10 Tips for Weight Reduction in the Overweight Horse

(Reprinted with permission from the American Association of Equine Practitioners)

As a horse owner, you play an important role in controlling your equine companion’s weight.

Sound nutrition management, a regular exercise program and veterinary care are key to keeping

your horse fit and healthy. Maintaining the ideal weight is not always easy, however.

When implementing a weight loss program for the overweight horse, it’s important to do it

gradually and under the supervision of an equine veterinarian. Follow these guidelines from the

American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) to get you started:

1. Be patient. Weight reduction should be a slow, steady process so not to stress the horse

or create metabolic upsets

2.Make changes in both the type and amount of feed gradually. Reduce rations by no more

than 10% over a 7- to 10-day period.

3.Track your horse’s progress by using a weight tape. When the horse’s weight plateaus,

gradually cut back its ration again.

4.Step up the horse’s exercise regimen. Gradually build time and intensity as the horse’s

fitness improves.

5.Provide plenty of clean, fresh water so the horse’s digestive and other systems function as

efficiently as possible and rid the body of metabolic and other wastes.

6.Select feeds that provide plenty of high quality fiber but are low in total energy. Measure

feeds by weight rather than by volume to determine appropriate rations.

 7.Select feeds that are lower in fat since fat is an energy-dense nutrient source.

8.Switch or reduce the amount of alfalfa hay feed. Replace with a mature grass or oat hay to

reduce caloric intake.

9..Feed separate from other horses so the overweight horse doesn’t have a chance to eat his

portion and his neighbor’s too. In extreme cases of obesity, caloric intake may also need

to be controlled by limiting pasture intake.

10.Balance the horse’s diet based on age and activity level. Make sure the horse’s vitamin,

mineral and protein requirements continue to be met

 

Once your horse has reached its ideal body condition, maintaining the proper weight is a gentle

balancing act. You will probably need to readjust your horse’s ration to stabilize its weight. Exercise

will continue to be a key component in keeping the horse fit. Because obesity can affect a

horse’s health, communicate regularly with your veterinarian. Schedule regular check-ups, especially

during the weight reduction process.

For more information about caring for the obese horse visit the AAEP’s horse health web site,

www.myHorseMatters.com.

Reprinted with permission from the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

 

SPRING 2011

Equine News

C o u n t r y s i d e V e t e r i n a r y C l i n i c , L L P

Page 2

Equine News - SPRING 2011

Countryside Veterinary Clinic

Potomac Horse Fever : Vaccination Now Recommended

By Dr. Stacy Kenyon

Due to the increase in incidence of Potomac Horse Fever in our practice area over the

last three years, we are now routinely recommending that all horse owners consider including

vaccination against this disease as part of their preventive health protocols.

Potomac Horse Fever (PHF) is a disease caused by infection with Neorickettsia risticii

and symptoms include fever, colic, diarrhea and subsequent laminitis. This organism has a

complicated life cycle that continues to be the topic of intense research. N. risticii is found in

certain species of freshwater snails and aquatic insects (caddisflies and mayflies) that populate

areas along rivers. It is believed that horses become infected through ingestion of snails

and insects that live in grasses along the riverbanks and are trapped on the water surface of

streams and ditches. The adult insects may also contaminate feed and water of nearby stables.

Aquatic insects probably provide the means by which this organism moves from one

geographic area to another through weather patterns that can literally blow swarms of flies to

a new location.

Strategies to prevent infection include vaccination and reduction of snails/insects in

area bodies of water. As with most rickettisial diseases, vaccination is not fully protective

against infection but the severity of disease following infection is greatly reduced in vaccinated

horses. The initial series of PHF vaccination requires 2 doses approximately 4 weeks

apart and it is recommended that the vaccination be given approximately every 6 months to

provide optimal antibody titers during the peak seasonal incidences of disease vectors

(snails/insects). Please feel free to contact Dr. Kenyon or Dr. Peck to further discuss the appropriate

vaccination strategies for your horse(s) needs.

 

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