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Dr. Christine King Ph: (336) 608.8552 e-mail: king(at)animavet.com | ||||
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"The Trouble with Fat: some thoughts on equine metabolic syndrome." The trouble with fat is that it’s not just fat. Fat, or adipose tissue, contains an abundance of cells which are metabolically quite active ... [Full-text article by Dr. Christine King] Please note that this article is copyrighted, so if you want to reuse it in any sort of publication (web site, printed media, etc.), then please contact me for permission and guidelines for reuse. Enjoy! ****************************************** | |||||
The Trouble with Fat some thoughts on equine metabolic syndrome Dr. Christine King The trouble with fat is that it’s not just fat. Fat, or adipose tissue, contains an abundance of cells which are metabolically quite active and produce a number of different biochemicals that have far-reaching effects. In fact, adipose cells have a lot of say in how the rest of the body functions. The more fat there is and the longer it stays there, the greater the input the fat has on the way our bodies function and how we feel. And I’m not talking about body image; I mean how well we feel. (More on that in a minute.) Fat Storage as Survival Strategy There’s nothing inherently wrong with fat. Fat storage is a very smart survival strategy, as it serves as an on-board pantry for when food is scarce. Fat doesn’t meet all of a body’s nutritional needs, of course, but it does meet the most important one: calories. We cannot continue to function without a supply of fuel, or energy in the form of calories; and fat is the most economical package because it is more calorie-dense (i.e. it provides more calories per gram) than carbohydrates and proteins. Even so, the storage of surplus fat on the body is meant to be a short-term survival strategy, simply to get the body through times when food is scarce. It is not meant to be a way of life. In a natural setting, horses store fat during the grazing season (spring through autumn in most regions) and then they use it up during the dormant season (typically the winter months), when food is in short supply and the cold weather increases the body’s calorie requirements. This normal, healthy cycle of weight gain and loss over the course of the year is repeated throughout the horse’s life. Unless the changes are sudden or extreme, this cycle does not cause any problems, as it is accounted for in the horse’s biology. But in our mistaken sense of good management, many of us put a stick through the spokes of that cycle. We feed our horses more in the winter so that they won’t lose weight. That works OK as long as we take care to limit the horse’s feed intake through the rest of the year to maintain the same healthy, lean weight year-round. But most of us don’t do that; we just feed more in the winter because it’s cold and, well, we don’t want our horses to lose weight. In a species genetically programmed to gain weight during the grazing season and then lose it in the winter, feeding more each winter can be a disaster in slow motion. Before you know it, the horse may be chronically, persistently, and dangerously overweight. Compounding this practice is a well-documented decline in the micronutrient content of the forages and other foodstuffs we give to our horses, because of a decline in the micronutrient content of our soils. I’ll have more to say about that later. The theme here is that chronic obesity is largely a man-made condition, caused by our systematic mismanagement. But never fear; we can fix it. Genetic component Just as in humans, there is a genetic propensity toward obesity in some horses. But rather than throwing our hands up with an “oh, it’s genetic; what’re ya gonna do,” I think it behoves us to take a closer look at what that means and how it can help us better manage our horses. With regard to their heritage, most of the older horse breeds are now out of time and, in many cases, out of place. A century ago, most horses lived where their breed originated and performed work for which their breed was developed. Nowadays one can find almost any breed in almost any developed country. For example, one can find Norwegian Fjord horses in Florida. In my practice here in the Seattle area, I have Fjords, Icelandics, Belgians, Percherons, Clydesdales, Connemaras, Shetland ponies, and a Bashkir Curly! Now, I’m all for diversity and also for preserving rare breeds. The problem is that the horse’s heritage, both of geography and purpose, may set him up for health problems if he is managed as the typical domestic pleasure horse. Many of the European breeds, for example, were developed as working animals, and some originated in harsh climates where food consistently is scarce for a good part of the year. One feature these breeds share is a metabolic propensity to