Obesity: A threat that can be prevented easilyMay 7, 2019It would be interesting to see what a survey of equine horse owners and caregivers might think is the biggest threat to equine health. Colic might be high on the list, so would respiratory disease and arthritis. However, perhaps overlooked—at least in horse owner circles—is a very important and sometimes-even-thought-to-be desirable condition: obesity. Over the years, numerous studies on obesity in horses have been conducted in the U.S. and elsewhere. The problem, like the horses, appears to be growing. According to a recent report by the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA), obesity is the biggest threat to equine health. In the U.K., hundreds of horses are put down every year as a result of obesity-related health problems. The roots of the problem The causes of obesity are well understood. Feral horses thrive under conditions where they move continuously—25 to 50 mi. per day—while eating frequent, small meals of relatively poor-quality forage. (Wild horses are observed to eat virtually every hour, around the clock.) Domestication has changed almost everything about how horses live. For example: Most domesticated horses are confined, at least to some extent, limiting the distances they can travel. When they are exercised, often it is for short …
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