As every busy horse owner knows, it’s not easy picking and sticking to a weight loss program, be it for us or our horses. Although many of us have been educated about maintaining our horses at an appropriate body condition, pasture after pasture is still filled with fat horses and ponies.

"Part of the problem is that dietary guidelines and suggestions need to be practical if they are to be instituted and adopted," explained Pat Harris, MA, PhD, VetMB, Dipl. ECVCN, MRCVS, head of the Equine Studies Group at WALTHAM Center for Pet Nutrition at the 12^th Congress of The World Equine Veterinary Association, held Nov. 2-6 in Hyderabad, India.

According to Harris, "The best way to manage an obese horse or pony is to prevent it from becoming obese in the first instance. It is imperative that owners recognize that their horse is obese then initiate a diet and management plan that includes regular monitoring and reviewing