conserve. As one researcher whimsically put it, they have some extra “thrifty” genes. They are the equine equivalent of the car that runs on the smell of an oily rag. These horses are prone to obesity because genetically they are geared toward performing several hours of work each day and the storage of body fat as a defence against the inevitable harsh winters they experienced in their native environments. These genes have been preserved over the generations, even though this survival strategy is no longer such an imperative with modern horsekeeping practices. I’m not saying “don’t keep these horses.” I’m saying that if you have one of these horses, it is important to factor his genetic heritage into your management plan. Put the working-horse breeds to work in some way, and use the winter months to help with weight management. More on both strategies later. Psychological component And not to stray too far from the fold, but I believe there is an emotional component to being overweight in horses, just as there is in humans. With this herd species, the big themes seem to be about safety and community. A sense of safety and belonging is very important in keeping any horse healthy and happy. In my opinion, that’s an often overlooked reason why confining an overweight horse to a dry lot when everyone else gets to go out on pasture doesn’t work all that well. Better to put a grazing muzzle on the horse and send him out with his mates. From what I’ve observed in overweight horses, being cherished and appreciated for one’s talents and intellect is very important as well. Never underestimate the power of the mind and the emotions on the body. (More on that another time.) Equine Metabolic Syndrome Equine metabolic syndrome is the medical term we now apply to fat horses. The label is relatively new, as is our recognition of it as a definable medical condition with predictable consequences, but the problem has been with us forever. Equine metabolic syndrome is now a common diagnosis, but whether we are seeing an actual upswing in the number of cases or we are simply recognising it better remains to be seen. Being overweight carries numerous consequences for health and well-being, and those consequences form part of the clinical picture of equine metabolic syndrome. The most worrisome is that being overweight greatly increases the horse’s risk for laminitis, and it both complicates the treatment and worsens the prognosis when laminitis does occur. While excessive body fat does not directly cause laminitis, it cocks the trigger, so it’s no longer a matter of if, but when. Think of equine metabolic syndrome as “laminitis in waiting.” As I mentioned at the beginning, fat is metabolically and hormonally active tissue. The biochemistry is quite complex, but practically speaking, there are two fundamental changes in body chemistry that are of importance here: * insulin resistance (a relative insensitivity to the effects of insulin) * inflammation (a systemic state of chronic, low-grade inflammation)
Insulin resistance One of the clinical hallmarks of equine metabolic syndrome is insulin resistance. Insulin is one of several hormones produced by the pancreas, a glandular organ nestled near the stomach and liver. Insulin has many different functions in many different tissues, but essentially it is a hormone of storage. One of its most notable roles is to facilitate the transport of glucose (a simple sugar) from the bloodstream across the cell membrane into the cell’s interior, where it is used as fuel or stored for later. In keeping with the storage theme, insulin promotes the production of glycogen (the storage form of glucose) in the liver and muscle cells, promotes the production of fats and proteins, and inhibits the breakdown of glycogen, fats, and proteins. In other words, its message to the body is “conserve.” The body has such a marvellous system of checks and balances, aiming always for equilibrium (neither too little nor too much for too long), it should not surprise us to learn that the excessive accumulation of fat results in a state of relative deafness to insulin’s message. That’s insulin resistance: the body becomes a bit hard of hearing or relatively insensitive to insulin’s effects when it has already stored a super-abundance of fat. The trouble is that as long as the horse remains on the diet which got him into this mess, the pancreas responds at every meal by producing even more insulin—and that’s where the wheels start to wobble. The latest research into laminitis has revealed that a persistent elevation in blood insulin can have direct and harmful effects on the blood vessels and other tissues within the hoof. Interestingly, the cells which attach the hoof wall to the coffin bone are one of the few cells in the body that do not rely on insulin for glucose transport into the cell. However, they remain vulnerable to insulin’s effects on blood flow and cell