Horse owners must be aware of the health risks associated with equine obesity, ranging from fatty tumors to insulin resistance. | Photo: iStock

Fight the good fight by helping your horse slim down

Who doesn’t love to see a herd of rotund shiny-coated horses grazing greedily in a sea of green grass? Turns out, there are quite a few people, including authorities on equine welfare who are keen for the equine community to recognize and appreciate the link between obesity and health hazards.

“The issue of overweight horses is an important health risk that has become more and more prevalent over recent years,” says Sam Chubbock, BSc (Hons), Right Weight manager at World Horse Welfare, in Norfolk, U.K. “Overweight horses are so common now that this has become ‘normal,’ making it very difficult for owners to know what the correct condition for their horse really is. Most people readily recognize a thin horse and assume it is ill or has health risks, but not so many owners are aware of the health risks associated with fat in horses.”

What are the consequences of a little extra padding? Philip J. Johnson, BVSc (Hons), MS, Dipl