1. Be certain your horse really wants extra situation.
Whereas this recommendation might sound apparent, weight problems stays a significant issue in horses. In a 2012 research, Virginia-Maryland Regional Faculty of Veterinary Drugs researchers discovered that 32.3% of 300 horses have been overconditioned (had a physique situation rating, or BCS, of seven on the 1-to-9 scale) and 18.7% have been overweight (BCS of 8-9).
In a 2016 research, Australian and British researchers decided that 23.1% of 229 Australian pleasure horses and ponies have been overweight. Additionally they decided that “house owners perceived their animals to be in considerably decrease physique situation in contrast with the researchers’ assessments.”
Basically, many people consider our horses want to realize weight when, the truth is, they’re in good situation. Coleman says a BCS of 4 to six is probably going acceptable for many horses. In case your horse falls in that vary (see TheHorse.com/184488 for assist assessing your horse’s BCS), he in all probability doesn’t want to realize a lot, if any, extra weight. In the event you’re nonetheless not satisfied, seek the advice of your vet or an equine nutritionist.
