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Veterinary sciences2022; 9(10); 544; doi: 10.3390/vetsci9100544

Are Horse Owners Able to Estimate Their Animals’ Body Condition Score and Cresty Neck Score?

Abstract: Obesity and overconditioning are becoming more prevalent in horses, and are influencing the animal's health, activity, and reproductive efficiency. Body condition score (BCS) and cresty neck score (CNS) have been correlated with the development of various diseases. Many of the papers in the literature evaluate the prevalence of obesity and overconditioning in horse populations considering BCS given by owners. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of the owners' estimation of the degree of equine obesity or overconditioning by comparing BCS and CNS provided by each owner and a board-certified vet to a cohort of 259 horses and their agreement based on age, breed, sex, and activity of the animals. Overconditioning was present in 29% and 24% of horses according to the owners and the vet, respectively, and obesity in 2% and 1%, respectively. Agreement between BCS and CNS given by the owners and the vet was slight, with owners scoring horses either lower or higher than the vet. Agreement between the owners and the vet assessment was also influenced by age, breed, sex, and activity of the animals. Education of owners and caretakers to correctly assess BCS and CNS and regular evaluation of the animals throughout the year is important to prevent the development of obesity and overconditioning and related diseases.
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Publication Date: 2022-10-03 PubMed ID: 36288157PubMed Central: PMC9611487DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9100544Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article focuses on how accurately horse owners can assess their horses’ Body Condition Score (BCS) and Cresty Neck Score (CNS) – two measures related to obesity and overconditioning in horses. Their assessments were compared with those of a certified vet. The findings highlight a difference in scoring between the owners and the vet, indicating the need for owner education on how to correctly assess these scores.

Research Method and Objective

  • The research was aimed at assessing the ability of horse owners in correctly estimating their horses’ Body Condition Score (BCS) and Cresty Neck Score (CNS).
  • The study was designed to evaluate the agreement between a horse owner’s assessment and that of a board-certified veterinarian in terms of horses’ obesity or overconditioning.
  • The measures of obesity and overconditioned horses are important as they can influence the horse’s health, activity level, and reproductive efficiency, all of which can lead to the development of various diseases.

Results and Findings

  • The research found a noticeable variance between the scores given by the horse owners and the vet. Overconditioning was present in 29% and 24% of horses according to the owners and the vet, respectively. Obesity was detected in 2% and 1%, respectively.
  • The level of agreement between the horse owners’ and the vet’s assessments was only slight. This suggests that owners’ estimations were either too high or too low compared with the assessments of the certified veterinarian.
  • The study also showed that the level of agreement was influenced by different factors such as the horse’s age, breed, sex, and activity level.

Implications and Recommendations

  • The findings of the research emphasize the need for increased education for horse owners and caretakers in accurately assessing their horse’s Body Condition Score (BCS) and Cresty Neck Score (CNS).
  • Conducting regular evaluations throughout the year can help prevent the development of obesity and overconditioning in horses and related health issues.

Cite This Article

APA
Busechian S, Turini L, Sgorbini M, Pieramati C, Pisello L, Orvieto S, Rueca F. (2022). Are Horse Owners Able to Estimate Their Animals’ Body Condition Score and Cresty Neck Score? Vet Sci, 9(10), 544. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9100544

Publication

Veterinary sciences
ISSN: 2306-7381
NlmUniqueID: 101680127
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 10
PII: 544

Researcher Affiliations

Busechian, Sara
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Via San Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Italy.
Turini, Luca
  • Department of Agricultural, Food and Agro-Environmental Sciences, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
Sgorbini, Micaela
  • Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
Pieramati, Camillo
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Via San Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Italy.
Pisello, Lorenzo
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Via San Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Italy.
Orvieto, Simona
  • Independent Researcher, 06100 Perugia, Italy.
Rueca, Fabrizio
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Via San Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Italy.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
  1. Uldahl M, Dahl J, Clayton HM. Body Condition Score in Danish Horses Related to Type, Use, and Training Level: Patterns, Risk, and Protective Factors. Animals (Basel) 2023 Mar 31;13(7).
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  2. Golding E, Al Ansari ASA, Sutton GA, Walshe N, Duggan V. Rate of obesity within a mixed-breed group of horses in Ireland and their owners' perceptions of body condition and useability of an equine body condition scoring scale. Ir Vet J 2023 Apr 6;76(1):9.
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