metabolism. Even in a healthy horse in ideal body condition, a persistent elevation in blood insulin can cause laminitis. That’s sobering, when one considers how many overweight horses there are walking around on the metaphorical cliff’s edge, with elevated blood insulin levels even between meals. It’s not a matter of if, but when... Inflammation The second biochemical consequence of excessive body fat is inflammation—bodywide (i.e. systemic), low-grade yet chronic inflammation. This constant smouldering robs the body of its health and vitality, and it sets the stage for small increases in inflammatory mediators to have disastrous consequences in the feet. Researchers refer to the cascade of biochemical events which culminate in laminitis. That makes me think of dominoes, lined up all on end, ready to fall in sequence with just the touch of a finger. The chronic inflammatory state of metabolic syndrome is a bit like those dominoes, already set up, and ready to fall with the slightest nudge. Even in overweight horses who are not (yet) laminitic, this chronic inflammation and metabolic derangement causes the horse to feel crappy. Typically, these horses are sluggish, lacking in get-up-and-go. They can rouse themselves to action when they want, but mostly they’d rather just stand around—and eat. (More on why that is later.) It’s also not uncommon for these horses to be a bit grumpy, uncooperative, or touchy. Many have muscle, connective tissue, and joint stiffness, and some are even nebulously lame. Sensitive skin, red or watery eyes, chronic itchiness or hives, and mild digestive upsets are quite common, too, as is reproductive dysfunction (e.g. infertility, abnormal heat cycles). That’s because the metabolic consequences of excessive body fat involve many more hormones and biochemicals than just insulin and glucose, and they involve pretty much every part of the body, not just the feet. Horses with this condition are in a chronic inflammatory state, with widespread oxidative stress/damage which affects the skin, joints, muscles, connective tissues, immune system, endocrine system (including the thyroid and adrenal glands), other internal organs, and brain function. Also, while equine Cushing’s disease is a separate condition, there is some evidence that horses with metabolic syndrome are more prone to develop equine Cushing’s disease later in life (and probably earlier than they might have otherwise). Being chronically overweight is a very unhealthy state that can have far-reaching repercussions. Identifying At-Risk and Affected Horses Many of us, vets and owners alike, have gotten all caught up in the biochemical consequences and how to measure and monitor them with the greatest precision. But in the process we tend to overlook the simple fact that this problem is fundamentally the result of too many calories in and not enough calories out. (And, I believe, inadequate intake of micronutrients; but I’ll get to that in a minute.) In my opinion, too much attention is paid to laboratory tests (blood insulin, glucose, and triglycerides) and sophisticated calculations of insulin and glucose ratios and biomathematical proxies as a means of identifying affected or at-risk individuals. It’s really as simple as looking at the horse. The hallmark of this condition is excessive body fat. The classical presentation is a mature horse with characteristic fat deposits along the top of the neck (“cresty neck”), over the rump (“apple rump”) and at the base of the tail, and less obviously over the shoulders and in the sheath (geldings and stallions) or in front of the udder (mares). Sometimes, though, the distribution of superficial fat stores is more uniform, making the horse look like a boiled sausage. The shoulder is a particularly useful area of the body to examine, as in a healthy, lean horse there is plenty to see in the way of surface anatomy. With excessive body fat, the definition of the muscles and bones on the side of the neck, shoulder, and rib cage is lost to the upholstery effect of a thick layer of superficial fat. The definition returns as the horse loses weight. By the way, recent research into metabolic syndrome and how it relates to laminitis has revealed that the fat stored in the crest of the neck (the nuchal crest) is the most relevant of the body fat stores in the horse. In humans with metabolic syndrome, belly fat is the key. But in horses, having a cresty neck is a more accurate indicator of laminitis risk than almost any other factor. (Having had laminitis before is probably an even greater indicator of laminitis risk going forward.) In all of the cases I can remember, the cresty neck was the last of the fat deposits to disappear; and in some cases it never disappears completely. The persistence of the cresty neck can be quite discouraging for horse owners who are trying their best for the horse, so I always try to point out the return of definition