Is My Horse Obese and Should I Be Worried About It?

The ongoing problem of obesity in equines is not a recent one. However in some industrialized countries the increase in the number of obese horses and ponies predominantly found in the leisure industry has now become a globally recognized welfare concern.
Carrying excess weight places increased stress on the skeletal system of the horse can limit reproductive performance adversely affect athletic performance and may lead to an increased risk of laminitis osteoarthritis heat intolerance and certain types of colic.

Dr. Pat Harris a veterinary specialist in equine nutrition from the Equine Studies Group WALTHAM Centre for Pet nutrition in the UK gave a plenary speech on equine obesity at the 2018 International Society of Equine Science conference in Rome. Dr. Harris reviewed the current research raised concerns about the growing number of overweight horses worldwide and gave practical advice to help horse owners and keepers recognise early signs and manage the condition.
The increase of obesity in domestic horses may not only result from the way they are fed managed and exercised but may also be a consequence of owners and keepers not being able to recognise when their horses are starting to become overweight. In recent years there may also have been a shift in the perception of what is considered an ideal condition for the horse favouring higher condition scores. In part this could be due to the number of overweight horses and ponies winning at shows and then being seen as the ideal breed standard and subsequently portrayed as the norm.
Equine obesity can be a very difficult condition to manage. Weight loss programmes are complex and require changes to diet and management and increased exercise. Ponies can eat up to one percent of their body weight in dry matter in just three hours of turnout at grass and nearly five percent over 24 hours which means that in order to encourage weight loss management changes often have to be quite marked.
Managing weight loss involves time and planning on the owners part and in practice requires more than just reducing energy caloriekilojoule intake in order to help keep the horse healthy and maintain longterm weight loss. It is vitally important to provide an appropriately balanced diet throughout horses must have the correct protein vitamin and mineral intake to avoid negative health consequences.
Weight loss programs also need to consider that horses are trickle feeders and cannot be left for long periods without