Spotlight on show horses in partnership to promote healthy body condition

The Horse Trust and Liverpool University have teamed up to help raise awareness of healthy body condition in show horses

Dr Tamzin Furtado, a behaviour change scientist from Liverpool University, has teamed up with Jan Rogers from The Horse Trust to spread the word of how owners can maintain a healthy weight in their show horses. The programme will target affiliated and unaffiliated shows across the UK, where owners and riders will be able to receive advice and guidance about keeping their horses healthy while they compete. Local and on-site vets will work with the judges to score horses in chosen classes and award rosettes to the horse with the healthiest body condition in the class.

Tamzin Furtado says: “Horses who are overweight or cresty are often celebrated for their condition – and we want to slightly challenge that, by celebrating horses in good health.” Fellow Liverpool University graduate and vet, Ben Curnow MRCVS, who judged body condition as part of the 2019 pilot program, added, “It’s not about being critical of or challenging the judges, just showcasing what ideal body condition looks like.”

The pilot programme ran in 2019 prior to Covid-19 restrictions and was well-received. David Ingle, Chairman of The Showing Council and Director of Showing at the Royal International Horse Show said: “Showing is keen to become more educational and we are in an era of great improvement in equine welfare, with increasing scrutiny under social license. This initiative will help to shine a light on this important aspect of showing.” The Royal International Horse Show participated in the 2019 program, too, and will include the initiative in their 2021 show.

The British Equine Veterinary Association sees equine obesity as one of the highest-ranking risks to our horses’ health. Jan Rogers says: “We get very upset by seeing photos of underweight horses in the media, but in reality, far more horses are obese. This is very worrying for vets who are finding that they have to treat these horses with serious health conditions like equine metabolic syndrome and laminitis. Peoples’ perception of what’s a healthy weight has shifted towards the higher body condition scores. We’d like to help to reset this balance.”

 For more information, visit thehorsetrust.org.uk