I have a 17 year old mare who ALWAYS has a belly. We’re conditioning 4-5 days a week, 45 minutes at a time (long trotting a bunch, loping, walking the woods, pretty much you name it). She’s on Manna Pro Safe Performance 1x a day & T&A. As well as original Platinum Performance (considering doing Performance GI next).
Up most of the day, out on the pasture at night, we have some grass, not a ton but enough to keep her grazing while she’s out. I cannot get this girl in shape! If I knew 100% it was conformation and she was in good shape otherwise I’d let it go but I just feel like I have to be doing something wrong / missing something! Anyone have feed/hay/routine change suggestions?

Considering switching to RG or TC ration control and straight good quality Timothy hay, keeping our conditioning the same and seeing how she does... experience please?? Photos are from about 2 months ago; her muscle tone has improved but that belly won’t budge! Her mane and tail are also always thin like that- could she have something gastric going on? Just had her at the vet and she’s clear but she has gas colicked 2x in her life.

I have a gelding like that. No matter how good the hay quality, how in shape he is, he has that belly. My husband, the cowman, tells me he has well sprung ribs, lol. I finally quit worrying about it. However, this fall I am bringing him up and I’ll be doing some core work on the ground at first that I hope will help. I think he has weak core muscles and needs to strengthen them. No one has said that but I have been doing some research on some new stuff, so I’ll try it out since it won’t hurt him. 

There is a top running horse here in VA that I swear looks like he's pregnant. In great shape, has won larger shows, but has that belly thing going. As long as the horse is healthy and performs whatever its job is I'd think it's a non-issue. 

It's true some horses just always carry that extra weight but I would talk to a vet and have him pull a blood panel to check levels of everything and explain to him/her why you want this and see if they have other tests they'd recommend. 

I can't really tell from your pictures but does she have "well sprung ribs"? If so, they often tend to look like they have a belly.

My Dexter is like that! He was in great shape by the end of the summer last year, could just barely see outline of his ribs when he moved (but not underweight) -- yet he still looked like he had a belly. His ribs just really "come out" in a round shape and it is what it is.

My mare is like this too. (She's 18). She's Appendix bred, and once I get her not looking rib-y, she's got a little bit of a belly. Doesn't matter how good of shape she is in.....she will have just a little bit of a gut, or she needs 30 lbs on her. Nothing in between.

Id just check the blood panel and I only really say that because of the cresty neck. 

Sometimes the microbial balance in the stomach can be a problem. Something like forco could be worth a try to see if it straightens the issue out. 

How is she bred?  I have a double bred Two Eyed Jack mare who constantly looks obese no matter how she's fed/worked.  

I think I have well sprung ribs.

HAHAHAHA!!!! ME TOO!!

I'm gonna have to use the "well sprung ribs" theory for myself and my old mare. Seriously though I have one that's 29 this year and she's still pretty well sprung even with her age :)  

Rach K I did notice your papers and I'm gonna have to go with the Bert breeding you got there because my mare has that too :)

I've seen a lot of "fast fatties" run, I have a friend that if her horse is in the fat hole in the back girth runs so much better :) 

I would check ACTH/INSULIN levels to see if she has Cushings. They can get a pot belly appearance, cresty neck, slow to shed, lots of symptoms. Would be especially concerned with her age.

My gelding always has a belly, he's a super easy keep though too. But even when he's in really good shape he still looks like he's carrying a bay in there. Just the way he is, yours could be the same 

Update! After a blood panel, she is insulin resistant! We’ve changed her feed, added Platinum metabolic support & have temporarily increased how much she’s stalled & exercised and added Platinum Beta Lip Ox to assist losing the cresty neck and other mild abnormal fat deposits. 

I do believe she’s just built like brick you now what house due to her breeding so I don’t expect thin but I don’t want thin!!

So far so good! I’ll post some update photos after 30 days or so!

Did your vet recommend those supplements to feed?