What Causes Obesity In Horses?

There are many causes of obe- sity, including genetic factors, overfeeding, and a more sed- entary lifestyle. Certain breeds of horses and ponies seem to be predisposed to obesity or regional fat accumulation in the neck or rump.

What causes equine obesity?

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.

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.

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.

Can horses become obese?

January 21, 2021 – Obesity is a growing problem in horses and ponies around the world, with an estimated 30% of horses estimated to be obese. And that extra weight comes with an increased risk of a host of health conditions, including equine metabolic syndrome, laminitis and orthopedic disease.

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.

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 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 much hay should an overweight horse eat?

Feed no more than 2% of your horse’s weight in hay per day, and if they actively need to lose weight, you can feed as little as 1.5% of their weight. One train of thought is to feed 2% of their ideal weight or 1.5% of their actual weight, whichever is more.

How do you slim down an easy keeper horse?

Confinement of the horse to a dry lot paddock and offering only moderate to good quality grass hay at 1 to 1.5% of the target (not current) body weight, free choice water and trace mineral salt, often is all that is required for gradual weight loss.

What puts weight on horses fast?

What is the fastest way to put weight on a horse? High fat, high protein grain combined with a rich alfalfa hay can quickly put weight on a horse, if there is not an underlying medical condition.

How do you get rid of a horse’s big belly?

Hay belly is most commonly caused by feeding horses a low-quality forage that leads to gut fill and extended digestive times. To alleviate hay belly, owners are advised to check their forage quality and change to higher quality forage, as well as evaluating other aspects of their feeding plan.

How do you get a fat horse back into work?

“Start off by doing half an hour, building up to one to 1.5 hours a day.” “Try gently lungeing or loose-schooling for a few minutes in an enclosed area on safe footing to allow him to get rid of any excess energy. Hopefully, after a few days of this, he will settle into the routine.”

Does obesity cause laminitis?

Horses and ponies that gain weight are more than twice as likely to develop laminitis than if they lose or maintain their weight, new research has found.

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.

Why does obesity cause laminitis?

Uncontrolled obesity can lead to metabolic distur- bances such as insulin resis- tance, which plays a major role in pasture-associated laminitis. Laminitis is an extremely pain- ful condition that causes dam- age to weight-supporting structures of the horse’s hoof and may result in chronic, debilitating lameness.

What would make a horse lose weight fast?

Poor Quality or Limited Feed –Probably the most common cause of weight loss is poor quality or limited feed. Forage (hay/pasture) plays a significant role in chronic weight loss since it is the primary component of the diet. In addition, it is difficult to accurately determine the quality of hay and pasture.

How long does it take for a horse to lose weight?

Loosing weight is a process that takes several months, not weeks. It is a fact that a fat horse will increase it’s fitness quickly with one hour of work each day.

Does soaking hay help horses lose weight?

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.

Should a horse eat a bale of hay a day?

A horse can eat anywhere from 15-25 pounds of hay a day, which generally equates to a half of a 45/50-pound square bale of hay per day (~15-30 bales per month). What is this? Always remember to take into consideration the quality of your hay.

Can you overfeed hay to a horse?

However, keep in mind that the bulk of your horse’s diet should be made up of grass or hay. Underfeeding hay or pasture, and overfeeding grains and concentrates can lead to colic.