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Discussion on Advise on geldings diet...
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Member:
Alaska
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 15, 2004 - 3:34 am:
ok- here is my geldings diet and I am wondering if I am on track:
12-15#'s alfalfa hay twice a day (gets diarrhea on grass hay)He does not eat all the hay, as he is very picky and refuses to eat the stemmy parts- only the soft leafy parts (so it's hard to determine really how much hay he is getting)
3-5#s crimped oats twice a day
4-6 cups dry beet pulp made into a mash 3 times a week
I have recently started working him more (lunging 3x week) with trail rides about 1x week.
He is about a 5 rating scale, fluctuates some in his weight depending on work load (can see his ribs somewhat when he is working, but when standing he seems/looks ok)
Any suggestions?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 - 9:57 am:
It depends on your goals Marcell. While the foods you are providing will make for a balanced diet the question is the condition your horse in what you desire? If not then a bit more concentrate is required see the article on concentrates for specific suggestions and then pick the option that best fits your management.
DrO
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Member:
Cowgrl
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 - 10:28 am:
My QH has a huge gut on him that I just can't get rid of. However, I can see his ribs and then below them is this beer belly. He is in excellent condition muscle wise but still looks like he's pregnant. He is getting about 15 lbs of grass hay (timothy) a day plus about 1 quart Omolene 200 (12% protein). His weight is currently 1050, he is 15.2 hands, and 17 years old. He gets regular exercise via mountain trails and has plenty of stamina. I would think with this regimen that his belly would disappear as his condition improves. Not sure what to think at this point. Perhaps he needs more collection work to get him to raise his back and strengthen those muscles? A different diet? Any suggestions would be welcome.
Thanks!
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 - 4:03 pm:
From your other posts, I'm pretty sure you worm him, right? Have you done a count on his stool? wormed him for tape worms? I've also read that if a horse isn't getting the right nutrition from his hay or pasture, he'll get that hay belly look. Maybe he's unable to digest all the nutrients in the hay and should be getting more Omolene and less hay? Or, maybe something like Equine Sr. or one of the other complete feeds and less hay? Just some thoughts. My old mares look kind of like that, but they've all had lots of foals; an excuse your guy doesn't have!
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Member:
Cowgrl
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 - 5:50 pm:
Oh yes, He's on a regular worming program and is due this month. I wormed in April for tapes. I also wormed him about a year ago with a Panacur Power Pack and that didn't address the issue. He's always looked like this as long as I've had him (8 years).
I may try your suggestion of Equine Sr. and less hay. I should have our hay analyzed for nutritional content.
Thanks Sara
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 17, 2004 - 6:56 am:
Sara is close. It's not a matter of digesting all the digestible nutrients, it is a matter of the amount of undigestible fiber in the hay and grass. Diets high in poorly digestible fiber do give horses a hay belly so I suspect more concentrate and less hay would tighten up the tummy, but the horse won't be as happy.
DrO
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Member:
Cowgrl
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 17, 2004 - 4:44 pm:
He is quite a munch mouth. The hay we feed is a good quality Eastern WA timothy which we've been feeding for just the last year. Before that, we fed alfalfa/grass, before that, straight alfalfa and he's always had the belly. We've always received the highest quality hay from a friend who's a grower and we buy by the tractor trailer load (30 tons) at a time.
Does alfalfa have highly digestible fiber? I really don't want to go back to feeding it as it gives him diarrhea.
We have good quality pasture so if I fed more concentrate, less hay, and supplemented it with limited pasture time, would that trim him up? At least then he wouldn't be as unhappy.
Thanks.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, Jun 18, 2004 - 6:17 am:
More important than the type forage is the maturity of the hay/grass as to how much undigestible fiber there is. The point is to reduce the amount of undigestible fiber Holly, you are taking some away and adding some back I am unable to measure what the net change might be. Keep in mind you are working here on a purely aesthetic goal here, if the the horse is healthy is it worth it?
DrO
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Member:
Lhenning
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Posted on Friday, Jun 18, 2004 - 12:33 pm:
Holly,
It was told to me by one of my "horsey" friends that some horse bodies are normally a bit overweight, just like some people are; its just in their DNA and they like themselves that way. Don't know if its true, but I thought I'd toss out the idea anyway.
Linda
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Member:
Terrilyn
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Posted on Friday, Jun 18, 2004 - 1:27 pm:
Nice point, Linda....I must be like Holly's horse. I have been trying to lose 15 lbs for two years...and I've now decided (as has my metabolism) than I LIKE myself this way. Guess I'm stuck with this grass belly from middle-age on!
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Member:
Suzeb
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Posted on Friday, Jun 18, 2004 - 1:44 pm:
Holly,
I love your term of endearment "Munch Mouth"  .
I have a QH gelding approximately the same size and age. He too has been on different diets and we just can't seem to get rid of this rotund belly. Maybe someone knows how to get your horse to do those tummy crunches. Horse sit ups anyone!
Susan B.
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Member:
Cowgrl
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Posted on Friday, Jun 18, 2004 - 3:35 pm:
Ol' WooDrOw is just terrible! Constantly mugging for treats or follows you around like a big dog getting in your way if you're trying to work. If we meet hikers when we're out trail riding, he'll even stop to see if they have anything for him. He's such a comical horse. Gotta love 'em!
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