Hello Dr. Getty,
Thank you so much for such a helpful website. I have a 4 year old mare and a yearling. They are both paints. They are both on pasture 24/7. I also feed them LMF feed (grass formula). Website for LMF : http://www.lmffeeds.com/lmf_development.html The mare looks better than she ever has. My yearling still has a big pot belly, but he is on a good worming program so I don't think that is the problem. I have also given him Probiotic paste at least 3 times in the last three months. I used to give them LMF two times a day to put weight on them. I then cut back to once a day. What do you recommend?
Thank you so much!!!
Heather

Where are you from? Stanwood, Washington

How did you locate this forum? search engine

Hi Heather,

Your yearling’s pot belly could simply be fermentation or it could be due to tapeworms. Does your worming program include a dose of praziquantel at least once each year? It is combined with either ivermectin or moxidectin in combo dosages – there are several brands.

Too much starch can also cause bloating and grains, in general, are not the best for horses. I notice that LMF makes a low starch feed called, “Low Carb Complete.” I would recommend this one, instead of the grain-based feed you are currently using, for both your mare and yearling.

Poor quality pasture and/or hay, can also lead to excessive fermentation by the bacterial flora inside the hind gut. And, this, too, can cause an enlarged belly.

So, those are a few things for you to look into. I hope this helps. Keep me posted!

All the best,

Dr. Getty