Spillers launches Slimmers’ Club to help overweight horses

Spillers has teamed up with Redwings Horse Sanctuary to tackle the major welfare issue of equine obesity by running an exclusive, members-only club, encouraging owners to be more mindful of their horses’ weight

Spillers invites owners of overweight horses to join the Spillers Slimmers’ Club – a brand new initiative that strives to provide owners with advice and encouragement, so they have all the tools they need to keep their horses at a healthy weight. Redwings Horse Sanctuary supports the club in the hopes that it’ll help promote the subject and provide owners with the knowledge to look after their equines more mindfully.

Obesity has been on the rise over the last few years and it’s causing a huge problem for health and wellbeing. Overweight horses are at an increased risk of contracting conditions such as laminitis. Other health implications include increased joint strain, respiratory stress, heat intolerance, an increase in chronic low-grade inflammation in senior horses and reduced fertility. “Some horse simply appear to get fat on thin air,” said Clare Barfoot RNutr, Marketing and Research and Development Director for Spillers. “Reduced exercise and less rigorous management regimes due to Covid-19 restrictions haven’t helped and we’re perhaps becoming guilty of normalising overweight horses. We all need to work together to tackle the problem for the future health and welfare of our horses and we hope our Spillers Slimmers’ Club will help achieve exactly that.”

Spillers Slimmers’ Club members will receive weight loss tips, details of how to body condition score and use a weightape, diet plans and weight loss records. There’s also an exclusive Facebook group where they can share their horse’s progress and tips with other owners, as well as post questions for Spillers nutritionists and Redwings experts to answer. Redwings are helping to spread the word, too, and the charity will be sharing literature with all those taking on a Redwings horse or pony.

Nicola Knight Head of Communications and Campaigns at Redwings said: “For almost 20 years we’ve worked closely with Spillers to help raise awareness and support horse owners on a range of health and wellbeing issues. The Spillers Slimmers’ campaign is just as close to our hearts as we see more and more equines arrive at the sanctuary requiring veterinary attention for conditions that could have been prevented with proper weight management.”

Aside from promoting equine health and well-being, Spillers has also conducted extensive research in the areas of EMS, obesity, laminitis, and weight management. Via the Waltham Equine Studies Group, Spillers has been involved with more than 100 published research papers relating to these important topics in the past twenty years. This places them in a unique position to provide the very latest advice and practical support to help address the issue of equine obesity.

To celebrate the campaign and their longstanding partnership, Spillers has donated £500 to Redwings.

For more information on the Spillers Slimmers Club, and to join, click here