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  Discussion on Why does my horse LOOK fat!
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Member:
scooter

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 6:17 pm:

Dr.O or anyone that may have this happen before. As you know I watch my horses weight carefully. I have put Hank in an exercise regimen, he gets worked fairly hard for about an hour. Since we started this regimen his girth on his saddle has gone up 4 holes(which is alot on my saddle... same blanket, same everything.

He is in the 9th hole, exactly where I consider him in good weight... 5th hole he is fat and 7th hole looks OK. I do know this is not a scientific way of doing BCS, but one of the ways I track his weight. He still LOOKS fat!!!! I don't think it is muscle, what's up with this I wonder. Sam LOOKS fat too, but as you can see in the pic you can see his ribs. I have heard of hay belly, do they get grass belly too?? I go by their BCS for how long I let them graze, but I am confused as to what that just is.

So here are pics while I know they can be deceiving, these look pretty true to what they look like in person. Are they fat??? I might be getting to used to the skinny bonesy arab, Hank is QH built. I think I am confused once again!





Sam

Member:
vickiann

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 6:29 pm:

Diane,

They both look good to me.

Perhaps it is just the way that they are built?

I think that horses can have kind of a big "barrel"/hay belly without really being fat?
Member:
stek

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 6:45 pm:

Diane in my experience YES horses can get grass belly just like hay belly. You have introduced him to more pasture recently right? So he is consuming way more forage than before?

What is the rest of his condition like - fat on tailhead, crest, withers, behind shoulder etc.
Member:
lilo

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 6:58 pm:

Hi Diane,

They look good to me too. I sort of use the way the saddle fits also to gauge changes in weight.

My Moonlight must have picked up some weight - need to add an intermediate hole for her.

I think Shannon's suggestion is good - checking for fat in the locations she mentions.

Isn't it great how Sam is shedding?

Lilo
Member:
rtrotter

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 7:31 pm:

Diane,

And where are the pictures of fat Bonesy.

I have my own theory on weight gain on Spring pastures. I think its the moisture content of the grass and it is mainly water weight that you are seeing, it still causes the same problem because the horses do gain some weight, but I think the benefits from having fresh grass in limited amounts outweigh the slight weight gain. It also makes them look healthy and shiny and even gives them dapples.

I think your horses look great and don't poo pah the muscling up effect that the work is doing for Hank(that's what he looks like, nicely muscled up, not fat). As long as you don't back off the work and put him out on pasture 24/7 hopefully you'll do fine.

Rachelle
Member:
scooter

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 7:33 pm:

I don't know what his BCS is part of him is a 7 and part of him is a 4 Same with Sam. He has his ever present cresty neck, some fat behind shoulders, some spongy fat on tail head, I can feel his ribs easily!! I can even see them. No rain gutters on their backs.

I would put both of them around a 5/6 I guess, EXCEPT the big bellies!! Wonder if this is a sign I should be cutting back their grass ... my biggest concern is laminitis.

Lilo it is great that Sam is almost completely shed out, he still has a few bald spots tho
Member:
scooter

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 7:41 pm:

OH gawd I was embarrassed to put pics of the scrawny arab in the same thread with my fat wonders

He is actually putting some weight on. Completely different build than Hank. It's weird riding him, Like being on a little stick LOL. Hank has a much more powerful backend.

Member:
canter

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 9:23 pm:

Diane, both Hank and Sam look really good to me, too. Sam isn't worked, so like skinny people who don't work out, he doesn't have the muscle under the "meat", so he's probably not really fit, but from the picture, I don't think he looks fat. The weather has just turned here in the midwest, so I think as you continue to work Hank, he will build muscle over the next weeks (keeping fingers crossed that the weather remains nice!)

Hank's coat is beautiful and shiny, and you can start to see the shine on Sam under the remaining fuzzies. They look like two healthy, happy horses to me.
Member:
scooter

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 10:37 pm:

Really??? Thanks I feel better. I have been working Hank in the arena then trail riding him, I try to get at least an hour a day on him... usually more, and we pull some big hills in the pasture. If Sam ever grows his hair back where his girth go I may slowly try to bring him back into work. I have been riding Bonesy almost everyday too. Wish I didn't have to work!!!

Vet is coming tomorrow for rabies shots and dental work, guess he'll tell me if they are fat. Those "hay bellies" make them look fatter than they are tho.. I think. I read that heneke scale a couple times again and I would say they are a solid 5 BCS. I hate it when they LOOK fat!!!

Hank has always had a shiny coat, I took that pic after I rode him, he rolled and ground in the sweat and he still shines ( I did brush the poor guy at supper!)
Member:
ajudson1

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010 - 7:18 am:

Diane,

I think they look good also. Just like people horses shape and body composition changes with age. Willow looked like Bonesy for many years, now she always seems to have a belly, and is broader all around...hmmm..kinda like her owner at middle age! They will all look different as they firm up from exercise and yes, pasture belly is like water bloat I think. Just keep 'em moving mam!

Hank is 13? How old is Sam? Older I think.
Member:
scooter

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010 - 7:41 am:

Sam is an old man and has cushings. I think he is around 23. The old mare Flash (30yo) looks alot like him ribby with a big belly hers seems to be improving tho, where the boys bellies look bigger, they both are IR I wonder if that has anything to do with it? The mare has slowed down a bit in her eating tho and is acting "weird" for a couple weeks she has me a little concerned.
Member:
stek

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010 - 10:38 am:

Diane looks like Bonesy has nice concave feet! Don't worry he will fill out like the others soon enough. My own arab was skinnier than Bonesy when I got him and it didn't take long for me to turn him into this:

Member:
stek

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010 - 10:41 am:

Before pic for reference =)
Member:
scooter

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010 - 4:54 pm:

The vet was here and he said Sam looked good and Hank was a little tubby

Bad news, Flash is foundering, she has never foundered before, I have noticed her drinking and peeing more, and she was slow to shed last year, she also has been acting a little depressed.

Vet said to try her on pergolide,told him I already started it 3 days ago, she isn't having a full blown founder, but is quite tender. I hope this works as well for her as it did Sam
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010 - 6:30 pm:

Hope that Flash responds well, Diane!
Member:
lilo

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010 - 6:54 pm:

Best wishes for Flash from me also. What a bummer.
Hoping for a quick recovery, Lilo.
Member:
scooter

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010 - 7:06 pm:

Thanks Vicki and Lilo, me too. She doesn't look bad, I have been locking her in knowing something wasn't quite right, she has had some mild Dp's no heat and is walking just a little short, thank goodness it isn't bad. Vet wondered if the farrier trimmed her short. I don't think so cause I noticed she was a little off before he came. I suspected maybe her bowed tendon, but there was no heat in it at all. She doesn't look too bad, so hopefully she will recover quickly, if not we will probably draw blood and see what's going on
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Apr 22, 2010 - 5:36 am:

What aspects of these horses do you consider a 7 on the Henneke scale Diane?
DrO
Member:
scooter

Posted on Thursday, Apr 22, 2010 - 6:50 am:

Dr.O. Hank has a cresty neck and some flabby fat by his tail head. I'm not so sure that neck will ever go away tho. If I cut his neck and butt off he would be a 5.

Here's his neck 4/3, I don't have anything more recent but it is about the same. Big QH butt, but kind of flabby that pic is from the same day as the others above.





Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Apr 22, 2010 - 7:23 pm:

Since there is no midline "crease" I would give this butt a 5-6. Like you say a long term crest is hard to eliminate so should not be given undue consideration when evaluating condition.
DrO
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