to the shoulder area, the hint of rib now visible in certain light, and any other positive signs of weight loss. Just something to bear in mind if you’re doing this on your own. Even small progress should be recognised and celebrated; otherwise, it’s too easy to get discouraged and just not bother anymore—to the horse’s detriment. Body condition score What constitutes “overweight” must take into account more than just the horse’s actual weight. As is the case in people, body weight alone can be misleading, as it does not factor in the height, build, heritage (race or breed), and fitness level (i.e. muscle mass) of the individual. The critical factor in determining whether an individual is overweight is the amount of fat stored on the body. In horses, body condition score (BCS) is used to evaluate this very thing by assessing fat deposits in visible areas of the horse’s body (see the table at the bottom of this article). Body condition is graded on a scale from 1 (emaciated) to 9 (obese). Regardless of the horse’s age, breed, gender, height, and body weight, a BCS between 4 and 6 is ideal. Horses with a BCS of more than 6 are overweight. Obesity (BCS of 8 or 9) is obvious to all but those in denial. Even so, what most people don’t realize is that obesity is a very unhealthy state. Not only is the obese horse teetering on the brink of laminitis, requiring the barest nudge to push him over the edge, but if that horse does develop laminitis, then the prognosis for recovery is far worse than if the horse was in ideal body condition. Although it can be a long and frustrating process, weight loss is a medical imperative in obese horses if laminitis is to be avoided. In fact, one could make a case that owners of horses with a BCS of 8 or 9 are just as guilty of neglect as are the owners of horses with a BCS of 1 or 2. Harsh words, I know; but laminitis is a terrible disease. It is also a largely preventable one, with just a bit of knowledge and effort. More common, but almost as problematic because the risk is less obvious, are horses with a BCS in the 6–8 range. These overweight horses are unhealthy and at increased risk for laminitis, yet many owners simply consider these horses well cared for, pleasantly plump, or “easy keepers.” I think it’s time we all adjust our perceptions of what a well-cared-for horse looks like. A horse with a BCS of over 6 is not well cared for; he is overfed and overweight, unhealthy, and at risk for laminitis. Solving the Problem Solving the problem of obesity and reducing the horse’s risk for laminitis (or for another bout of laminitis) is simple, although admittedly not necessarily easy or quick. The twin keys are these: 1. decrease calories in—feed only enough calories to meet the maintenance needs for the horse’s ideal body weight, while making sure the horse gets plenty of other nutrients 2. increase calories out—use up the extra calories already stored on the body as fat by increasing the amount of exercise Those are the cornerstones of healthy weight loss and healthy weight maintenance. Sometimes certain supplements (e.g. anti-inflammatory herbs, extra antioxidants, adaptogenic herbs) and medications (e.g. thyroid hormones) can be helpful, but without diet and exercise, they are only of limited benefit. Diet I used to think that metabolic syndrome was simply about overfeeding, only about taking in more calories than are needed. But over the past few years and a number of failures with just calorie restriction, I’ve come to see it as a manifestation of malnutrition, mal meaning illness or disease. We’re used to thinking of starving children in Ethiopia when we hear the word “malnutrition.” But obese children (and adults) are just as malnourished: i.e. eating a diet that causes disease. With equine metabolic syndrome, the problem is not just about too many calories; it’s about too many “empty” calories, or a concomitant lack of the micronutrients needed for energy production. In addition to a source of fuel, energy production within a cell, any cell, requires various enzymes and other cofactors; chief among them are minerals. Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, and various trace minerals are all essential for efficient energy production and utilisation. If these nutrients are not in adequate supply, then no amount of calorie intake will be enough. To put it simply, we eat first to meet our calorie needs. If, in the process, we have not also met our protein and specific amino acid needs, we keep eating until we have met those needs. If, in the process, we have not also met our vitamin and mineral needs, we keep eating until we have met those needs. By the time we have met our most basic mineral needs, we might have consumed way more calories than we needed. In the breeds genetically predisposed to obesity, part of their “thriftiness” might be related to the way they process certain nutrients, particularly some