Diet, Strategies & Management Tips for Overweight Horses
Updated July 30 2024 | By: Dr. Lydia Gray
Horses that score 7, 8 or 9 on the 9-point Henneke Body Condition Scoring Scale are considered overweight. Carrying too much weight can lead to problems, such as:
- laminitis
- more strain on feet, joints, and limbs
- increased stress on the heart and lungs
- lethargy and fatigue
- less efficient cooling
Ponies and some breeds of horses are easy keepers and prone to being overweight, but this doesn’t mean they have to be.
Dietary Strategies to Manage an Overweight Horse
A weight reduction program in horses includes diet, exercise and close observation.
- Replace all grain with a ration balancer or vitamin and mineral supplement.
- Feed grass hay at a rate of 2% of the current body weight and gradually reduce this to 1.5%.
- Limit grass pasture and treats.
- Ride, lunge, drive, or hand walk rather than rely on free-choice exercise. Check out this Ask the Vet video on exercises for an easy keeper.
- Every two weeks, estimate and record the body condition score and weight of the horse. Weight can be estimated by a commercial weight tape or by using a weight calculator formula.
Conditions That May Affect Your Horse's Weight
Some horses may be overweight due to Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS), which is a syndrome involving obesity, insulin resistance, and laminitis in horses. Cresty-necked horses or those having trouble losing weight should be examined by a veterinarian for EMS.
In addition to proper diet and exercise, the prescription medication levothyroxine sodium (Thyro-L®) and supplements such as chromium and magnesium may help manage the condition.
Video on Assessing if Your Horse is Overweight
In this Ask the Vet video, Dr. Lydia Gray explains how to know if your horse is overweight.