Why Horse Weight Matters

Applying Human Principles to Horses

As humans, we all get bombarded with facts and information on why it is so important to keep fit, slim and healthy - the health risks are highlighted to us and we are all aware that eating healthily, exercising regularly and avoiding foods that cause weight gain is the best plan of action.

The same theory applies to all other animals and this of course includes our equine friends too!

Keeping horses at their optimum weight can be very tricky, especially if you do not have the facility to measure weight fluctuations on a regular basis and unfortunately not everyone has access to a weighbridge. However, keeping a close eye on weight is a very important aspect of taking care of your horse, as weight fluctuations can be a valuable indication of general health and weight gain or loss can be less than obvious if you see your horse on a day to day basis.

Secretive Weight Gain

Weight can very easily creep up on our horses, especially the native breeds. When the horse has access to fast growing, rich grass and if there is no reduction in hard feed calories, those pounds can pile on and may not be noticed until the problem has taken hold. It’s important to remember that the reason a horse gains weight is because less energy is being used (calories being burnt) than are being consumed. The most evident place that extra weight sits on a horse is on the crest of the neck. If you can grab the top of your horse or pony’s neck and there is enough there to wriggle around, the chances are they could do with losing a little weight!

There is a great weight scoring system, called the ‘body condition scoring system’, which typically runs on a scale of 0-5, ranging from emaciated to obese. This very useful tool and includes pictures from the side of the horse and the back, which can help give you an idea of where your horse or pony lies on the scale.

 

The dangers that all horse and pony owners should be aware of with overweight horses are as follows…

• Respiratory problems – with a bigger body mass comes a bigger requirement for oxygen. Transporting enough oxygen around the tissues can cause strain due to the fact that there is extra fat pushing against the horse’s lungs, which reduces the capacity of the lungs to expand.

• Joint strain – with more body mass comes more weight and the joints have no choice but to cope with this extra burden. Knees especially will be put under unnecessary pressure, resulting in accelerated wear on the cartilage – the key element which protects the bones in the joint from rubbing together.

• Circulatory problems – cholesterol and fat will narrow the diameter of the blood vessels, making the flow of blood around the body restricted and in turn influencing the rate at which oxygen can be transported.

• Growth deformities – the foal or yearling goes through vital stages in development and if they are fed an incorrect diet and become overweight, this can cause bone deformities through developmental orthopedic disease.

• Reduced exercise performance – through circulatory and respiratory problems, the horse’s ability to perform at his peak will be rapidly decreased, relative to how overweight he is.

• Inefficient cooling methods – after exercising, an overweight horse will cool down slower than one without a layer of insulation! The coping method for this will be to produce more sweat, which places him in danger of tying up if electrolytes are not administered.

• Liver problems – an obese horse will have fat laid down in its liver, which can lead to permanent liver damage if the weight problem is not tackled.

 

 

Weight Loss – A Valuable Indicator

 

Although being overweight can cause massive problems for horses, we all know the most probable cause – lack of exercise and a high calorie intake. Gradually adjusting the ratio of these 2 factors will help to transform your horse into a lean machine again! However, understanding why your horse is losing weight can be a trickier matter. Some of the causes include…

• Parasites – a horrible array of worms called nematodes could be infesting your horse’s large intestine and disrupting blood flow to the intestines, migrating to the liver and causing damage to the lungs. A healthy working programme should help to keep the problem under control.

• Dentistry – if you find sucked lumps of hay and feed on your horse’s stable floor, the chances are he is quidding. This means that his teeth are not in the best shape and hooks on the backs of his teeth or even missing teeth could be causing considerable discomfort while eating and mean he is losing out on precious nutrients as he is unable to keep food in his mouth.

• Gastric ulcers – the excruciating pain associated with gastric lesions in the stomach can be unbearable. One of the key indications that your horse may be suffering from gastric ulcers is weight loss though a reduced appetite.

• Cushing’s disease – this hormonal disease is still without a cure, and despite the increased appetite that may be exhibited, weight loss can be a fairly dramatic indication.

 

Keeping One Step Ahead

There are many dangers of not being able to spot changes in your horse or pony’s weight, whether he is over or underweight. If you are not one of the lucky ones with access to a weighbridge, a weight tape can be a very useful piece of equipment. This cheap alternative will not give a particularly accurate measurement of your horse’s actual weight, but it can allow you to monitor any loss or gain on an ongoing basis so you can adjust workload and calorie intake accordingly.

Keeping your horse’s weight at an optimum and recording any increases or decreases will also do wonders in helping you to adjust the diet from season to season, so your horse can stay at a constant weight all year round. This will reduce any unnecessary strains on the body, keeping him fit and healthy, which will enable him to perform his job better and live a happier life!

Ref: http://www.thepurefeedcompany.com/nutrition/why-weight-matters