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Understanding Equine Obesity
Equine obesity is a condition where horses accumulate excess body fat, leading to health complications such as insulin resistance, laminitis, and reduced lifespan. According to a study published in the Equine Veterinary Journal, approximately 45% of the leisure horse population in the UK is overweight or obese. This statistic highlights the importance of proper weight management in equine care.

1. Balance Calories and Bulk
Horses should consume at least 2.5% of their body weight in food daily, including hay, chaff, and bucket feed. Reducing their intake below this threshold can lead to health issues such as gastric ulcers and colic. To lower calorie intake without reducing bulk, soak hay for 12 hours to remove excess nutrition, akin to a horse’s version of celery. Ensure you supplement with vitamins and minerals to compensate for the reduced nutritional value.

2. Caloric Deficit Through Increased Activity
Ensure your horse’s caloric intake is less than what they expend. Increase their workload by riding more often, lunging, or using a jockey. This will help create a caloric deficit necessary for weight loss.

3. Manage Grazing Intensity
Many horses consume excess calories simply from grazing. Contrary to traditional advice, consider having more horses per acre to reduce grass availability and manage weight. Regularly remove droppings and control weeds like ragwort to maintain a healthy pasture.

4. Regular Grass Maintenance
If increasing the number of horses per acre isn’t feasible, keep the grass short by mowing. This mimics the effect of overgrazing and limits caloric intake from lush grass.

5. Encourage Movement with Strategic Fencing
Instead of strip grazing, use an electric fence in a U-shape to increase the distance your horse must walk for water, thereby increasing exercise and calorie usage.

6. Aim for Gradual Weight Loss
Weight loss should be slow and steady. Rapid weight loss can lead to hyperlipemia or a reduced metabolism, making it harder to lose weight in the future. If your horse is 20% over their optimal weight, expect the weight loss journey to take at least a year.

7. Accurate Feed Measurement
Weigh all feed, including hay or haylage, to ensure precise portions. Use a container that measures the exact amount recommended to avoid overfeeding.

8. Monitor Progress with Photos and Weighing
Take monthly photos and use a scientifically validated weight tape biweekly to track your horse’s weight changes. Keep a diary to document progress.

9. Consider a Grazing Muzzle
A grazing muzzle can help limit caloric intake, especially for horses that spend a lot of time in a stable with reduced movement.

10. Focus on Walking for Fat Burning
Brisk walking for at least half an hour a day can burn more fat than faster gaits and is also protective against insulin resistance.

Additional Tips for Weight Management
Leave the Rug Off: Horses use most of their feed energy for warmth. By not using a rug, they burn more calories to stay warm, reducing fat accumulation.
Calories as Energy: A laid-back horse doesn’t need extra calories for energy. Avoid overfeeding to prevent weight gain.
For more information on equine nutrition and weight management, the American Association of Equine Practitioners offers valuable resources. If you have specific questions, feel free to ask in the comments, and we’ll provide answers as soon as possible.

Take weight loss for example. I have several clients who felt a lot of doubt about whether they could get in shape and be healthy. (By the way, doubt is the antonym of confidence.) What they learned was that their success was directly related to confidence. And oh yeah, once they started to see that, boy did they get amazing results!

Don’t take my word for it. Just ask 22-year-old Torey Krug a Boston Bruins defenseman who played most of the season in the minor league. Inserted into the Bruins lineup during the playoffs due to injuries of veteran players, he scored two amazing goals in his first two games. He was asked by a local broadcaster what he thought attributed to his success. Torey’s answer: confidence. Keep in mind this kid was no Wayne Gretzky out of college. He went undrafted. Could he have felt doubt, sure, but he didn’t because he knows the road to success is paved with confidence.

“Ya but… ” I can hear you saying. It’s normal to feel doubt, uncertainty, hesitation and all the feelings of ‘I can’t’. But really, what if you could? What if you could feel confident right now no matter what? How would that change your outlook? What would you do?

Here are three tips to help you feel more confident so that what you want to achieve seems to simply appear.

Tip 1: Think back to a time when you felt really great about accomplishing something. Was it when you finally got off the couch and took a walk or got the courage up to join a group exercise class or began a weight loss program and lost weight right away? Whatever it was, tap into those feelings. Those are your touchstones for recalling a feeling confidence and ultimately success. Write down those feelings and read them regularly – daily is a good idea and first thing in the morning and often last thing in the evening (and during the day if needed). This helps you maintain a high level of confidence.

Tip 2: Keep the reason you want to reach your goal top of mind. When you know why you are doing something, it is much easier to stick to it. If you decide you are finally getting off the seesaw of diet and exercise and making changes that are part of a healthy and fit lifestyle -write down your whys. They might be because you want to: look great, feel energized, join in family outings or participate in your life again rather than sit on the sidelines. Write them all down and then-just like your feelings of confidence-review them often.

Tip 3: Get the support you need. Ask a trusted friend to hold you accountable to your actions and behaviors. Don’t forget to have them help you though the rough points, too, when you aren’t feeling the confidence you want to reach your success. Hire a coach. A coach is someone who is completely on your side, they have your best interests at heart and they are not attached to the outcome which means they are solely there for you and your success. A coach can help you through the doubts and to feeling and being confident faster. My clients have reached their goals because they stepped up and worked with me. I also have a coach, and I can personally attest to having way more confidence and success simply by having a coach on my side.

I challenge you this week to pay attention to when you are feeling doubt. How and when does it appear… and what follows? Can you turn it around and stride confidently toward your success? I bet you can.