Fat but ribby laminitic - advice please!!!? (piccies)

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Jericho

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My little Welshie is posing me a problem and I would really aprreciate some advice. She suffers from laminitis so am very careful with her weight - however I cant make up my mind now whether she is too fat. She has a huuge belly, if I didnt know better she looks pregnant and her bottom is big, yet you can see her ribs quite clearly when she walks and just about standing still. She doesnt have a crest. She is on a small tennis court size piece of grazing with 2 - 3 secs of soaked hay (soaked for a few hours just to get the dust out rather than the sugar), no hard feed. her coat is lovely and shiny and she doesnt look poor, just ribby and big bellied. She has a very very low worm count (I poo pick everyday and have regular worm counts taken) her teeth were done recently. She is only a companio / lead rein pony but is there anything I can do diet wise to get rid of that belly without her losing more weight?? What do you think as to her condition? Am I not seeing something or am blind to the obvious???? This first picture actually shows her ribs more pronounced because she is taking a big breath in (out of boredom I think as she was fed up of me taking pictures rather than giving her food)
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From what I can tell from the pics, her bum isn't all that bad as you haven't got the grand canyon effect! Also, she doesn't seem to have a crest or much of one.

The thing that would concern me is, like you say, the big belly despite her being ribby. Is she out 24/7 because this could be grass belly even though she is on a small paddock. Also, do you muzzle her? How old is she? Does she have other health issues?
 
I love the way she turns to look at you as if she is fed up with all the photos.

Has she had a foal?

From the looks of her shape, she is not fat at all, just right. I have known brood mares who have bellies similar to your mare's when they are not in foal. Its like she has a 'foal belly'. What does your vet say?
 
Has she had foals in the past? That might account for the pot bellied look. I wouldn't say she was too thin at all but she is lacking top line and muscle but as she isn't working that is totally understandable. If you are keeping her lami free under current management I wouldn't worry too much. Our pony is on the lean side but that is much better than having an attack.
 
How old is she? She looks like she might have cushings. Lack of muscle (causing the saggy belly), odd fat distribution and laminitis are common symptons. The hairy coat isn't always present.

Other, very similar thing is Insulin Resistance, common in welshes. Again, similar symptoms.
 
She is 14, and yes she was a brood mare until 8 years old so had a number of foals - so maybe its just age and babies that is making her 'slack' (I know the feeling!). She is out 24/7 and suffers COPD in summer with the dust. Come to think of it, she is very windy, how do I put this..... when she coughs the other end explodes too.... she is only like this in summer, maybe this is related??
Re worming she is wormed spring and autumn with the all in one tape wormer (as advised by vets).
 
I would say that the pot belly is due to having had foals and now not being in work. Much better to be able to see her ribs than risk an attack. I wouldnt change anything about your management
 
hmm thats interesting Kallibear - just been to read up on both. No lack of energy or wooly coat or drinking excess water however it does link with the respiratory disease although as I said the coughing really only happens during hot dusty weather and also she does seem to have a small sway back (again I put this down to having lots of babies). I guess the only way of knowing is a trip from the vets.) Whats the prognosis for horses with Cushings bearing in mind her age and use? Would she be on peroglide or similar forever or just for a short period to stabilise?
 
My little welsh A was diagonsed with cushings two years ago at the age of 18 although i am pretty sure he had it when i got him at 11 but managed him in a similar way to a cushings pony without medication. He is still ridden and sound and cheeky at 20!All Cushings horses and ponies have varying symptoms, mine has a thick coat but it is not curly,He had a HUGE crest when i got him that had collapsed, and what i can only describe as cellulite on his bum!Some lose lots of weight.If your pony was tested positive and went onto Pergolide it would be for life.Mine has half a tablet a day.
 
Cushings is definitely one possibility - at the age of 14 you would expect to see pronounced dips over the eyes, but in Cushings horse/ponies the depression is often filled with fat, which seems to be the case in your mare (as far as I can tell from the photos).

The fat pads above the eyes were the first sign of Cushings in one of my old horses, along with loss of topline - laminitic foot changes came later. He never got the curly coat, although he was slow shedding his coat in the spring.
 
Nothing new I can add to what is already posted, just wanted to say what a nice mare she is. I love little welshies.
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