels on your feed product to come up with a base amount to feed them.

We feed alfalfa to all of our show horses and always have....100+ degree summer days. The alfalfa hay is more digestible than your grass hays.

This is a 27 1/2" Yearling filly that has been showing and winning this year. She is on a high quality diet designed for young growing horses and has a tight underline. Your best bet is to go with a feed for young horses eating alfalfa hay. That way you know it is balanced in nutrients

Then exercise, exercise, exercise.

The biggest mistake we see with mini owners making their first try at the show ring is having the horses too light in weight and underconditioned. If you can easily feel ribs or the spine your kids need more weight.

Good luck at the show!

Charlotte

P.S. I forgot to say, I think your filly will do you proud when she's in show shape!

 

[alongman]

I tend to agree with what the others have said here, but I have a couple of side-notes. First, the measuring tapes are not always correct especially with those that are extremely small. I have a 28" show mare who the tape estimates at 120 pounds, but is well-muscled and conditioned at about 175 pounds. I also looked on a couple of websites of manufacturers of junior feeds - based on an average weight of 100 pounds as you figure your filly is, she should get about 2.5 pounds/day of any of the three junior feeds I found. That additional 1/2 pound per day makes a big difference when you're talking about adding 20% to her diet.

Also, like others said, junior feeds are designed for growth - senior feeds are designed for ease of digestion and palatability. The senior feeds are higher fat content whereas the junior feeds are usually higher protein to accelerate good growth.

Quality hay is of utmost importance - I feed some of my broodmares grass hay and they are pushing heavy. I have some of my animals on a combination and they do best. My show horses eat alfalfa cubes and do well with it. It's based on the horse.

Finally, DON'T CHANGE HER DIET OVERNIGHT! If you REALLY want problems with horses, a quick diet change is a sure way to do it.

 

[mayflowerfarm]

Another great product to add Alfalfa to a diet is Dengie made by Lucerne Farms in Maine. It comes chopped with vitamins, minerals, molasses (in some types) added and is great for feeding a mini. Their website is www.lucernefarms.com for more information.

 

[Leeana]

How is her topline? Does she has a smooth topline or is her backbone sticking out? The topline looks like it could use some filling in, beet pulp woud work wonders for that.

I feed a hay that is 75% orchard grass and 25% alfalfa..it works. I feed Purina Omlene 200 (quality 14% sweet feed) and topdress with Rice Bran Oil. They get Oml and rice bran oil (RBO is 95-100% fat...depends what brand you use, i use a 99% fat brand) 2x a day (morning and night), then at noon for lunch they get oats and Buckeye Gro N Win (32% Ration Ballancer). All show horses (even yearlings ...) are round penned almost daily. Its so import to feed these jr horses good and give them plenty of exerisize and turnout. I feed the heck out of them and ive found as long as you are putting good quality food into them, they do not get them bellys.

Take a look at her topline though...it looks like it could use some working on too, which goes right along with the belly as well. Goodluck.

Here are a quick example of one of my yearlings on this diet, topline is nice...hips are full, shoulders are full, not ribby or hippy and flank area is smooth. Very little conditioning here, just a quick pic after clipping but i'd rather see them rounded out as yearlings and smooth. Making sure they keep a smooth flowing body i think is the most important factor.

 

[cretahillsgal]

Thanks everyone for all of the info! I have alot to think about and consider!

I found a feed dealer that carries Purina so going to try to get them to order some JR feed for me. In the meantime I am going to be slowly adding up to a lb of soaked alfalfa cubes to her diet each day and cutting back on the grass hay.

And we will be adding more exercise. She is very frisky and loves to run on her own each day when I turn her out, but it is usually only for about 10 minutes or so.

Her topline has filled out some but definitely could be better.

As for my weanling (5 mos), would you work a horse this young? I think he definitely needs more exercise. He tends to be very laid back and not one to run and play much. I am adding the alfalfa cubes to his diet as well.

 

[ThreeCFarm]

I would NOT work the baby. He's way too young. Let him do his own thing when turned out, and that is enough.

 

[JWC sr.]

I have to disagree with Stephanie when it comes to working the 5 month old. While she is right that the work should be easy and limited, due to the knees still being open.

You can work weanlings that are truly compeltely weaned without hurting them and it will make your process easier. I would suggest a fat suit to start with and no more than a 1 - 2 minutes at a slow trot each direction. No jumping or obstacles in the round pen though.

Additionally during the cool down period I would suggest you spend some time working with setting the feet, brushing etc. and just basically bonding with the colt.

Good Luck