Reducing a BIG belly, diet working but large round belly remains

[PollyP99]

As above, my mare is looking trimmer (slightly) we have dengue and weighbridge coming to the yard so I'll have a true picture of her weight then. What is not changing is her full round belly, any tips on reducing, toning something! She is worked 5/6 times per week, hacks mainly with 1 schooling session and 1 lunging. She's in in the day on 12 hour soaked hay and on restricted turnout.

Thanks for any pointers!

 

[thatsmygirl]

Are u up to date with worming? Worm count been done?
What are u currently feeding apart from her hay?
Are u working her properly and engaging her back end

 

[Cortez]

As above, my mare is looking trimmer (slightly) we have dengue and weighbridge coming to the yard so I'll have a true picture of her weight then. What is not changing is her full round belly, any tips on reducing, toning something! She is worked 5/6 times per week, hacks mainly with 1 schooling session and 1 lunging. She's in in the day on 12 hour soaked hay and on restricted turnout.

Thanks for any pointers!

Sincerely hope it's not dengue! Nasty tropical disease with 90% fatality rate.............

 

[PollyP99]

Are u up to date with worming? Worm count been done?
What are u currently feeding apart from her hay?
Are u working her properly and engaging her back end

Hello, yes up to date on worming, she has only a token feed of chaff and supplements, thinking of going on to fast fibre for the winter. I would have to say that no I'm not working her properly and engaging, you've hit the nail on the head there, I'm looking at getting a slot with the yard instructor as I don't think I'm capable of riding her fully engaged and she doesnt do it naturally.

I'm a happy hacker returned to riding post a 20 year break, was against schooling but penny is dropping on what I need to do I think! Thanks for that.

 

[PollyP99]

Sincerely hope it's not dengue! Nasty tropical disease with 90% fatality rate.............

Oops that'll be Dengie rep bliddy iPad spell checker

 

[PollyP99]

Recent pic of the hippo is in my profile album, pic 1, can't add image code as can't get it from my iPad.

 

[AmyMay]

Just had a look at the photo. Wow, doesnt she look tremendous? (if yes, portly). She's well coveted all over, so it's not simply a case of her having a belly.

My own view is that if the field she's stood in is really that lacking in grass, I'd have her out on it 24/7 with a small ration of old hay mixed with straw overnight.

I'd knock the lunging on the head (personally), and have a look at the sort of work you're doing with her hack wise.

How long are they in duration? How much trotting and fast work do you do?

 

[PollyP99]

Just had a look at the photo. Wow, doesnt she look tremendous? (if yes, portly). She's well coveted all over, so it's not simply a case of her having a belly.

My own view is that if the field she's stood in is really that lacking in grass, I'd have her out on it 24/7 with a small ration of old hay mixed with straw overnight.

I'd knock the lunging on the head (personally), and have a look at the sort of work you're doing with her hack wise.

How long are they in duration? How much trotting and fast work do you do?

Thanks! The pic was first week of July, she has dropped since that pic so we are a little better than that pic but not hugely, example fat pad on shoulder is gone, no gutter, neck better but belly no different, at all.

The grass is coming through in her paddock, it's really green now but still short, I know the worst kind!

Great feedback, so I need to up the work rate (pace) and get her working properly from the comments.

I do weekend hacks of 2 hours, in the week 1 hour, walk on roads for half that time, we have access to a point to point course, I did get around that this week, it's ideal for a pacey ride, 2 miles around but I need to wear my brave pants and crack on I think!

 

[Midlifecrisis]

When I asked my vet about reducing a portly pony - in addition to upping exercise and reducing calories in forage I was also advised to fully clip during winter and use lightweight rug/rainsheet if really wet - basically told to let pony shiver excess weight off...it did work but was hard in the face of others on the yard who were heavyweight full neck rugging their ponies/horses during winter.

 

[thatsmygirl]

WOW access to a point 2 point course, crack on girl, have fun and getting that weight off shouldn't be a problem
Gonna go and look at the pic

 

[ridefast]

Canter work, canter work, canter work! If she's doing an hour of mostly walk that will do nothing, don't worry about schooling or lunging, don't be tempted by gadgets to make her work in a "correct" frame, she needs more work and faster work. Rough grazing if possible, old soaked hay, can you make a track around her field? What chaff is she getting? Most chaff is molassed even if it's low calories. Fast fibre is much better for fatties

 

[AmyMay]

I do weekend hacks of 2 hours, in the week 1 hour, walk on roads for half that time, we have access to a point to point course, I did get around that this week, it's ideal for a pacey ride, 2 miles around but I need to wear my brave pants and crack on I think!

