How does he look? (big belly continued)

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vikkiandmonica

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Well, I dragged my sister to come and take some photos of me and Wings today. I haven't really shown him off at all, so thought I would show you him. Also, I recently did a thread about his big belly, so hopefully these photos will show it better than I can explain it
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Advice/CC welcome for both me and Wings
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Some of his belly
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And apart from his belly, how do you think he looks condition wise? ANd if anyone has ideas of how to shift his belly, it would be much appreciated
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THanks
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Aww cute face! He looks lush.

Have you asked the vet about his weight loss? No real advice as he carries his weight in a funny place?! Like, its quite far back! xxxx
 
he looks very like vam's, and you can see ribs its just the bit underneath so I am assuming he has quite a wide frame anyway and I do wonder if the belly is linked to the windsucking as suggested previously. no more suggestions!
 
I haven't read any previous posts, but do you have him on a worming programme? The only reason I ask is because although he has a pot belly you can see his ribs. Cc wise, you could maybe try carrying yourself more, your whole frame seems to tip forwards. You could try lifting your ribcage, lifting your hands, looking up and trying to sit on your seat a little more, which should help you drop your weight into your legs and heels. The pics make it look a little like he is relying on you to carry his front end which makes for very hard work for you!
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Thanks for the help, I think it may be linked to windsucking, but as I said, it has reduced a lot.

As for the vet, I asked in autumn, and them what it was, and they said fat (at the time, he was fat), but now he's fit and skinnier, yet still has it?
 
Sorry, missed that last post. Yeah, he is on a worming program, and I don't think he has worms, though I may get a worm kit, and make sure. Do you know where I get a kit from?

I know what you mean about my position, I do tip forward, as he has a habit of leaning and pulling me forwards.
 
it would be tapeworm which might be giving him the belly, your vets would have to test for this with a blood test as it doesnt come up on the commercial tests.
 
Alright, I could ask them then. It's just that, when he was vaccinated back in the autumn, as I said, the vet said it was fat, so not sure if it is worth getting the vet out again, only to be told the same thing?
 
do you know what he was wormed with when? only because there is resistance to strongid/pyratape but not the active ingredient in pramox which might help decide which is likely!
 
Just wondering, does anyone have a fitness plan to muscle him up, maybe get him fitter? I can school most days, hack most days, but there are no hills where I live. I can also do fast work a couple of days a week.

He gets good quality haylage every morning and night, and is then turned out through the day for a few hours. As for feed, he gets 1.5 scoops of A+P Calm and Condition, Pasture Mix, Alfa A, Superflex, Biotin, Pink Powder and Oil. Anyone have suggestions what maybe to add to/remove from his feed to possibly shift his belly?

Thanks very much
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For fitness you can't beat lots of walking. But proper marching out walking, not just slopping along.

If you could have your elbows hanging by your sides that would help you get a more consistent but soft contact. That would also help prevent him being able to pull you out of position like in the second photo down.

You look like a nice soft and kind rider and the two of you look good together.
 
He's in wonderful knick isn't he?

Work, work and some more work will get that belly off. Lots of slow trotting up hills, and fast work.
 
just wanted to say I have no hills either.......... we could go up and down the motorway bridge but
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and its still poss to work them quite hard. I do enough fast work a couple of times a week to try and compensate for lack of hills.
 
Ok thanks. I do have a motorway bridge too haha, about 30 mins away, so I could always just walk him there and go up and down that haha!

As for the fast work, so far I have just been doing it until he is breathing heavily, then walk him about. What is your routine for doing fast work?
 
we have a grass track about 1/3 mile long we trot up and down, then steady canter up and down, then trot again, then fast canter then a walk/trot then another fast canter. then walk off.

afaik it is good for them to almost recover then go again, but I do have to make sure he is properly warmed up due to a previous injury that I am a little precious about now!

eta LOL at SS. we rarely have said problem
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Haha. I have that problem too. I do it along the side of two field, in the bit unplouged, and going away from home he needs some encouraging to stride out, and on the way back, I pray haha!! The only thing is though, the field going towards home ends in quite a steep bit, so I'm like, OMG PLEASE STOP!!! He normally does though
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[ QUOTE ]
the field going towards home ends in quite a steep bit

[/ QUOTE ]

If you have the use of a field that's brilliant - especially if there's an incline.
 
Yeah, I do use it, and all the way it's on a slight incline, I just wouldn't class it as good enough to use as hill work etc., but for fast work, it is perfect (except for a little pond in the middle of it haha, which he normally either gallops straight through it, or jumps it
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If you say he was fat and unfit in the autumn, the belly could just be there because 1) He needs to loose a bit more weight and 2) because he needs to work on toning his belly muscles. It will come in time, hes a lovely looking boy
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Thanks for that. The thing is though, because you can now see his ribs, and because he does seem to have quite muscular abs, I didn't think it was either of thes?

Do you have any schooling exercises/tips on how to tone their belly muscles?
 
Some horses do seem to carry weight oddly, my friend has a TB x who no matter how fit, he has this big belly! He like you, is up to date on working etc but it just seems to be the way the horse is put together!

For toning belly its lots of work carrying themselves properly I would think, getting them to use their muscles properly.
 
Thanks Kitsune. I have been working him in an outline whenever I ride him, never really letting him have his head on the floor or stuck up in the air (other than when he has breaks in a session), so he is fairly muscular. I suppose I'll just have to keep working him and tone him up even more
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I think long and low work is good for getting them to use their abdominal muscles(?) so maybe try some of that, really enouraging him to work with impulsion and up into his front end.
 
If you find it hard to get him to go foreward, with his head on the ground, try some trotting poles and raised poles. That usually perks them up
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Plus they have to stretch and go forewards, its great
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