Show Notes
If your horse is an easy keeper, sometimes it can seem like they get fat off of air.
Some equine breeds are known for being more metabolically efficient than others. They require less digestible energy (calories) to maintain an ideal body condition than other horses. This means they can easily become overweight.
Research shows that up to 40% of horses and ponies are overweight. [21] This can have long-term negative consequences for equine health and well-being, leading to inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and a higher risk of laminitis.
But there are a number of effective strategies that you can use to help your easy keeper lose weight and maintain a healthy body condition. These strategies include forage selection, pasture management, soaking hay, and choosing low-calorie vitamin and mineral supplements.
This podcast will discuss how to best feed your easy keeper and how to track their body condition score over time.
Read more: /https://madbarn.com/feeding-easy-keeper-horse/ _______________________________
Mad Barn Academy is dedicated to supporting horse owners and equine practitioners through research, training and education. Visit us at https://madbarn.com for more resources, videos and articles.
More from Mad Barn Academy
Thrush describes an infection that develops in the frog of one or more of the horse’s hooves, caused by a fungal or bacterial pathogen.
Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis (DSLD) is a chronic condition in horses that affects connective tissue, including the suspensory ligament and other ligaments and tendons. This painful condition commonly leads to debilitating lameness.
Riding and working with horses poses some inherent risk of danger, but the risk is greater when working with an aggressive or moody horse.
Swayback, or equine lordosis, is characterized by a large dip in the spine of a horse, often resulting in a high wither and severe downwards curve to their topline.
A large, round belly doesn’t always mean your horse is overweight. Some horses have a hay belly that makes them appear pregnant, yet they may struggle to maintain enough body condition to cover their ribs.