Joined up support needed, concludes the National Equine Forum’s Great Weight Debate

Teamwork, communication and trust considered the key to tackling equine obesity following the National Equine Forum’s Great Weight Debate

The Great Weight Debate was to be a precursor to the National Equine Forum, which runs in March. With more than 170 delegates involved, it’s clear how important the matter of equine obesity has become all over the world in recent years.

The webinar looked at how owners who struggle with their horses’ weight are perceived through various sectors in the industry and included experts from all over the world, including vets, coaches, grooms, nutritionist and judges. The session was chaired by equine vet and nutrition specialist Professor Pat Harris and social scientist Dr Tamzin Furtado.

The talk made clear the importance of educating owners by empowering and working with them to promote their horses’ health and wellbeing. “Vets are in unique and privileged position to provide an achievable and effective tailor-made strategy for individual horses,” said British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) President Lucy Grieve. “We must all learn to overcome avoidance and engage recognise, accept and understand, and tailor a solution.”

“Understanding nutritional value of forage and feed is another challenge. We see milder winters and changing environmental conditions, and this can have an impact on what is fed,” said nutritionist Liz Bulbrook. Access to reliable advice and scientific information is essential to feeding horses correctly for weight management – not just for performance. Owners must become familiar and comfortable with tactics such as track systems and grazing muzzles, and the effectiveness of these strategies must be easily accessible to ensure this.

It’s clear that every horse requires a bespoke approach – there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to horses. Similarly, yard atmosphere can have a huge effect on how owners manage their horses. “Peer pressure can be daunting and there can be a lack of confidence that you’re doing the right thing,” said livery yard owner and coach Beth Maloney. Restricted turnout and grazing muzzles can be looked down on by others, which discourages owners from doing what’s needed to keep their horses healthy.

Chair Pat Harris said: “This is an important welfare topic in which we all have a role to play. I hope it will lead to collaborative action providing joined-up support to those trying to manage an obese equine.”

For more information, visit nationalequineforum.com