Equine obesity

Owners warned to be vigilant in laminitis ‘perfect storm’

A combination of factors has led to favourable conditions for laminitis to develop — and all horses and ponies can be at risk

‘I have never seen ponies this fat’: grossly obese Shetlands rescued by charity

‘The majority of the time I respond to equines who are underweight. In an extreme contrast, these three are so overweight that we needed to act immediately to ensure we put an end to their suffering’

New research confirms straw could be valuable weapon in fight against equine obesity 

‘We hope the success of the trial means this research will go on to help even more ponies’

Potential health problems for native breeds *H&H VIP*

Britain’s native ponies have evolved to thrive in harsh conditions, but they suffer their share of health problems. Andrea Oakes discovers what to look out for.

Show to offer awards for horses of healthiest weight

‘We want to help recalibrate people’s ideas of a healthy weight’

How to avoid potential problems associated with spring turnout

Horses evolved to graze on rough grass, yet modern pasture is like rocket fuel, explains Caroline McGregor-Argo MRCVS

‘The figures don’t lie’: weight gain more than doubles risk of laminitis

It was also found that some management strategies, such as restricting grazing, increased the laminitis risk

Owner’s weight warning after obese mare came within ‘hours of death’

The owner is urging others to take action on overweight horses

Is your horse too fat? Experts warn of the 'silent torturer'

The issue was discussed at the World Horse Welfare conference this month

Overweight horse? Find out if a grazing muzzle could help

With the autumn flush of grass coming through, the National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) has released guidance on how to use grazing muzzles responsibly

New way to monitor body fat in horses developed

A new way to monitor body fat in horses has been developed to assist weight loss in equines

Warning: equine obesity on the rise

Alarming trend of expanding equine waistlines detected by latest survey

Is your horse getting too fat?

UK owners think that horses are getting heavier and studies show that cases of equine obesity are rising

Laminitis: where is new research heading?

The myth that laminitis only affects obese ponies is one that vets and research bodies are working hard to dispel

Reducing turnout may not limit grass intake

A new study suggests that reducing turnout to restrict a pony’s grass intake may be pointless

Half of UK horses could be classed as overweight

Half our horses could be obese — and many owners are blind to the problem. So found a recent study by University of Nottingham’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Science

Obese horses may need greater diet restrictions, says new study

New research has shown that some obese horses and ponies may need to have their diets more severely restricted than previously thought, in order to help them lose weight.

Owners unite to fight obesity in the showring

A new group, Loving Owners Object to Fat (LOOF), have pooled their resources to install weighbridges at major shows throughout the season

Managing equine metabolic syndrome

Veterinary advice on managing the hormonal condition which leads to equine obesity and laminitis

Princess Royal says don't ignore equine suffering

The Princess has said that responsible owners must not turn away from the suffering of horses transported to slaughter on the Continent