Horse & Hound news editor Eleanor Jones shares her views on the British Equine Veterinary Association’s new pilot scheme designed to combat the life-threating risk that obesity holds for too many horses through the UK
Equine obesity is a big issue. Vets have said they put down more horses from related conditions than any other, but it is a preventable disease – and it’s man-made. Whether it’s down to the way they are kept, and possibly the stigma associated with owning a skinny horse, the problem is not getting any better.
{"content":"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"}
What do you think is the key reason vets are not seeing a reduction in the number of obese horses? Let us know your views by emailing hhletters@ti-media.com with your name and nearest town for the chance to be featured in the letters page a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine…
You may also be interested in…
Credit: .
The British Equine Veterinary Association is launching a six-month pilot of a new scheme designed to tackle equine obesity from
The owner is urging others to take action on overweight horses
Half our horses could be obese — and many owners are blind to the problem. So found a recent study
Credit: Redwings Horse Sanctuary
‘In loving our animals too much we are exposing them unnecessarily to potentially fatal diseases’