Equine Obesity - A Ticking Time Bomb? | Equine Science Matters™

Equine obesity has become one of the most significant welfare concerns facing horses and ponies in the UK. A 2019 study estimated that around 50% of equines are overweight or obese, rising to approximately 70% in native breeds. More recent estimates suggest these figures may now be even higher.

Excess weight is not simply a cosmetic issue. Obesity is strongly linked to a number of serious health conditions, including:

• Laminitis

• Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS)

• Arthritis and joint problems

• Respiratory and cardiovascular disease

• Reduced fertility in breeding animals

Fat tissue is often thought of simply as stored energy. In reality, it is metabolically and hormonally active, producing signalling molecules that influence metabolism, inflammation and insulin regulation. This helps explain why excessive body fat can have such widespread effects on equine health.

Why Is It Hard to Identify an Overweight Horse?

One of the biggest challenges for owners is objectively assessing body condition.

Ideally, horses would be weighed regularly using a weighbridge, but this is not always practical. Weight tapes are more accessible, although they are often inaccurate for determining true bodyweight.

Body Condition Scoring (BCS) can also be a useful tool when used consistently, but it does rely on a degree of subjective assessment.

Another complication is that our perception of what a “normal” horse looks like may have shifted. With so many horses and ponies now overweight, recognising a healthy body condition, particularly in native and cob-type breeds, is becoming increasingly difficult.

Spring Grass and Weight Gain

After a long winter of mud and restricted turnout, the arrival of spring grass is often very welcome. However, it can also represent a high-risk period for weight gain, particularly in horses and ponies that are naturally good-doers.

Forward planning is therefore essential to help prevent rapid increases in body fat levels as grass growth accelerates.

Managing Body Fat as Grazing Improves

1. Manage Forage Intake

Forage provides the largest proportion of energy in most horses’ diets. Horses require regular fibre intake to maintain digestive health, but this does not necessarily mean unrestricted access to high-energy grazing.

If grazing conditions are good, it can be helpful to begin restricting grass intake before growth really accelerates.

Practical strategies include:

• Restricting grazing hours

• Using a grass-free turnout area or arena

• Strip grazing to limit pasture access

• Using a grazing muzzle

If grazing is limited, horses should still receive hay or haylage to maintain adequate fibre intake.

Soaking Hay

Soaking hay can help reduce both non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) and overall energy content.

• Sugar levels may begin to decrease after around 30 minutes, depending on water temperature.

• Hay can be soaked for up to 12 hours to reduce soluble sugars further.

• It should then be rinsed before feeding.

2. Maintain Vitamin and Mineral Intake

Horses on restricted diets may consume fewer nutrients overall. However, their vitamin and mineral requirements remain unchanged.

Using a suitable balancer or vitamin and mineral supplement can help ensure these needs are met without adding unnecessary calories.

3. Prioritise Exercise and Movement

Exercise is one of the most effective tools for managing body fat and supporting metabolic health.

Muscle activity increases the uptake of glucose from the bloodstream. Importantly, some of these mechanisms are independent of insulin, making exercise particularly beneficial for horses with insulin resistance associated with EMS.

Exercise also increases energy expenditure, helping to reduce body fat stores and prevent excess dietary energy from being stored as fat.

If a horse is currently out of work or in light exercise, workloads should be increased gradually.

4. Encourage Movement During Turnout

Voluntary movement during turnout can contribute significantly to daily energy use in leisure horses.

Simple management strategies can help increase activity levels:

• Placing forage in several locations around the turnout area

• Positioning water and shelter separately

• Adding trotting poles along commonly used paths

Even small increases in movement can contribute meaningfully to energy expenditure over time.

Monitoring Body Condition

Regular monitoring is essential to determine whether management strategies are working.

While weight tapes may not provide accurate absolute weights, they can be useful for tracking trends over time. Body Condition Scoring, when performed consistently, is another valuable tool.

Assessing body condition every two weeks and recording scores in a spreadsheet or notes app can help identify small changes before they become more significant.

Supporting Long-Term Health

Managing body fat levels can be challenging, particularly when overweight horses and ponies have become so common that it influences our perception of what is normal.

However, regular monitoring, careful diet management and regular exercise are among the most effective ways to protect horses from obesity-related disease.

Maintaining a healthy body condition is not simply about appearance; it is one of the most important ways we can support our horses in living longer, healthier and more comfortable lives.