of the amino acids involved in energy production and oxidation. I don’t have any proof of that yet, as equine research has not even begun to plumb those depths. But I have found that feeding a bit more protein than the adult horse is supposed to need and tinkering with the specific sources of protein (e.g. adding some seeds and nuts) can be helpful. So, while it is important to limit the overweight horse’s calorie intake, it is equally important to ensure that she is getting enough protein, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and other micronutrients. Given that even the US Department of Agriculture admits that our soils have become depleted in nutrients over the past several decades, I typically recommend supplementing forage-based diets. My preference is to meet all of the horse’s nutrient needs with natural foods rather than with factory-made supplements. As space is limited, let me refer you to the web page where I outline my approach to feeding horses, even the fatties and the laminitics: animavet.com/feeding-horses.html. Calorie control. For all our justifiable concern about calorie intake, the diet must meet the horse’s maintenance needs (i.e. his basic standing-around needs) for his ideal body weight. The conventional approach is essentially to starve the fat off these bodies by feeding well below ideal maintenance needs until the horse is at an acceptable weight. In my opinion, that is not a good strategy. It is neither the most effective nor the most caring approach. Feeding a diet that does not meet even the horse’s most basic calorie needs at his ideal weight sends the body into “survival mode.” In essence, you are creating a state of scarcity, which makes the body want to hang on to its existing fat stores all the more. The preservation of energy stores becomes a metabolic priority, so weight loss is made more difficult. Furthermore, the common practice of feeding a diet of very low nutritional quality (e.g. yellowed, stemmy hay) increases the risk for colic. Such a diet also is likely to be deficient in protein and various other nutrients (vitamins, essential fatty acids, other cofactors, antioxidants) that are essential for good health and for energy production, not to mention the repair and regeneration processes required to recover from laminitis. No wonder that few horses look well or lose weight on such a poor diet! In my experience, the better approach is to base the diet on good-quality, mature grass hay—ideally, one you’ve had tested for its sugar content—feeding it at a rate of between 1.5% and 2% of the horse’s ideal body weight per day. To keep the sums simple, if the horse’s ideal body weight is 400 kg, that comes out to between 6 kg and 8 kg of hay per day. That’s just a general guide; feed every horse as an individual, and adjust as needed. If you have no head for weights and measures, cut back on the horse’s feed by at least 10% and check the girth in a month. If the horse is no smaller, cut back by another 10%. Testing hay. I mentioned testing the hay for its sugar content. What we’re most interested in is the amount of nonstructural or nonfibre carbohydrates (NSC or NFC) in the hay. These are the starches and sugars, including fructans. I aim for a total NFC of less than 15% for the fatties and other carb-sensitive horses. The conventional approach is to feed a hay that is less than 10% NFC, but in my experience such a hay is a pretty poor quality, rather unappetising fare that is likely to be deficient in protein and probably a number of other important nutrients as well. I’ve not had any problems with feeding a good quality hay that is between 12% and 15% NFC, when fed at the aforementioned rate. Testing your hay for its sugar content is really worth doing. I used to advise soaking the hay for 30 to 60 minutes and draining it before feeding if its sugar content is unknown. However, a recent study showed that soaking hay may not lower its content of soluble carbohydrates as much as we thought. I no longer consider soaking hay a reliable alternative to testing and feeding a confirmed low-NFC hay. Another good reason to test your hay is because the lab may also be able to provide you with numbers for other important nutrients in your hay, such as protein and minerals. That way you’ll know for sure what and how much you’ll need to supplement. Protein. I do feed some legume (typically alfalfa) to the fatties and laminitics, particularly if their grass hay tested marginal or low in crude protein. For these horses I aim for a crude protein intake of 10% to 12% of the total diet (i.e. from all sources combined). Not only is protein essential for healthy metabolism and for recovery from illness (e.g. laminitis), it is also important for satiety—for the sense of having eaten a good meal, of being satisfied. Horses kept in dry lots and fed nothing but poor quality grass hay are chronically hungry. That’s because