The increasing use of horses for sports purposes has made it necessary to take greater care with their nutrition and to closely monitor their body condition. Nowadays, in addition to common problems of weight loss, there are also issues related to excess weight.
Impact on the Horse’s Health and Performance
Excess weight and obesity are found both in leisure and competition horses, across all equestrian disciplines.
Culturally, a "rounded" horse is still appreciated; however, obesity is by no means desirable and has a significant impact on the horse’s health and athletic performance.
Excess weight increases pressure on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, as well as overloading joints and ligaments, making horses more prone to injuries or worsening pre-existing ones. Obese horses are also more likely to develop Equine Metabolic Syndrome or Laminitis.
Obesity also impairs thermoregulation, making horses more susceptible to overheating and dehydration during physical activity. This is not only harmful to their health but also contributes to a decrease in performance. It is quite common for obese animals to show lower tolerance to exercise.
How to Identify and Manage Excess Weight
The first step should be weighing the horse and assessing its body condition. In obese horses, weight loss should be a clear goal. To achieve this, we need to intervene both in the diet and physical activity—reducing caloric intake and increasing caloric expenditure through more exercise.
In general, horses in good condition consume about 2% of their body weight in feed, including forage and concentrate. When weight control is needed, intake should be adjusted to 1.5% of the horse’s body weight. This reduction, like weight loss itself, should be gradual.
Initially, cereal-based concentrates ("feed") should be reduced and may even be completely removed. The horse’s nutritional needs—especially lysine (a limiting amino acid), vitamins, and minerals—must be met. The feed should be chosen to provide these nutrients with low caloric content (so-called “balancers”). Alternatively, forage can be supplemented with a vitamin and mineral supplement.
As the total amount of feed decreases, the time spent eating and chewing will also likely decrease. To minimize this and reduce associated risks (particularly gastric ulcers), we should use strategies to extend feeding time, such as offering forage in fine mesh hay nets. Forage should also be weighed and administered as prescribed.
Key Points to Remember:
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Regularly assess the horse’s body condition.
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Always weigh the feed (hay and concentrate).
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Adjust feed according to the horse’s level of physical activity.
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Consider supplementing forage with a low-calorie, nutrient-dense concentrate (BALANCE).
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Try to prolong the horse’s feeding and chewing time as much as possible.
