Fatty Fatty Boom Bah

Today I was having a giggle at one of my borders who requested some extra hay in the paddock for her horse. Why do you ask? She seems top think there isn't much grass, which there is a good deal of grass, and he's losing weight. The not much grass thing I can cope with, maybe she's blind but I can understand, it's the weight bit that gotmy goat.
This horse is huge! Obese in a sort of fatal looking way, everyone that sees him thinks he should go join the Biggest Losers, who used to be down the road. So when she tells me she's worried he's lost a bit of weight, the look I give her must make me look like I am Barbie. To top it all off the horse has been on and off lame for about 4 months, she tells me she's going to call the vet now. **rolls eyes**. Is it just me or do you maybe think that a little bit of weight-loss could actually help his lameness issue?? Must just be me, she thinks I am insane!

I can never understand why people, who seem to be so obsessed with being slender and muscular, think it's ok that your horse rates a 9 or a 10 on a body score.... that is OBESE people! The extra strain on joints and muscles is there, as well as higher risk of heart problems, feet issues and a stadium full of other health issues. They are really not that much different to us. I watch some of the horses compete these days and I am amazed at how over weight they are, and still managing to get around the course. It's like watching a day at Fat camp - I'm just waiting for one to drop at any moment.
Think of it like this, do you think it's ok to do an hour of dressage training with an extra rider strapped to your horse? That's pretty much how overweight a lot of these horses are - an extra person, problem is the extra person never gets off.

I'm not saying go starve your horse, but keep it in a healthy state of being, not too fat and not underweight either. Muscular and fit with a nice cover of fat is what we should all be aiming for, it will keep our four legged friends healthy and with us for longer.