Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
Welcome to my forum.
Here you will find more than 6 years of questions and my answers. It is searchable and offers a great deal of information.
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All the best,
Dr. Getty
Hi Shelley,
What you are describing is a classic sign of Cushings syndrome. Or, she may be "pre-cushings." Ponies are prone to this disorder because they tend to put weight on very easily, and too much body fat is often a precursor to this disorder (though not always).
Is she drinking a lot of water and urinating a great deal? Is she very hungry? These are also signs of the problem.
Here's what you do... Do not feed any grain -- no oats, no corn, no barley, etc. Allen and Page makes a feed called, "Sugar Intolerance Diet" which I highly recommend. You will need to add a top dressing to it since it is not a complete feed. Top Spec offers a feed balancer or complete supplement.
She is young to have this problem, so you may wish to have your vet pull some blood and test her insulin and ACTH levels.
Keep me posted!
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
Hi Shelly,
It certainly could be genetic. However, it could also be a pre-cushing situation. So, to relieve your mind and give you a definitive answer, I would recommend having the blood work done when you have an opportunity.
Please keep me posted.
All the best,
Dr. Getty