Managing Your Horse's Weight

Summary of research tips discussing genetic links to lamintis and tips on how to manage your horses weight.

The latest news is that ‘scientists have identified the most clear genetic link yet to obesity in the general human population as part of a major study of diseases funded by the Wellcome Trust, the UK’s largest medical research charity. People with two copies of a particular gene variant have a 70% higher risk of being obese than those with no copies’, (BBC news april07)

Genetic Link To Laminitis?

A similar possibility of a genetic explanation exists in ponies. A group of Welsh and Dartmoor ponies which had been interbred showed an inheritance of a gene associated with laminitis incidence, (N.Menzies-Gow, 2007).

Excess Calories Causes Weight Gain

It is great to have a possible explanation as to why some ponies can be very challenging when it comes to getting them to lose weight. However the stark reality is that if you own a pony or horse that is prone to weight gain, you just have to manage the situation more closely. Animals will only put on weight if their calorie, (energy) intake exceeds their calorie (energy) use.

Comfortably Cuddly; A Welfare Issue?

Tony Tyler, Director of UK Operations, ILPH has highlighted recently that ‘a condition score of 5 (on a scale of 1-5) has the same welfare significance as a condition score of 1.’ The problem is we can all recognise a thin horse, all the signs are on the outside; but we find it more difficult to distinguish between a cuddly and a fat horse. Long term a fat horse is dying inside because of the effect of fat on insulin resistance.

Grass Is Deficient In Minerals

It is a challenge to get a good doer to lose weight and at the same time keep him and his digestive system happy. One of the reasons is that if you ride for an hour a day it is highly likely that good grazing will provide your horse with more calories than he needs. It is worth noting that even good grass is very likely to be deficient in minerals, (Jones and Hollands, 2005). Remember that minerals are needed for energy cycles to work at cell level as well as for coat and hoof condition. Ways in which you can give your pony minerals without excess calories include Daily Vits and Mins or Ultimate Balancer.

Reducing Bulk (fibre) Increases The Risk Of Colic And Behaviour Problems

If your horse is prone to laminitis, (and this is strongly correlated with obesity/being overweight), then you will have to restrict grazing. Horses have a psychological need to chew and hay and grass satisfies this need. It is vital that they eat enough bulk or they will develop stereotypic behaviours and be more prone to gastric ulcers and colics. A lack of fibre results in increased wood chewing, (Walters et al, 2004) and some forms of colic, (Hillyer et al, 2004). Try soaking hay for 12hrs to reduce its calorie content and feed a fibre based feed formulated for horses prone to laminitis which increases their eating time such as Safe and Sound.

Chronic Laminitics Have 3x The Level Of Free Radicals Compared To Non Laminitics(Neville, Hollands Et Al, 2005)

People and ponies who are overweight are constantly in an inflammatory state and will have higher levels of free radicals compared to less cuddly people and horses. Anti-oxidants mop up free radicals. Chronic laminitics are similar and we found that chronic laminitics have 3X the level of free radicals compared to non laminitics. This finding was published in The Equine Veterinary Journal and Safe and Sound was formulated with special additional anti-oxidants based on the findings.

Know The Right Weight Of Your Horse

It is important to know the ‘Right Weight’ of your horse and one way of finding this out would be to attend one of the ‘Right Weight’ days run by the ILPH, (www.ilph.org)

Monitoring Your Horse’s Weight

It is difficult to tell if your horse is putting on weight if you see him everyday. There is a scientifically developed weightape which when used correctly gives you the weight of your horse or pony which is not significantly different to the weighbridge. The weightapes were developed by ourselves with Warwicks College and the results published in The Veterinary Record. Contact your merchant or D&H mailorder (01832 737333) to buy one.