Hmm... big belly not shifting?

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vikkiandmonica

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I have posted about my horse having a huge belly before, and I thought it was either because he was not getting good enough hay or that he had weak abdominal muscles. However, now he is back in full work, and basically always in a constant outline, so is fairly muscular around his abdomin. He is also getting haylage now, which is much better quality than the hay he was getting.

However, he still has a huge belly. It is not fat, as you can faintly see his ribs, but has this belly still. I almost certain he doesn't have worms, however he does windsuck, and his teeth are due being done (getting done on Tuesday). He has been doing fast work once/twice a week, getting longer in time as he gets fitter, but his belly has only reduced in size a tiny little bit.

Can anyone give me any suggestions as to how I can get rid of it?
 
IME it just takes time... I schooled on an older broodmare who wasn't backed until after she'd had about 4/5 foals. It took a good year of hunting etc before she finally looked like a horse and not a baby machine.

Fibre will generally help to keep his belly, but hard feed won't necessarily reduce it. Can you get some hill work in? a good trot, in an outline, up a good hill would help to get those abs working!
 
How old is your horse?

I ask because as they get older they seem to look 'ribbier' than when they were younger and the same weight, if you get my drift.
My mare has had 6foals and is 20, I have to keep her slim, and she can often look a bit ribby but as a two year old she had a far neater figure and did not look ribby.
Just a thought...
 
Only 10. And there is one hill near be, but is about an hour and a half away; could go there on weekends, but apart from that I am really stuck on flat ground.

As for hard feed, he gets Alfa A, A+P Calm and Condition, Pasture Mix, and Pink Powder Supplement.
 
Belgian Warmblood
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All 3 of the horses I have known well that wind suck/crib bite have a huge belly. I always thought it must be related to over-development of the muscles they use to do it. Sorry, I can't think how you would get rid of it
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At least you know he's fit and healthy
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I thought it could be that, but he has drastically reduced the amount he does it, and now only does it after his hard feed.

Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll try and get a picture tomorrow to show you all :P
 
ah I missed the windsuck bit, the only windsucker I have known was a nfxtb I think and he always had an amazingly huge belly but wasnt overweight, would be quite lean behind as he was early 20s.

I only asked breed, re some arabs have a tendency for this, our loan arab did but when we dropped the weight off him discovered his ribs were actually just very wide!

no suggestions apart from as much exercise as poss. My cob always looks worse stood up in the yard than ridden, he lets it all hang out on yard but actually engages abs when ridden.
 
Thanks for the help. Hopefully after his teeth done, and him being exercised and becoming more toned, it may reduce in size. I think it looks as though it already is getting smaller, but not completely sure haha. Will take pictures tomorrow
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Hmm... yep Box_Of_Frogs, am pretty sure he isn't in foal
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Thanks for the link quirky, however he does tend to go into an outline whenever ridden, and even on the lunge, he basically does it himself; you can see the muscles in his back and stomach working. Do you think it would still be worth purchasing one then?
 
I can't say whether it'd still be worth you buying one if you can see his abdo muscles working but I would have thought not.

The physio is pretty sure that my girl doesn't use her abdo muscles, hence her bad back
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and recommendation to use one.
 
Oh right. You can see his muscles on his abdomin when lunged and ridden, (he has the line along his belly and up in a curve shape), but has a big belly? Have no clue why he has it though
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Sounds exactly like my mare-however fit/toned/muscled she is she still has a belly-even now when she looks almost ribby it's still there! Sorry no advice just thought I'd let you know your not alone
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Like this:

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Horses do not put weight on their tummys! If he has a big belly, he needs to be got fit, if he has a big belly and is thin then he needs to put on weight then get fit!
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Thanks for that. The thing is though, I think he is fairly fit; you can see his abdominal muscles, and has a decent topline. Compared to some of the horses at the yard where he's kept, he is definately one of the fittest, but certainly has the biggest belly?
 
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