The thing is a good active walk is great, and if you are achieving that that will absolutely help. But you've got to get the heart and lungs working, and the only way to do that is by increasing the 'work rate'.

I'm a great trotter on the roads (not everyone's the same, I know). But a good steady trot into the contact never hurt any horse I've known or ridden. I also try and incorporate at least a canter in every hack and at least two good gallops a week.

If you have hills by you always, always, always trot up them (once the horse is sufficiently warmed up in walk obviously).

If you have the use of a point to point track you have everything you need to get your horse fit, trim and healthy. Go for it.

My Amymay was the spit of your little horse, so I know the type and how hard it can be to keep them trim - it's hard work.

But there's nothing more rewarding than riding a fit horse, who enjoys their work.

I absolutely can't agree with the poster who recommended clipping the horse out and putting a rain sheet on only, to encourage the horse to shiver the weight off. That's the lazy man's way of getting a horse thin - and achieves nothing, other than a poor, skinny animal. Not a fit, trim animal through hard work and dedication.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

The thing is a good active walk is great, and if you are achieving that that will absolutely help. But you've got to get the heart and lungs working, and the only way to do that is by increasing the 'work rate'.

I'm a great trotter on the roads (not everyone's the same, I know). But a good steady trot into the contact never hurt any horse I've known or ridden. I also try and incorporate at least a canter in every hack and at least two good gallops a week.

If you have hills by you always, always, always trot up them (once the horse is sufficiently warmed up in walk obviously).

If you have the use of a point to point track you have everything you need to get your horse fit, trim and healthy. Go for it.

My Amymay was the spit of your little horse, so I know the type and how hard it can be to keep them trim - it's hard work.

But there's nothing more rewarding than riding a fit horse, who enjoys their work.

I absolutely can't agree with the poster who recommended clipping the horse out and putting a rain sheet on only, to encourage the horse to shiver the weight off. That's the lazy man's way of getting a horse thin - and achieves nothing, other than a poor, skinny animal. Not a fit, trim animal through hard work and dedication.

Hi amymay - the advice was used in conjunction with work and careful feeding - truly not a lazy ..ladys way of decreasing pony weight.and achieved a healthy active pony in the end.

 

[AmyMay]

Hi amymay - the advice was used in conjunction with work and careful feeding - truly not a lazy ..ladys way of decreasing pony weight.and achieved a healthy active pony in the end.

Sorry, I didn't mean to infer that your horse was not looked after well. To my mind however it's verging on cruel. Perhaps that's a discussion for another thread though.

 

[Dry Rot]

How long has the OP had the pony and does she know it's history?

I had a mare here who looked as pregnant after she'd had a foal as before and the vet said she probably had ruptured abdominal muscles and (with £ signs in his eyes) said he'd need to do some tests to confirm it. The pony was sold to a good home where the new owner said she did not want to go faster than a walk and she was perfect for the job, so everyone (except the vet) was happy. No amount of exercise would have changed her shape. In all other respects, she was fine, quite happy and healthy, but not suitable as a brood mare.

 

[PollyP99]

Hello, thanks all I will up the pace, I do have the facilities, naturally I'm not a speed queen but can now see this is what's lacking!

She's lazy by nature and I'm letting her be I think as I love nothing better than an amble but I really do want her fit and happy Amymay, thanks.

I've had her for 18 months, I don't think she's had a foal but who knows? She's 7.

 

[AmyMay]

She's lazy by nature and I'm letting her be I think as I love nothing better than an amble but I really do want her fit and happy Amymay, thanks.

As was Amy. However the fitter she was the more enthusiastic she became, especially when I started hunting her. It's also hard when you're feeding limited calories, but upping the work, because the energy levels can be severely lacking. And that's where the balancing act of feeding for work comes in. I must admit I used to feed conditioning mix to Amy as she started to get fitter. Not because she needed it, but because it was like rocket fuel to her and it really helped with her work ethic.

There's nothing wrong (or better) than an amble along. It doesnt always have to be fast and furious, on the contrary. But remember you can amble with purpose.....

 

[SadKen]

Mine has a belly too, looks fine everywhere else if a little more plump than I'd like. She dropped quite a bit over winter so I know that will help. I'm trying to work her harder too and I've seen a slight improvement, it's tough because I find canter work hard as well but I'm pushing her (and me) through it and it is helping! Maybe we need a grass belly weightloss thread!

 

[Farcical1]

Mine has had two foals, and every summer looks like she's about to pop another one out!
She's worse this year because she's now almost retired, but even in full work and fighting fit, she got a belly every summer.

 

[Regandal]

Another good exercise for the abdominals is trotting poles, ridden or in hand. Just been advised this by my physio for my old gelding, who's currently sporting a rather large tum.