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Obesity is likely to be just as common in horses as it is in the human population.
A pilot study, carried out at the University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, found that at least one in five leisure horses was overweight or obese. Owners were likely to underestimate body condition score.
Veterinary student Helen Stephenson assessed the prevalence of obesity among horses whose owners were registered with an equine veterinary practice.
A pilot study, carried out at the University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, found that at least one in five leisure horses was overweight or obese. Owners were likely to underestimate body condition score.
Veterinary student Helen Stephenson assessed the prevalence of obesity among horses whose owners were registered with an equine veterinary practice.
Obesity in English horses
Edited by Mark Andrews. Published online 20.01.11
Questionnaires were sent to five hundred horse owners, of which 160 were returned. None of the horses was kept for breeding, livery, riding stables, or competition, so all were classed as being used for leisure only.
One in five owners indicated that their horses were either overweight or obese.
The findings have been published online in the Veterinary Record.
Dr Sarah Freeman, a specialist in Veterinary Surgery at the vet school, supervised the research. Dr Freeman said, “This provides the first snapshot of the prevalence of obesity in horses in the UK and an insight into owners’ management of bodyweight in horses. Obesity is linked to a number of different diseases, including arthritis, laminitis and equine metabolic syndrome. A larger study would be useful to establish the prevalence and risk factors for equine obesity in different horse populations across the UK.”
The owners were asked about their perceptions of their horses’ body condition, and asked to score this from zero to five, with a score of more than three indicating overweight.*
Grass was the main source of forage for half the horses and coarse mix was the main source of concentrate feed in a similar proportion. Only one in 10 horses was not fed any concentrate.
The researchers then assessed the body condition of 15 randomly selected horses to see if the owners had under or overestimated the horse’s weight.
They assigned an average score that was significantly higher for these horses; eight of the owners had scored their horse at least one grade lower than the researcher had, indicating that the owners had underestimated their horses’ weight.
Based on the researchers’ findings, the authors estimate that the true prevalence of overweight/obesity was likely to be 54% rather than the 20% indicated by the questionnaire responses.
"Increasing incidence of obesity is a multi-species problem, affecting both humans and their companion animals," said Ms Stephenson. "I feel that addressing this issue is an important role for the profession, and I hope to do my part when I go into practice.”
*http://www.dodsonandhorrell.com/fileadmin/user_upload/pdf/fat-scoring.pdf
For more details see: Prevalence of obesity in a population of horses in the UK
HM Stephenson, MJ Green, SL Freeman
Veterinary Record Published Online First: 17 January 2011 doi:10.1136/vr.c6281
One in five owners indicated that their horses were either overweight or obese.
The findings have been published online in the Veterinary Record.
Dr Sarah Freeman, a specialist in Veterinary Surgery at the vet school, supervised the research. Dr Freeman said, “This provides the first snapshot of the prevalence of obesity in horses in the UK and an insight into owners’ management of bodyweight in horses. Obesity is linked to a number of different diseases, including arthritis, laminitis and equine metabolic syndrome. A larger study would be useful to establish the prevalence and risk factors for equine obesity in different horse populations across the UK.”
The owners were asked about their perceptions of their horses’ body condition, and asked to score this from zero to five, with a score of more than three indicating overweight.*
Grass was the main source of forage for half the horses and coarse mix was the main source of concentrate feed in a similar proportion. Only one in 10 horses was not fed any concentrate.
The researchers then assessed the body condition of 15 randomly selected horses to see if the owners had under or overestimated the horse’s weight.
They assigned an average score that was significantly higher for these horses; eight of the owners had scored their horse at least one grade lower than the researcher had, indicating that the owners had underestimated their horses’ weight.
Based on the researchers’ findings, the authors estimate that the true prevalence of overweight/obesity was likely to be 54% rather than the 20% indicated by the questionnaire responses.
"Increasing incidence of obesity is a multi-
*http://www.dodsonandhorrell.com/fileadmin/user_upload/pdf/fat-
For more details see: Prevalence of obesity in a population of horses in the UK
HM Stephenson, MJ Green, SL Freeman
Veterinary Record Published Online First: 17 January 2011 doi:10.1136/vr.c6281
