How to Assess the Healthy Weight For A Horse
have little muscle definition, with haunches that are ‘apple cheeked’ over the top. The horse may also have a ‘hay belly’, but skinny horses can have hay bellies too—distended bellies due to the intake of large quantities of fodder.
Too fat for a horse is not just a condition problem. Along with ‘too fat’ comes the risk of laminitis, EMS, more stress on joints and cardiovascular system and poor fertility. Too fat in mature horses is a health risk, but too fat in young stock is even more of a problem as joints and bones can be seriously and permanently damaged.
Horses still need grass or hay, but in smaller quantities at frequent intervals. Leaving a horse with an empty stomach can also lead to equine ulcers. Breeds like Quarter Horses and most ponies that are ‘easy keepers’ can become too fat very easily.
A too skinny horse will be bony, and muscle definition will be the only contour. On a very skinny horse, even the muscles will waste away, so the horse looks sunken and gaunt. It’s easy to confuse a too skinny horse with a horse in very fit, muscular condition like race horses and long distance horses. These horses do not carry very much body fat, but their muscles are well defined and strong. The too skinny horse may look ewe necked, the withers may appear very pronounced
