How Do You Prevent Horse Obesity?

Exercise and increasing physical activity Appropriate exercise is essential for all horses, but levels of activity must increase gradually without stressing an unfit horse. For a sound and otherwise healthy horse, exercise is one of the best means of assisting weight loss and improving physical health and fitness.

How is obesity treated in horses?

Horses placed on a weight-reduction plan should undergo a moderate level of exercise, producing an average heart rate of 90 beats per minute throughout the entire exercised period. Ideally, they should be removed from pasture and placed on a hay diet that is by weight 1.5 percent of their body weight.

What causes obesity in horses?

The causes of equine obesity are similar to that in humans; over nutrition and/or lack of exercise. The shift in the role of the horse from productivity to leisure/companion has resulted in an increase in equine obesity.

How do I keep my horse weight down?

Here are a few tips to help your horse lose weight:

1. Get exercising. Even if your horse isn’t ridden, you can lunge, long rein, use horse walkers, track systems, or walk in-hand to help them burn a few calories.
2. Reduce hard food intake.
3. Restrict grazing.
4. Look at forage.
5. Don’t starve your horse.

What keeps a horse from gaining weight?

For a horse to maintain a healthy weight, he needs to intake 2 to 3 percent of his body weight daily. At the minimum, 1.5 to 2 percent needs to be good quality forage. For example, a maintenance amount would be 2 pounds of forage for every 100 pounds of body weight.

Does soaking hay reduce calories?

It is advised to soak your hay for at least 4 hours in clean water before feeding it as this helps to reduce its calorie & sugar content. Grazing should be as limited as possible.

What are the signs of obesity in horses?

How to tell if your horse is overweight

• The ribs should be visible or easily palpable.
• There should be no, or minimal, crest.
• There should be no fat parts over the shoulder area or the ribs.
• There shouldn’t be a noticeable gully on top and between the horse’s hindquarters.

What should I feed my obese horse?

One of the most common feeding strategies employed by owners of overweight horses and ponies is to give a token offering of a high fibre, low energy feed such as Meadow Sweet with honey.

How can I increase my horses metabolism?

Exercise at trot and canter for 30 minutes, 5-6 days per week if the horse has no lameness problems. Condition the horse gradually to be able to accept this level of exercise. Aerobic conditioning helps to burn fat while also training the body to metabolize adipose tissue for energy.

Can you ride an overweight horse?

You could be medically overweight, or even obese, by your BMI, but if your horse is big, strong and fit enough, with a saddle fitted well to you and him, and you’re fit and balanced, it’s possible you could ride him without an issue.

Does clipping help horses lose weight?

Especially for those who can’t be worked, clipping them throughout the winter can be a very useful tool to help control their weight.

How many hours a day should a horse be turned out?

Research has shown that horses require at least 8 to 10 hours of turnout per day, on good quality pasture, to achieve the minimum dry matter intake of 1% of their body weight. The recommended dry matter intake for an average horse is 1.25% to 2% of their body weight daily.

What weight is too heavy to ride a horse?

Deb Bennett, PhD, founder of the Equine Studies Institute and an expert in the biomechanics of horses, has advised that the “Total weight of rider plus tack must not exceed 250 lbs. There is no horse alive, of any breed, any build, anywhere, that can go more than a few minutes with more weight on its back than this.

What does apple cider vinegar do for horses?

Improve digestion and balance PH levels in your horse
Apple Cider Vinegar works to acidify the horse’s stomach for better digestion, cleansing the digestic tract. It can also aid in the absorption of minerals and helps balance the acid/alkaline ratio which is essential for good health.

Will beet pulp put weight on a horse?

Beet pulp can be used to help underweight horses gain weight, as it provides approximately 1,000 kcals per pound (one quart of dry beet pulp shreds weighs approximately 0.5-0.6 pounds).

Where do horses gain weight first?

Loin: A thin horse’s spine will stick up and he’ll have a ridge down his back. This is the first place you’ll notice weight gain or loss.

Is grass or hay more fattening for horses?

If a horse stops eating hay and starts eating grass, it can consume about 15% more energy. A fat or laminitic pony needs only limited grass.

Does a hay steamer remove sugar?

Steaming is less effective at reducing the sugar and starch content of hay. Steaming has been shown to reduce water-soluble carbohydrate levels in hay by 0 – 18%, compared to 8 – 50% for soaking. For horses that require low NSC hay, soaking before steaming can help.

What hay has the highest sugar content?

Oat hay tends to be higher in nitrates and also high in sugar (NSC), so this hay is not an option for insulin resistant horses. Here’s a comparison chart so you can see the differences between alfalfa hay, timothy (grass) hay and oat hay.

How much hay should I feed my horse to lose weight?

“Hay intake should be about 2% of body weight, if horses are receiving no other feed or forage.” If the horse requires weight loss for optimal health, less hay can be fed, about 1.5% of body weight.

How do you get rid of hay belly in horses?

Treatment of Hay Belly in Horses
Should you notice that your horse has a big belly while losing muscle mass, consider doing the following: Begin feeding him a better quality of hay. If your horse is on pasture, provide him good quality hay as a supplement to his grazing. Feed your horse a protein supplement like grain.