Equine obesity

Track living: the alternative horsey set-up

Rachel Fraser discovers the benefits of keeping horses on tracks and how to make changes to your set-up without breaking the bank

10 tips to help you take control of your horse’s weight

Here are 10 practical tips based on the latest research, to help take control of your horse’s weight

Show to offer awards for horses of healthiest weight

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

‘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

Equine obesity is a growing problem and it's going unrecognised

Horses are getting fatter, and the general public don’t realise what serious welfare concern it is, says leading equine charity World Horse Welfare.

First cruelty case linked to obese horse goes to court

A couple from Lancashire have been banned from keeping horses after allowing a Shetland pony to become grossly obese

Research questions the accuracy of fat scoring

Scientists are looking for new ways to measure obesity in horses and ponies after research questions the accuracy of conventional body condition or “fat scoring” systems