What should she do?

[Ferrah]

A girl in our 4-H club is coming to a Miniature Horse show with us, we leave on Thursday.

She took her horse off pasture two months ago. Following her vets instructions she dewormed her the month she brought her off pasture and again this month. She has been doing 20 minutes of trotting five days a week.

The mare gets three cups complete horse feed, 1/4 boss and 1 3/4 cup beet pulp morning and night with a 1/4 flake of hay.

Now this mare still has a BIG belly on her. She is slim everywhere else but her belly. She almost looks as if she is pregent but that is impossible because she was on pasture only with two other mares. There are no stallions in the neighborhood.

The girl in our club has already paid her entry fees, but she had a break down tonight because her horse does not look up to par even with all the work she has put in. Three weeks ago she also upped the complete feed and added a few minutes more exercise to try and slim her down.

Should she go ahead and show her horse even with the belly? It does look a lot like she is pregnant, but like I said there is no way she could be. She does no have another horse to take to the show and her entry fees are already paid.

She is afraid and embarassed to show her horse with the belly and I really feel for her. What can I tell her and what can I do?

The belly on her and the way she looks is just like this big horse (so you can get an idea what the belly is like). NOTE this is NOT the horse I am talking about, just to show you what the belly is like on the horse the girl in our club is worried about.

 

[chandab]

Entry fees are paid, so I say go and have fun. Chalk this one up to experience and getting the horse used to the crowds (trailering and anything else she can be exposed to at the show); and for her to learn how a miniature show runs compared to 4-H. I know it's hard to go in and not be as prepared as you thought you'd be, but it'll be a good learning experience. Not to mention getting the chance to meet alot of wonderful miniature horse owners.

 

[Ashley]

I would work her up to 30 mins. How old is she? That to me sounds like alot of food.

 

[Ferrah]

She is two years old. The girl intially upped her feed intake because she came out of winter on the thinner side.

 

[Ashley]

She could be still just gangly.

That said we have a two year old with a big belly has had it ever since weaning and it dont go away. Just her I think

 

[nootka]

Yep, I'd just go with it and perhaps ask the vet about some additional worming or testing that might be called for.

It does take time for them to lose their bellies once they've put them on, esp. the younger ones.

I've seen far worse at shows and I'd rather see a horse with a belly in decent shape than some of the racks of bones I've seen at shows.

Liz M.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Two things spring to mind- worms as has been said, and insufficient protein.

She can have a worm count done, and should, and if that is clear she can up the protein content in the mares diet and see what difference that makes.

She may just be growing in and out of herself at that age.

I would also have her ultrasounded

:

Never say never

I would take her to the show and have fun, and who knows what may happen??

 

[dreamlandnh]

I agree, go and show and have fun. The ribbon is not everything, the experience is.

 

[kaykay]

i would suspect shes not getting enough protein. This is usually what causes a big belly. Although this mare is on a lot of diff feeds shes not getting much of any one thing. Depending on her size i would up the complete feed. for example my show filly that is 2 is 29" and gets 6 cups of complete feed and 2 full flakes of hay per day.

i would go ahead and show her and then get her feed program better

 

[Robin1]

Go and have fun. I think I would cut down/out her hay and up the complete feed.

Robin

 

[MiLo Minis]

My stallion developed a huge belly last summer after having been tucked and fit in the spring and early summer and being fed a good diet in the right amount for him as well as having been completely wormed. I came here and asked for advice and one brilliant person suggested a lack of mineral as their mare had suffered the same problem. It was sure enough the solution. I gave him free choice mineral which he attacked like he was starving and his belly whittled away in a matter of days. It took several weeks to get him back in the condition he had been in at the start of the season but he looked sooo much better within a few days. If you try them free choice and she doesn't want it no harm done but it is sure worth a try!

 

[evedex]

Yes, go and show....why not?

As for the belly. Hay and similar forrage (such as the beet pulp) causes bellies...grain (protein) gives top line. I would take away the beet pulp...it is most likely the cause of the belly. Without seeing the mare (and I understand why you did not post her photo) it is hard to know what her condition is really like. You could go to the MHCO website ( www.mhco.ca ) and click on the "clinic notes" button. Then go to "Weight Method Comparisons" and check out the "Body Conditioning Chart" for evaluating weight conditioning on the horse. You might also want to read the notes on nutrition as well.

Now, is she overweight or underweight?...The belly has nothing to do with it. If she is underweight, up her grain (gradually). Again I would stress to take her off the beet pulp and then continue to monitor her condition as described on the chart and use the grain to regulate it.

I would like to add that we had a 2 year old here that looked bloated quite often but he seemed to out grow that by the time he was 3.

Good Luck

 

[Ferrah]

Thank you for all your advice.

I have printed your replies for the girl. I think I will definately suggest upping the protien and getting a fecal count for worms, they could also check if she is pregnant...I guess you never know.

Thank you very much. I think she will just have to go to this show looking pregnant, but we will try our very best to improve her for our next show in August.