Obesity
Article
Effect of Restricted Grazing on Hindgut pH and Fluid Balance
Restricted pasture access does not have negative effects on hindgut fermentation or fluid balance.
Photo by Erica Larson, News Editor
Article
Hindgut Microflora's Potential Role in Equine Obesity
Researchers now believe the microflora residing in the hindgut could contribute to equine obesity.
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Article
Study Identifies Causes for Misbehavior in Pony Club Mounts
Researchers recently identified risk factors for bad behavior in a population of Pony Club horses.
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Article
Diet Restriction for Equine Weight Loss
December 29, 2012
Researchers found that dietary restriction to 1.25% of body mass can promote weight loss, to a certain extent.... Read More
Article
Effect of Restricted Grazing on Hindgut pH and Fluid Balance
October 03, 2012
Restricted pasture access does not have negative effects on hindgut fermentation or fluid balance.... Read More
Article
Hindgut Microflora's Potential Role in Equine Obesity
June 04, 2012
Researchers now believe the microflora residing in the hindgut could contribute to equine obesity.... Read More
Article
Study Identifies Causes for Misbehavior in Pony Club Mounts
May 27, 2012
Researchers recently identified risk factors for bad behavior in a population of Pony Club horses.... Read More
Article
Practical Tips for Managing Obese Horses and Ponies
December 18, 2011
The ideal way to manage an obese horse or pony is to prevent it from becoming obese in the first place.... Read More
Article
Grazing Muzzles' Efficacy at Reducing Pasture Intake
September 06, 2011
Grazing muzzles can be effective at reducing pasture intake, sometimes reducing intake by as much as 85%.... Read More
Article
Researchers Examine Link Between Obesity, Laminitis, and EMS
July 27, 2011
Is inflammation involved in chronic laminitis development in horses with equine metabolic syndrome? ... Read More
Article
Using Nutrition to Prevent and Manage Equine Disease
July 19, 2011
Adjusting what a horse consumes can help prevent or squelch some equine ailments.... Read More
Article
Managing Laminitis-Prone Horses
June 27, 2011
But how should you manage a horse that hasn't yet developed laminitis, but is a likely candidate?... Read More
Article
Yes, Your Horse Is Fat
April 07, 2011
Horse owners must be able to acknowledge that a horse is overweight and needs to drop a few pounds.... Read More
Article
Identifying and Managing Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS)
January 31, 2011
Diagnosing EMS and taking steps to manage it can allow your horse to live a healthy and productive life. ... Read More
Article
Dietary Supplementation Helps Obese Insulin-Resistant Horses
November 12, 2010
Overweight, insulin-resistant horses might need a special dietary supplement called short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS), which are short chains of sugar molecules linked together. ... Read More
Article
Fit or Fat? (Equine Body Condition)
November 01, 2010
Most owners get mixed results the first time they try to assess their horse using the Henneke body condition scale. However, it is a useful tool every conscientious owner should master.... Read More
Article
The Dieting Horse
September 01, 2010
Weight management is an important issue in equine medicine with metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.... Read More
Article
The Disease of Obesity in Horses
September 01, 2010
Obesity can cause reproduction problems, bone and joint stress, insulin resistance, laminitis, and more.... Read More
Article
Colic Surgery? Protein Expression Test Could Help Guide Decision
March 25, 2010
Expression of a particular protein in fat tissue is positively associated with an increased rate of postoperative mortality in horses, researchers recently reported. The research was led by Melissa Packer, BVetMed, MRCVS, who recently... Read More
Article
Horses Needed for Equine Metabolic Syndrome Research Project
March 22, 2010
Equine metabolic syndrome is a devastating disease characterized by the three main features of obesity, insulin resistance, and laminitis. Certain breeds or individual horses are predisposed to EMS, and are often referred to as "easy keepers." These... Read More
Article
Equine Endocrine Disorders Discussed at AAEP
January 02, 2010
The two major endocrine disorders affecting horses--equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID or equine Cushing's disease)--were hot topics at the 2009 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP... Read More
Article
Determining Body Weight and Ideal Condition (Book Excerpt)
December 22, 2009
The most accurate way to determine a horse's weight is by weighing the horse with scales or a weight tape.... Read More
Article
Feed Selection for Weight Loss (Book Excerpt)
December 13, 2009
When an owner wants a horse to lose weight, the first thing to do is look at its current diet very critically. Calculating the overall total intake may reveal that calories, and potentially even protein, vitamins, and minerals, are being fed above ... Read More
Article
Weighty Issues
December 01, 2009
Equine obesity increases a horse's risk for equine metabolic syndrome, laminitis, and insulin resistance. Owners can bring horses to a healthy body condition by replacing grain rations with a fiber-rich, low-carbohydrate diet and increasing exercise.... Read More
Article
How Much Exercise for Equine Weight Loss? (Book Excerpt)
December 01, 2009
Exercise is particularly important fora horse's weight management. Often, owners want to see an increase in muscle development in addition to an overall decrease in fat coverage. There are many myths about feeding extra protein or... Read More
Article
U.K. Couple Sentenced in Pony Obesity Cruelty Case
November 05, 2009
A couple in the United Kingdomhave become the first horse owners convicted of obesity-related animal cruelty under that country's Animal Welfare Act, said a report from <a href="http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/290530.html"... Read More
Article
Prevent Weight Gain to Minimize Metabolic Changes in Horses
October 16, 2009
Weight gain and obesity in horses should be avoided to prevent insulin resistance, increased insulin and leptin blood levels, and laminitis, and to maintain a healthy metabolic state. To date, "it is unknown whether obesity is the primary ... Read More
Article
Equine Metabolic Syndrome a Focus of Research
August 25, 2009
The Equine Science Society Symposium (ESS) is a gathering place for researchers involved in all aspects of equine health and well-being. For more than two decades, Kentucky Equine Research (KER) has presented findings from its nutrition and exercis... Read More
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Farm Call: Your Questions Answered
Obesity: Big-Boned Beastie
Q. Obese horses should be taken off pasture, except for very short (30-minute) turnout periods two or three times a day for exercise, and a grazing muzzle should be used at these times.
Help, My Horse is Too Fat!
Q. Q: My 14-year-old mare has severe obesity problems. The veterinarian ruled out Cushing's disease because she does not exhibit the typical Cushing's traits. I am afraid to work her for fear that any overexertion will harm her physically. Are there any dietary supplements that can help to speed up her metabolism rate? <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px"
