What do you think - am I feeding too much?

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HollyhedgePippa

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My 16hh 11yo sports horse gets two feeds a day which both consist of 1 stubbs scoop of alfa a original, a handful of barley, quater stubbs scoop of spillers horse and pony cubes, 2 carrots and 2 pieces of swede. She is out from about 10am to about 4pm with fairly decent grass. At night she gets 2 soaked hay nets; one full and one 3/4.

When shes standing around her belly just seems to bulge out (haven't got a picture will try to get one). My parents have also commented on it as well. She isn't fat anywhere else, it's just her belly. She has had two foals in the past, so will she have a pot belly no matter how much exercise she gets? She is currently schooled 4/5 times a week.

Any tips to shift this bulge? Or is it just a case of cut down food and increase the exercise? I don't want to shock her too much :p
This is what her weight looks like when ridden:
lolj.jpg

Sorry I scribbled myself out - my position was awful :p :o And I'm aware her head is a little over bent on this image :( She goes beautifully up until about 10 minutes before I've finished riding, then she tucks her head in and out and in and out. Anyway...
 
She looks just right to me. You dont want her losing too much weight as if you start travelling and competing she may start to run up light.
 
If she's 11 and an ex broodmare it's not unusual that she has a bit of a tum. If she holds herself as she is doing in the pic (i.e. using her abdominals) and you continue working her then she looks fine. Never mind what she looks like "off duty" as long as she works correctly. Can't comment on what you're feed her; I don't feed mine anything but hay/grazing so most peoples' concoctions seem weird to me.
 
I have a gelding who does this! He generally looks shockingly overweight when he's just stood still in the field but once you get on top he seems to pull himself up and in and looks fantastic! He's a heavyweight cob which doesn't help and he is a bit overweight but the difference is amazing. I wouldn't worry too much if your girl looks like the pic under saddle. She's gorgeous by the way :) x
 
Sounds like a grass/gas belly, made worse by being an ex broodmare. She looks to be lovely body condition.

What you're feeding isn't much, and is mostly fibre (alfalfa is equivelent of a high-protien grass)

You could maybe try some digestion aid/supplements to see if it helps with any gassiness but otherwise I wouldn't worry.
 
She looks great!
I feed my two a similar amount - twice a day they get a Stubbs scoop of Dengi Hi-Fi Original and a scoop of conditioning cubes with a net of haylage overnight and grass during the day. One is 15.2hh in work...and the other one is 17hh and retired! :eek:
I don't think that's too much feed. Mine look really good one what I am feeding them, as does yours :)
 
She looms ok, god knows I let it all hang out when I am relaxing :D

If you are worried cut out the turnip and carrots, can't see she needs them if grazing is good, but she looks great, and if you are happy with what you are doing, don't worry and ignore everyone else :)
 
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