Horse and pony owners need to put the reins on overfeeding their animals because they are killing them with kindness, according to a leading animal welfare charity.
About 500,000 horses and ponies are suffering pain and illnesses related to obesity, says the research by World Horse Welfare – that is almost half of the 1.35 million horses and ponies in the UK.
Many equine lovers do not understand the problem because they don’t have the experience or equipment to check on their animal’s weight and are encouraged to follow a body fat guide for horses and ponies available from the WLW web site .
Keeping your horse fit
Roly Owers, WHW chief executive said: “Despite widespread media coverage of both human and pet obesity, we appear as a nation to be blind to this issue. Many people are unable to appreciate what an overweight horse looks like and the grave risks they face.
“We are literally killing our horses with kindness. Overfeeding a horse can lead to health issues, often causing excruciating pain. Overweight horses can also suffer from laminitis, heart and lung problems and even a diabetes-like condition, which can be as destructive as it is for humans.”
Laminitis is a foot condition that can lead to severe pain.
The WHW body fat guide helps owners feel their horses for excess fat when grooming. For a guide, check out the web site for a podcast and video on just how to find the fat on your animal. The charity suggests that horses and ponies are kept to a planned diet and not allowed to over feed and that owners should check for excess fat every month to six weeks.
Banned from keeping horses
In October, a Blackpool couple were banned from keeping horses for five years after allowing one to become hugely overweight. This is believed to be the first case of its type in the UK.
At Blackpool magistrate’s court, Keith, 60, and Lynn Hall, 56, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to their 12-year-old Shetland pony stallion, Dale. The pony weighed in at 40 stone – about 10 stone over the Shetland average.
Mr Owers said: “This prosecution is likely to be the tip of the iceberg. We hope cases such as this will serve to highlight an escalating problem in our horse population, which, if left unchecked, will have serious consequences.”
Dale is now looked after by the WHW and is recovering well, although he will always be at risk from weight gain and laminitis
