Despite veterinary experts inundating horse owners with information on the link between obesity, equine metabolic syndrome, and laminitis, overconditioning and subsequent obesity are prominent welfare issues. An estimated 50% of horses are classified as overweight, with up to 30% of those considered obese. This problem, however, is not restricted to sedentary horses but is widespread, even among elite performance horses.

In a recent study, nutritionists at North Carolina State University evaluated the body condition scores (BCS) of 377 elite ponies competing at a national hunter competition.^* The same two evaluators also assigned a cresty neck score (CNS) to the same ponies.

“The standard nine-point Henneke BCS scale was used, where a BCS of 5 was considered ideal and a BCS greater than 6 was considered overweight. For the five-point CNS, a ‘cresty neck’ was defined as a score of more than 2.5,” explained Ashley Fowler, Ph.D., a nutritionist for Kentucky Equine Research.

“A cresty neck is characterized by fat accumulation along the top of the neck. Studies have found that a cresty neck increases the risk for metabolic issues, such as insulin resistance. Some horses may have a cresty neck without being considered fat or extremely fat (BCS higher than 7), so measuring both BCS and CNS is important,” explained Fowler.

The average BCS of the ponies was 6.7, which is considered overweight. No pony was designated as thin as all ponies had a BCS of more than 5. The average CNS was 2.8, meaning, as a group, the ponies did have cresty necks.

“In total, 93% of the ponies were overweight, with 35.5% of those having a BCS greater than 7,” summarized Fowler.

According to the nutritionists conducting the study, “This is of concern considering the vast amount of evidence to suggest that overweight equids are at a higher risk of disease. Animals with a body condition score of 7 or higher and/or regional adiposity (such as a cresty neck) have a 3-5 times higher risk of developing laminitis.”

Potential reasons explaining the tendency towards obesity include the following:

• Impression by owners that overconditioned animals perform better than underconditioned animals;
• Peer pressure from other owners can affect how individuals approach their own horse’s adiposity and weight-loss efforts;
• Owners are not skilled at evaluating BCS, with studies showing they often do not recognize their horse is overweight or obese; and
• Studies show that even judges “prefer” overweight horses to lean (but not thin) ones.

Read more: Obese Equine Athletes: Are These “Unhealthy” Healthy Horses?

Whether you are building from scratch or renovating, keeping biosecurity in mind can help reduce the risk of introducing or spreading disease on your property.

When building:

• Select smooth, non-porous, durable materials as they are easy to clean and disinfect; there are a wide variety of materials to choose from depending on the intended use (e.g. metal, vinyl coated metal, polymer coated wood, sealed concrete and some plastics).
• Seal wooden surfaces with non-toxic marine grade enamel paint or urethane, again for easy cleaning and disinfecting. Avoid sealing surfaces that horses may chew on.
• Choose building materials that will not shatter or splinter if a horse kicks them and will not degrade on continued exposure to sunlight, water, and products used for cleaning and disinfecting.
• Plan for a sufficient number of taps and sinks for cleaning and hand washing and ensure adequate subsurface drainage to remove waste water and storm water.
• Always check with the product manufacturer that paints, sealers, cleaners and disinfectants are approved for use in livestock buildings.

Before you build or renovate consider:

• Geography: areas less densely populated with horses and livestock can reduce risk of exposure to pathogens.
• Topography: Slope of land and type of soil affects drainage, pasture quality, footing for horses and ease of building. Trees and hills can provide protection from the sun and influence wind patterns and ventilation. Ponds and streams can be an attractant for wildlife, pests and affect drainage.
• Layout: Plan for the number of horses to be housed and potential expansion. Consider separating horses that are at higher risk of disease exposure (such as horses that are frequently travelling to other farms or facilities) from horses at lower risk (those that rarely leave the property). Minimize the chance of contamination of feed, water and clean bedding from manure and wash water.
• Traffic Flow: Reduce the risk of spreading pathogens by controlling the movement of people, horses, equipment and material on the farm or facility. Also, review section six and seven on movement of horses and access management in the National Farm and Facility Level Biosecurity Standard for the Equine Sector.

Read more: Facility Design with Biosecurity in Mind