Tips for baby belly - Gypsy Vanner Mare

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ItsJzo

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Well this is my new girl....

She was not an intended buy actually, had posted up an advert ages ago looking for a youngster or something with a few issues that I could build a repor with and keep for life.

I found a lovely little boy who was perfect but forgot to take down the advert, and I had this reply the other day and although I had already recieved a few replies this one really stuck out, she is an 8 year old Gypsy Vanner Mare, she was owned by gypsies and used as a broodmare for the last 2/3 years, but beforehand was a ride and drive 110% bombproof, but because she did not produce a foal this year they wanted rid! She was purchased by a really lovely lady who really just rescued her, and then saw my ad and well now she is here with me!

She is absolutely stunning but does however have what I believe to be feather mites, although going to to try and get a closer look when she trusts me more, she lets me pick up her feet but is really funny about it, which is not surprising especially if its sore for her!

But the reason I have posted is because she has a big baby belly, and I am wondering what diet you would all reccomend? and which exercises would particuarly tighten her up in the right places?

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She is beautiful :) my mare had a baby belly but she is a tb. I tried a diet but even went you could faintly see her ribs she still had a bit belly!
I know just live with it. I hack her with a good amount of hill work and just try to get her working properly so she uses the muscles to help tighten them up and it is working, it has definitely lifted! My physio said lunge work and something alone the lines of a Pessoa is very helpful with tightening up the belly muscles! Unfortunately I can't lunge my mare as she has ring bone but could be an option for you!
I do tend to think some are just built like that though, my mare is never going to be a skinny minnie but she is healthy and happy and at perfect weight now so I just try to get on with it now and any improvements are a bonus :)
 
I can't believe I am reading this right....

Are you wanting the mare to lose weight (in which case some fat will come off her belly but it will also reduce elsewhere) or are you wanting to change the shape of her belly which has dropped due to foaling?

Is she fat? What is her CS?

You can't necessarily change that shape that the belly now has but if she loses weight her overall body shape will change and she may become more pleasing to your eye.

This thread is reminding me of those celebs who aim to get back into their jeans thee weeks after giving birth....
 
Sorry no help but I absolutely love her! If she was older I'd say she was mine's mother or sister! Her pink nose and face is the same, mine's is slightly less chunky and hairy.

I know you've only got her but if you ever need to sell her on....!
 
Billie1007 said:
I can't believe I am reading this right....

Are you wanting the mare to lose weight (in which case some fat will come off her belly but it will also reduce elsewhere) or are you wanting to change the shape of her belly which has dropped due to foaling?

Is she fat? What is her CS?

You can't necessarily change that shape that the belly now has but if she loses weight her overall body shape will change and she may become more pleasing to your eye.

This thread is reminding me of those celebs who aim to get back into their jeans thee weeks after giving birth....
Click to expand...

What the HELL is that supposed to mean?

I think she is BEAUTIFUL , and I am more than happy, but I am trying to me she doesn't look all that comfortable and would look to get her in ''better shape'' so I can get her out too shows etc.

Please don't post unless you have something useful to say!! I love her just the way she is and would have her any way she came, she has a temperment to die for, her looks are just a bonus!!!!

Thank you Baker - I thought lunging would make a big difference but she has never been lunged so that will be new to her but definitely the next step!
 
Oh - I thought I was being useful. I explained that you probably wouldn't be able to change the baby belly bit - asked if she was overweight (as the photo doesn't really show that) and asked what her condition score was so that I could then make a recommendation about diet......

If you didn't intend to make it seem that you wanted to change her baby belly droop then why did you say that you did want to do that?

She is very beautiful.
 
Don't worry, her belly will go with exercise. Her back will strengthen.

As any lady who has babies will know, you never quite go back to to maiden proportions but it's amazing what some exercise can do :)
 
If she's backed to drive, maybe try long reining then progress to lunging. If you have a saddle that fits, get her on some hilly hacks.

She's gorgeous! What height is she?

For the feather mites, a Dectomax injection always sorts my cob's mites out. Any mud fever making her sore? If you can wash her legs and squirt on/rub in Avon Skin so Soft, that should sort out the scabs.

You going to do inhand with her? She'd be cracking in a driving type or traditional cob class!
 
cinnamontoast said:
If she's backed to drive, maybe try long reining then progress to lunging. If you have a saddle that fits, get her on some hilly hacks.

She's gorgeous! What height is she?

For the feather mites, a Dectomax injection always sorts my cob's mites out. Any mud fever making her sore? If you can wash her legs and squirt on/rub in Avon Skin so Soft, that should sort out the scabs.

You going to do inhand with her? She'd be cracking in a driving type or traditional cob class!
Click to expand...


She is roughly 15hh I believe.

She is utterly adorable and yes she is broken to drive but I promised previous owner that I would never drive her because she had such a harsh time of it with the gypsies!

I want to just get her hacking, she is too unfit too be hacking at the moment, as I say she hasn't been ridden for the past 2/3 years. I sat on her and she was an angel, and the previous owner after rescuing her from gypsies, sat on her and walked her once round the school bareback and she was fab.

I wouldn't want to do more than 15 minutes work with her at the moment really, and just take it up by 5-10 minutes a time as she is so unfit.

She does definitely have mites, but no mud fever, I am going to try those jabs as was suggested by someone else aswell!! I cannot wait to get her out and showing in hand!
 
Bless her, sounds like shes landed on her feet with you!

My little welsh sec a has a very noticeable mummy tummy, having just given birth to her 5th foal - shes only 9 :( let me add here that I only bought her in Nov and am disgusted that she's been allowed to be so overbred im such a short space of time!!

Im hoping that when this last baby is weaned I will be able to try and help her change shape a little by building muscle along her topline and strengthening her overall

Kim
 
She's gorgeous, you are lucky !

Below are a couple of good links with tips for strengthening abdominal muscles. the photo's of using your fingertips on the mares belly were given to me years ago by a physio.
Also, walking not trotting uphill, polework, long lining, pessoa and hacking in an active walk are all good for muscle building and getting rid of baby belly.

http://www.heavenlygaitsequinemassage.com/improve-abdominal-tone-broodmare/



http://globalendurance.typepad.com/...ond-dressage---easy-collection-exercises.html
 
She is gorgeous and very similar to our 15hh ex-broodie. She had had 7 foals before we got her, aged 10. When we brought her back into work we just did lots of short walking hacks up and down our hills. She never did really lose her broodmare shape but did become much fitter. She is now retired, aged 30, and you can tell that she is an elderly ex-broodmare. Could you do some in-hand hill work with yours?
For mites I've found Cooper's Fly Repellent Plus the most effective 'cure' for our cob but did Draft horse yesterday and she was chewing one foot again today, gah!
 
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