they’re chronically malnourished. Feeding a good quality, low-NFC grass hay and a little alfalfa goes a long way toward satisfying these horses without interfering with their weight loss. Speaking of satiety, another thing I find important is to divide the daily hay ration into several small meals and space them out across the day. I also recommend scattering the hay over the entire turnout area so that the horse has to take his time eating and wander around in the process. We’re trying to simulate the slow, steady intake of grazing, both to allay boredom and to limit spikes in blood insulin. Grazing. Another of my pet peeves about the conventional approach is that it deprives the horse of any fresh plant material, which deprives her of a variety of natural sources of nutrients and beneficial microbes from the plants and the soils in which they grow. These microbes might be more important than we currently think, as recent research in rats has linked inflammation, obesity, and gut microbes. The thumbnail version is that a healthy microbial population makes for a healthy gut which makes for a healthy body; upset bugs make for an unhappy gut and an unhealthy body. And the single best way for a horse to replenish and maintain a healthy population of gut microbes is through grazing. Having said that though, at certain times of the year grass and other pasture plants can be quite high in starches and sugars (e.g. NFC as high as 30% in the spring or autumn). So, it is wise to restrict pasture access in overweight horses. But in my opinion it is unwise to prevent the consumption of fresh plant material altogether. Whether the solution that best fits your circumstances is to limit the horse’s access to just hand-grazing along a hedgerow, pasture turnout for a short time each day (anywhere from 15 min to 2 hrs, depending on your horse and your pastures), turnout with a grazing muzzle, or hand-picking selected plants, figure out how to get at least some fresh, living plant material into your horse each day. It’s that important. For horses who have no access to fresh grass and other living herbage, I recommend feeding a mix of seasonally appropriate dried herbs. The indefinable yet unmistakable vitality of fresh plant material is lost in the cutting and drying, but when fresh material is unavailable, then good quality dried herbs are better than nothing. For microbes, I like to pull up edible pasture plants (e.g. dandelions, tufts of grass), roots and all, and offer them to the horse with the soil still attached. Grain and treats. Grain and grain-containing feeds are high in starch and so should not be fed to overweight horses. For one thing, these horses do not need the extra calories. In addition, in some very insulin-resistant individuals with laminitis, even a small amount of grain (as little as a cupful in some cases) can cause spikes in blood glucose and metabolic alterations that interfere with effective weight loss and laminitis management. For the same reasons, molasses, sweet treats, and other starchy or sugary foods should be avoided. Grass hay cubes or alfalfa cubes can be a good alternative to sweet treats, provided the hay cubes do not contain molasses and treats are offered only occasionally and only in small amounts. Personally, I prefer people to treat or reward their horses with grooming, some body work, or a wander among the “weeds.” Season. Follow nature’s lead and use the winter months to help with weight loss. As I mentioned earlier, it is normal for wild and feral animals to lose weight in the winter. And even though horses have been domesticated for millennia, the endocrine system in domestic horses still anticipates a seasonal reduction in food availability and increase in energy demand, regardless of the actual availability of food. Each autumn, even in healthy young horses, there is an increase in the output of hormones from the pituitary gland which prepares the body for the winter months ahead. Knowing this, you can be particularly careful with pasture access and hay supply in the autumn months. I know it goes against the grain for most people, but rather than feeding more in the autumn and winter, feed at the aforementioned rate or even a little less if your horse has not lost much weight on that amount. Coupled with the increased energy demands of maintaining core body temperature in cold, wet, windy conditions, this approach can be very effective and is not as severe as it sounds, as you’re feeding good food often and ensuring that all of the horse’s nutritional needs are being met. Just make sure the horse has shelter from both wind and rain (a nasty combination) and continue to exercise the horse as much as possible. Winter is a golden opportunity for healthy, natural weight loss. Don’t waste it by overfeeding because you feel sorry for the horse. Laminitis is vastly more uncomfortable than winter; and unlike winter, laminitis can last