hay bellies

[Alex T]

any one got any ideas how to slim these down? i had the saddler out today and she said to feed less hay and more hard feed as the belly would push the saddle forward ? im just wondering what to feed her once i get a saddle that fits im hoping to work her bout four times a week!!she gets four sections of hay at night and 1 scoop of alfa-a and 1/4 of condtioning cubes twice a day! shes a 10 year old 15hh pure bred arab and im at a loss at what im meant to be feeding her after a judge said she looked immature and i needed to feed more:confused: (i admit she needs more top line but shes not been in that much work due to trying to find a saddle!)

[teabiscuit]

it's a fitness thing, not a feed problem.

good quality hay or haylage and a good fittening program will banish the hay tummy, not cutting roughage down and substituting hard feed.


i'm sure Jessey and Pinks Lady will give you better info than i can as to why this is :)

[Jessey]

Definatly don't cut down your hay, its always best that hay is fed adlib, fibre is what will help keep her warm this winter :D Her diet sounds great just as it is.
How old is she?
It might be worth you getting a worm count done, just to make sure its not a wormy belly, one of mine even after good worming was full of them, only a worm count showed it up.
My guy is PBA, he can be really slim-lined or have a big fat belly, it has nothing to do with how much hay he is getting, its about his fitness. When a horse is fit and working through from behind well they tone their tummy up (because they use the tummy muscles to lift the back) working like this will also give more top line and a more rounded rump :D
This is my fit version -
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/Jessey129/qabooscolor.jpg
And the unfit version (his belly is the first thing to drop when he gets unfit :D)-
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/Jessey129/Bo%20Saddle/BoSaddle.jpg
OK so these were a couple of years apart but you can see what I mean.

[teabiscuit]

Jessey those pictures tell a story a million words couldn't - excellent :)

[Pink's lady]

i had the saddler out today and she said to feed less hay and more hard feed as the belly would push the saddle forward

Load of rubbish:eek: Sliding forwards if a saddle is usually due to a forward girth groove and being over-weight (NOT having a 'hay belly) can make it worse. Saddler sounds like she's making excuses for not being able to sort the problem.

Like Jessy said a 'hay belly' (also called a grass belly) is due to a lack of abdominal muscle tone and internal fat. It's only cause is being unfit and/or over-weight. It's often lumped together with a hay/grass because that's what fat/unfit horses are fed - you won't see a racing TB with a grass belly, not because they never get hay/grass (which is sadly limited for them anyways) but becasue they are fit and thin.

after a judge said she looked immature and i needed to feed more

Another person to ignore. At 10yrs old she's not going to get any more mature! Sounds like she just needs more condition (you said she lacks top-line) - but condition does NOT equal fat! It should be muscle and for a long time show-er's were 'confusing' the two (because fat is easier to acheive than muscle).

Getting her fit will help but please don't feed her any less fibre. The diet you have her on (Alfa-A and conditioning cubes) is about perfect and will help her build muscle. But only if she gets the work to go with it. You need to decide if she is actually fat but needs more muscle. If so feed less conditioning cubes and work her harder. If she needs to put weight on adding Speedibeet will really help.

[Alex T]

thanks guys everyone seems to contradict themselves!!!this is a picture of her belly http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k252/wheelbarrow_2006/Image005.jpg

and this is one of us showing in hand
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k252/wheelbarrow_2006/DSC00065.jpg she does look weedy iv got to admit!!:eek:

[Pink's lady]

In terms of weight she's just about perfect but she could do with more muscle. If you put more 'condition' on her as the judge suggested she's just be fat:eek:

She's the type of horse that will never be solid but she could develop a better topline. She lacks abdominal muscle tone and the 'hay belly' will dissapear with more work as she gets fitter.

I would start working her harder before you up her feed. If you just up her feed the belly will get worse.

Personally I think she's lovely and just right, maybe lacking a bit of top line. It's a shame that more horses aren't in such healthy condition as her. Most you see are fat:(

[becs]

Sorry to be o/t but I love the way she looks as though she's dozing off while everyone admires her!

[Alex T]

thanks pink lady, i mentioned the comment from the judge to the vet and he almost died on the spot !!makes me wonder if its worth showing her if they want her over weight!!

becs- she is very laid back but on this day we got her up at five to get there for an 8.30 start and the in hand was the last class it was along day for her !!:D