causes of big belly on mare - pic heavy

Lori-olio · 11-06-2009, 09:48 AM

OK, I need some ideas from those of you with years of experience.

Here's the scenario:
Moved my 15-year-old mare to a new boarding barn in May. She's out with 7 other horses on about 16 acres of pasture all day. There is a lot more good grass at this barn than at our old one. So she's put on some weight/muscle over the summer and I've cut back on her grain considerably since she's been maintaining nicely on pasture.

At the old barn, she was given 2 flakes of hay morning and night during the cold winter months. She lost weight and got a little thin over the winter...she was not getting enough forage.

At the new barn, they feed round bales in the colder months so the horses can eat it free choice. We put the first round bale out about 3 weeks ago. Within 2 weeks time, my mare's belly has gotten bigger...noticeably bigger. She's built kind of short and stocky to begin with, but her belly is wider and rounder. According to a weight tape (which aren't overly accurate, I know), it's around 80-100lbs difference.

It's only in her belly though...she doesn't have a cresty neck or fatty areas on other parts of her, that I can see. She's also been somewhat lethargic since the round bale's been put out...our farrier noticed it too.

Now things to consider...she's low horse on the totem pole and doesn't get at the round bale except when the others "allow" her to. So she tends to gorge on it. She's on a daily dewormer and also gets regular paste deworming so I doubt that it's worms. She has not been exposed to a stud, that I know of. But the way that things were left at the old barn, I wouldn't be surprised if I found out that the stallion down the road paid her a visit.

My question is: what else could cause an increase in size of a horse's belly in a short amount of time? it coincided with the round bale being put out but I don't want to rule out other things by accident. We're having a barn meeting on Sunday to discuss limiting my horses' access to the bale. I'm also planning on calling my vet next week (after the barn meeting) to have her teeth floated and discuss the weight gain.

Anyone have any ideas?

I'm going to run out at lunch time and snap some new pictures of her and find some ones from back over the summer to compare to. Those should be up by mid-afternoon.

Lori-olio · 11-06-2009, 02:38 PM

ok, here are some pictures for comparison. let me know what you think might be going on. If she's just fat, tell me that too...I won't be offended. I just want her to be healthy.

Last winter (Feb/March)

May - at the new barn

August photoshoot

Today

Cutter'sGirl · 11-06-2009, 02:48 PM

i don't have any suggestions of why but wanted to say she is very pretty and i hope you figure out what is wrong

breburtch · 11-06-2009, 03:58 PM

With the fact she is wormed regularly and hasn't been exposed to a stud I'd say it's just a hay belly. And to me thats what it looks like.
If your overly concerned have the vet out other wise I'd say it's just because she's on free choice hay now and is eating more then she used to be able to at the old place.

ChasnCans · 11-06-2009, 04:05 PM

looks like a hay belly, seems she needs to be worked more!

pippy · 11-06-2009, 04:20 PM

My vet recently told me that if a horse has round worms, then they can have a very round belly. We were talking about my soon to be 2 yr old- I told the vet he's been dewormed regularly since I got him early this summer, but has never got rid of that round belly and I to was trying to figure out why- he suggested Pyrantel rather then zimecterin - said zimecterin sometimes does not work well on round worms so could still have them and they do cause that round belly look..so now I will deworm next time w/ his stuff he sold me..
Maybe you would want to check into that w/ yours to be on the safe side, but to me, she just looks a bit overweight and not wormy round.

Pretty Pony · 11-06-2009, 05:28 PM

Haha, this sounds so much like my thread on my girl! Really, after looking at what feels like billions of pictures of hay bellies and preggo bellies and everything, to me she just looks like she has a hay belly. Still a good to ask the vet about it just for suggestions!

She is a very pretty girl!

cinnamon_girl10 · 11-06-2009, 05:34 PM

Looks healthy to me.. maybe just a hay belly. If the belly coincided with the round bale being brought in, I'd definitely say it is the cause

mlh619 · 11-06-2009, 06:25 PM

Looks like a hay belly to me too! If the quality isn't great in hay or grass they are more prone to hay bellies because of the extra they have to eat in order to get the same amount of digestable energy. I think if she is keeping weight and is healthy otherwise just let her be!!

qtrhorse1993 · 11-06-2009, 06:39 PM

looks like a hay belly and she is beautiful !!

Stormy's Human · 11-06-2009, 07:08 PM

Looks like my fat horses

nonny's dee · 11-06-2009, 07:30 PM

Looks like a hay belly....same "condition" my mule gets

Lori-olio · 11-07-2009, 07:32 AM

Thanks everyone. I was hoping that hay belly was the answer you guys would give me. I'll keep an eye on her though. I started to exercise her more and more a couple weeks ago so maybe I'll get her fitter by the springtime.