a lifetime. Exercise The horse’s diet is very important, but calorie restriction is not enough on its own unless it is extreme. It does nothing to use up the extra calories already stored as fat on the horse’s body, unless the ration provides substantially fewer calories than are required to meet the horse’s maintenance energy needs. (And I’ve already explained why that’s not a good idea.) For effective and healthy weight loss, the horse must also perform more daily activity than she has been doing. This aspect of weight management can be quite a challenge in overweight horses who already have laminitis or some other problem that causes lameness or exercise intolerance. However, it is not impossible. The exercise does not need to be high intensity or high impact. Simply walking the horse each day can be beneficial (provided the horse’s medical condition allows). In fact, short hand walks can be great therapy even for laminitic horses, provided the condition is relatively stable and the veterinarian has given the OK. The more daily exercise the horse performs, the better for weight loss. However, the horse’s current fitness and comfort must be the guide as to how much exercise (how far and how fast) to perform at a time. It is best to begin with short sessions (e.g. 10–15 minutes of walk and perhaps a little jog) and then steadily increase in both duration and intensity. Options include riding, driving, walking in hand, longeing, free schooling in a round pen or arena, ponying (i.e. leading the horse while riding another), ground driving (i.e. long-lining), and swimming or wading. Paddock or dry lot turnout generally is not enough, as most overweight horses just stand around out there. Note that I keep saying daily exercise. It’s alright if you skip a day here and there; but in order to make significant progress, the horse really needs to do some type of structured and gradually increasing exercise at least 5 days a week. All too often, that one day missed here and there becomes exercise only once or twice a week, and then the horse’s weight loss slows down to zero. It takes commitment to get these horses into a trimmer, healthier state, just as it does with your own body. Unfortunately, in this case it is your horse who pays when you lack the time or willingness to do what is required and stick with it until you achieve the desired result. One thing I’ll often recommend to folks who don’t have much time to spare is to throw on your running shoes and take your horse for a brisk walk or even a hike if you have some good trails nearby. You’ll be working both bodies at the same time, and it can turn out to be great quiet time for yourself, a brief respite from your busy day. Final Thoughts Just as in humans, the keys to healthy weight loss and maintenance are a healthy diet and regular exercise. There are no safe shortcuts and no miracle cures. It takes time and steady effort, but the good news is that the horse’s metabolic status (insulin sensitivity, systemic inflammation) and health will be substantially improved with a drop in weight of as little as 10%. It can be a long road back to good health in horses with metabolic syndrome. However, the improvements in attitude, energy, health, and longevity are well worth it!
Body Condition Score (BCS) system for horses. Regardless of the horse’s age, breed, gender, height, or body weight, 1: emaciated; skeleton is very prominent; very little muscle mass; skin sunken over the skeleton 2: skeleton is prominent under the skin; little muscle mass on the body 3: bones of ribs, spine, pelvis, and tail head all very noticeable; bones of wither, shoulder, and neck faintly noticeable 4: ribs faintly noticeable; bones of spine form slight ridge along back; pelvic bones well covered by muscle; can feel a little fat at the tail head 5: ribs not visible but can easily be felt; bones of spine well covered; pelvic bones well covered; spongy fat at tail head; rounded withers; shoulder and neck blend into body 6: spongy fat covers ribs, but can still feel individual ribs; may have slight crease down back; pelvic bones well covered; soft fat around tail head; some fat deposits on wither, neck, and behind shoulders 7: obvious filling between ribs, but can still feel ribs; may have crease down back; rump has rounded contour; soft fat around tail head; fat deposits on wither, neck, and behind shoulders 8: hard to feel ribs; crease down back; very soft fat at tail head; fat on inner thighs; fat fills wither area and behind shoulders; thickened neck 9: dimpled fat over ribs; obvious crease down back; bulging fat at tail head and inner thighs; flanks filled with fat; bulging fat on wither, neck, and behind shoulders
Copyright 2010 Christine King BVSc, MACVSc, MVetClinStud. All rights reserved. First published in the Icelandic Horse Society of Great Britain newsletter, 2010. | |||||
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