Hay Belly in Horses

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Excessive consumption of high fiber and low protein feed alters the fermentation process in the horses hind gut producing excess gas.
Exercise is insufficient to help maintain healthy digestion and overall muscle tone.
How Do Vets Diagnose Hay Belly in Horses?
If your horse has a bloated belly consult your veterinarian. A distended abdomen can be a sign of weight gain or other serious health issues such as a heavy parasitic infection or endocrine dysfunction Cushings disease. These conditions must be ruled out to definitively diagnose hay belly.
Prognosis for Horses with Hay Belly
Over several weeks to months of tweaks to your horses diet you should notice your horses belly starting to retract and its condition improving.
Make sure to communicate your progress with your vet to assure youre on the right track. Regular assessment of your horses body condition score and body weight using a weight tape will help you objectively measure your horses progress.
How to Prevent Hay Belly
Proper nutrition is the first step to maintaining the health of your horse 3 Not all horses should be fed the same way so make sure your horses diet fits its individual needs.