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11-06-2009, 09:48 AM
Lori-olio Yearling Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 508	causes of big belly on mare - pic heavy OK, I need some ideas from those of you with years of experience. Here's the scenario: Moved my 15-year-old mare to a new boarding barn in May. She's out with 7 other horses on about 16 acres of pasture all day. There is a lot more good grass at this barn than at our old one. So she's put on some weight/muscle over the summer and I've cut back on her grain considerably since she's been maintaining nicely on pasture. At the old barn, she was given 2 flakes of hay morning and night during the cold winter months. She lost weight and got a little thin over the winter...she was not getting enough forage. At the new barn, they feed round bales in the colder months so the horses can eat it free choice. We put the first round bale out about 3 weeks ago. Within 2 weeks time, my mare's belly has gotten bigger...noticeably bigger. She's built kind of short and stocky to begin with, but her belly is wider and rounder. According to a weight tape (which aren't overly accurate, I know), it's around 80-100lbs difference. It's only in her belly though...she doesn't have a cresty neck or fatty areas on other parts of her, that I can see. She's also been somewhat lethargic since the round bale's been put out...our farrier noticed it too. Now things to consider...she's low horse on the totem pole and doesn't get at the round bale except when the others "allow" her to. So she tends to gorge on it. She's on a daily dewormer and also gets regular paste deworming so I doubt that it's worms. She has not been exposed to a stud, that I know of. But the way that things were left at the old barn, I wouldn't be surprised if I found out that the stallion down the road paid her a visit. My question is: what else could cause an increase in size of a horse's belly in a short amount of time? it coincided with the round bale being put out but I don't want to rule out other things by accident. We're having a barn meeting on Sunday to discuss limiting my horses' access to the bale. I'm also planning on calling my vet next week (after the barn meeting) to have her teeth floated and discuss the weight gain. Anyone have any ideas? I'm going to run out at lunch time and snap some new pictures of her and find some ones from back over the summer to compare to. Those should be up by mid-afternoon. __________________ ~With the wind in my hair, I fly o'er the ground. On the back of my horse, my soul has been found.~ Last edited by Lori-olio : 11-06-2009 at 02:40 PM.

11-06-2009, 02:38 PM
Lori-olio Yearling Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 508	ok, here are some pictures for comparison. let me know what you think might be going on. If she's just fat, tell me that too...I won't be offended. I just want her to be healthy. Last winter (Feb/March) May - at the new barn August photoshoot Today __________________ ~With the wind in my hair, I fly o'er the ground. On the back of my horse, my soul has been found.~ Last edited by Lori-olio : 11-06-2009 at 02:42 PM.

11-06-2009, 02:48 PM
Cutter'sGirl Halter broke Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Northern CA Posts: 75	i don't have any suggestions of why but wanted to say she is very pretty and i hope you figure out what is wrong __________________ If life hands you lemons, put them in your sweet tea and thank God your a southern belle.

11-06-2009, 03:58 PM
breburtch Started Join Date: May 2008 Location: Ennismore, Ontario Posts: 2,910	With the fact she is wormed regularly and hasn't been exposed to a stud I'd say it's just a hay belly. And to me thats what it looks like. If your overly concerned have the vet out other wise I'd say it's just because she's on free choice hay now and is eating more then she used to be able to at the old place.

11-06-2009, 04:05 PM
ChasnCans Started Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: KS Posts: 2,012	looks like a hay belly, seems she needs to be worked more! __________________ In memory of baby Mayln Marie Loyd. While he may knock over a barrel he will never* break my heart

11-06-2009, 04:20 PM
pippy Started Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: minnesota Posts: 2,298	My vet recently told me that if a horse has round worms, then they can have a very round belly. We were talking about my soon to be 2 yr old- I told the vet he's been dewormed regularly since I got him early this summer, but has never got rid of that round belly and I to was trying to figure out why- he suggested Pyrantel rather then zimecterin - said zimecterin sometimes does not work well on round worms so could still have them and they do cause that round belly look..so now I will deworm next time w/ his stuff he sold me.. Maybe you would want to check into that w/ yours to be on the safe side, but to me, she just looks a bit overweight and not wormy round. __________________ "It's never to late to live happily ever after."

11-06-2009, 05:28 PM
Pretty Pony Yearling Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: currently in Calgary, AB Posts: 659	Haha, this sounds so much like my thread on my girl! Really, after looking at what feels like billions of pictures of hay bellies and preggo bellies and everything, to me she just looks like she has a hay belly. Still a good to ask the vet about it just for suggestions! She is a very pretty girl! __________________ My heart is with my Lily

11-06-2009, 05:34 PM
cinnamon_girl10 Weanling Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 363	Looks healthy to me.. maybe just a hay belly. If the belly coincided with the round bale being brought in, I'd definitely say it is the cause __________________ ...Riding a Horse is Like Borrowing Freedom...

11-06-2009, 06:25 PM
mlh619 Yearling Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sask, Canada Posts: 820	Looks like a hay belly to me too! If the quality isn't great in hay or grass they are more prone to hay bellies because of the extra they have to eat in order to get the same amount of digestable energy. I think if she is keeping weight and is healthy otherwise just let her be!! __________________ Against the grain should be a way of life Don't take the free ride in your own life

11-06-2009, 06:39 PM
qtrhorse1993 Yearling Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Johnstown, New York Posts: 706	looks like a hay belly and she is beautiful !! __________________ The world meets no one half way, but your horse will meet you all the way.

11-06-2009, 07:08 PM
Stormy's Human Coming two Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Seville, Florida Posts: 1,753	Looks like my fat horses

11-06-2009, 07:30 PM
nonny's dee Newborn Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Upstate, New York Posts: 31	Hay Belly Looks like a hay belly....same "condition" my mule gets __________________ owned by Miss Tilly the Moody Molly Mule

11-07-2009, 07:32 AM
Lori-olio Yearling Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 508	Thanks everyone. I was hoping that hay belly was the answer you guys would give me. I'll keep an eye on her though. I started to exercise her more and more a couple weeks ago so maybe I'll get her fitter by the springtime. __________________ ~With the wind in my hair, I fly o'er the ground. On the back of my horse, my soul has been found.~