Weight Control

If your horse is obese, it is important to make dietary changes to maintain his health and promote weight management. Here are some tips on what to feed a fat horse: ? Roughage: Offer your horse good quality hay, but limit its amount. However, the horse must receive 1.5 kg of roughage (dry matter)/100 kg of horse. You can consider corsi feed or corsi meal, which is less energy-rich than traditional hay. ? Exercise: Exercise is an essential part of weight management. Make sure your horse gets regular exercise. Long-term walking, riding or carting with low heart rates consumes calories and does not overload the horse's musculoskeletal system and joints, if the horse is very overweight. ? Limiting feeding costs: Reduce the amount of grain feed and other concentrated feed. Try to offer as little forage as possible and choose a lower energy option. Choose feed that is low in sugar and starch. ? High-fiber feeds: Offer high-fiber foods, such as roughage, roughage, or high-fiber pellets. These help fill the horse's stomach without adding calories. Make sure your horse gets enough digestible fiber. ? Fodder analysis: make a rough forage analysis of the hay and, based on them, choose a low-energy, low-sugar, low-protein hay for your horse. In addition to hay, you can feed small amounts of straw. ? You may consider nutritional counseling with the help of a veterinarian or equine nutritionist. This will help determine your horse's exact nutritional needs and recommended daily feed intake and generally adjust feed costs. ? Avoid Treats and Rewards: Avoid extra treats or rewards that can increase your horse's caloric intake. If you want to give your horse treats, use low-energy and low-sugar options. ? Corsage should be distributed throughout the day so that the horse is not without corsage for long periods of time. It is not recommended to leave the horse without cors feed for more than 5-6 hours. Because long feeding intervals expose you to stomach problems. Protects the mucous membranes of the stomach from slimy feed substances if the horse is without roughage for long periods of time. ? Weight monitoring: Monitor the horse's weight regularly. This will help you adjust your diet as needed. you can conveniently monitor the weight by measuring the horse's chest circumference with the intended weight measuring tape, or you can measure circumferences such as the circumference of the neck, chest, belly and rear. Based on this information, you can get a rough estimate of the horse's weight development. In addition, it is worth photographing your horse in the same position as a side view regularly, so you can visually assess the development and reduction of the horse's fat tissue. It is important to remember that controlling a horse's weight requires care and consistency. Always consult a veterinarian or equine nutritionist before making major changes to your horse's diet to ensure its health and well-being. You need a veterinarian and medicines if your horse is obese and has a metabolic disease, such as metabolic syndrome, Cushing's or hoof fever. For this reason, a fat horse should always have its blood values monitored.