Rehabilitating emaciated horses to nutritional health is a challenge–there’s a fine line between not getting results and risking the horse’s health by introducing too much, too soon. Maria Luke, DVM, discussed one system used to facilitate weight gain in these horses at the 2008 Convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif.

Luke focused on horses with body condition scores (BCS) between 1.0 and 2.5. Using the Henneke Body Condition Scoring scale, a horse with a BCS of 1 is emaciated, while acceptable ranges are from 4 to 6, with 5 being ideal.

Feed offered to horses in the study (which were housed at the State of Georgia’s equine impound facility) was not weighed, but it rather was quantified with the system commonly used by horse owners–flakes and scoops. All horses resided in groups arranged by age and temperament. They had the shelter of barns, trees, and/or sheds, and wore blankets temporarily in cold conditions. Additional feed was provided when overnight temperatures dropped below freezing