FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Equine veterinary journal2020; 53(4); 752-762; doi: 10.1111/evj.13360

Exploring horse owners’ understanding of obese body condition and weight management in UK leisure horses.

Abstract: Equine obesity is considered one of the most serious welfare concerns in UK leisure horses, yet little is known about how horse owners conceptualise their horse's weight as part of its health, or how they plan and carry out weight management. Objective: This study aimed to further our understanding of leisure horse owners' perceptions of equine health and awareness of excess fat in order to clarify our understanding of successful strategies for managing equine weight. Methods: This study used a qualitative research methodology. Methods: Data comprised 16 threads from online UK equine discussion fora, 28 individual interviews with leisure horse owners, 19 interviews with equine professionals such as vets and nutritionists, and two focus groups with a further 21 horse owners. Data were anonymised and analysed using a grounded theory approach. Results: Awareness of excess fat was a complex issue, with owners finding it difficult to differentiate equine obesity from the shape they thought the horse was "meant to be", particularly if the horse was a heavier breed such as a native pony or cob. Owners were not necessarily "aware" or "unaware" of fat, but instead equine body fat was constructed as an integral part of the equine body. For example, owners might say that they thought their horse was an ideal weight yet describe their horse's overall body shape as "like a Thelwell". When owners became aware of fat as a changeable part of the horse's body, and/or a threat to health, the presence of fat was articulated as a strong-willed adversary, and weight management was considered a "battle" or "war". Owners found weight management difficult because they perceived that it had immediate negative welfare implications for the horse, and this therefore interfered with their preferred ownership practices and the horse-human relationship. Conclusions: Interview data are self-reported, and people may not always do what they say they do. Conclusions: This study has provided valuable insight into how owners conceptualise weight and weight management, yielding important information about communicating with owners about weight, tailoring weight management strategies, and promoting positive welfare.
© 2020 The Authors. Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2020-10-30 PubMed ID: 33002214DOI: 10.1111/evj.13360Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

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 study explores how leisure horse owners in the UK understand and manage their horses’ weight, particularly in cases of obesity. The researchers gathered insights through interviews, discussion fora, and focus groups, with findings indicating that owners often struggle to recognize and handle equine obesity effectively, sometimes seeing it as a part of the horse’s natural body shape, hence, complicating efforts to maintain healthy horse weight.

Methodology

The researchers utilized qualitative research methods for this study:

  • Data were collected from 16 threads in online UK equine discussion fora.
  • Also, 28 individual interviews were conducted with leisure horse owners.
  • Beyond interviews with horse owners, the study also involved 19 interviews with equine professionals, including veterinarians and nutritionists.
  • Finally, two focus groups involving an additional 21 horse owners were held for more comprehensive and interactive data collection.

All gathered data were anonymized and subjected to analysis using a grounded theory approach.

Findings

The study made these significant findings:

  • Identifying excess fat in horses was found to be a complex issue for horse owners, some of whom found it hard to distinguish obesity from the perceived natural body shape of their horses, particularly for heavier breeds like native ponies and cobs.
  • Horse owners didn’t necessarily lack awareness of their horses’ body fat. Instead, they saw it as an inherent part of the horse’s body shape. Some even described their horses as being the ideal weight while simultaneously comparing their shapes to that of a Thelwell, a popular depiction of a chubby pony.
  • When owners identified body fat as a modifiable trait and potential health risk, they described it as an adversary that they needed to combat, leading to the characterization of weight management as a “battle” or “war”.
  • Weight management was seen as challenging because horse owners felt controlling the weight had immediate negative welfare implications for the horse, hence interfering with their preferred practices and relationship with their horses.

Conclusions

The researchers note in their conclusion that:

  • The study data is based on self-reported interviews, hence, people may sometimes describe different behaviours from those they actually practice.
  • However, the study provides valuable insights into how owners perceive and manage their horses’ weight, which can facilitate better communication with these owners on weight management strategies, and help promote better equine welfare in general.

Cite This Article

APA
Furtado T, Perkins E, Pinchbeck G, McGowan C, Watkins F, Christley R. (2020). Exploring horse owners’ understanding of obese body condition and weight management in UK leisure horses. Equine Vet J, 53(4), 752-762. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13360

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 53
Issue: 4
Pages: 752-762

Researcher Affiliations

Furtado, Tamzin
  • Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, UK.
Perkins, Elizabeth
  • Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Pinchbeck, Gina
  • Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, UK.
McGowan, Catherine
  • Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, UK.
Watkins, Francine
  • Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Christley, Robert
  • Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, UK.

MeSH Terms

  • Animal Husbandry
  • Animals
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Horse Diseases
  • Horses
  • Leisure Activities
  • Obesity / therapy
  • Obesity / veterinary
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • United Kingdom

Grant Funding

  • JXR12063 / Horse Trust

References

This article includes 53 references
  1. Owers R, Chubbock S. Fight the fat!. Equine Vet J 2013;45:5.
  2. Rendle D, McGregor Argo C, Bowen M, Carslake H, German A, Harris P. Equine obesity: current perspectives. UK-Vet Equine 2018;2:1-19.
  3. Bowen M. Clinical Research Proceedings: Equine obesity. In Proc. British Equine Veterinary Association Congress, Birmingham, 2018; p. 57.
  4. Salonen LK, Hollands T, Piercy RJ, Verheyen KLP. Epidemiology of Equine obesity in south-east England: Preliminary findings. In Proc. British Equine Veterinary Association Congress, 2009; Vol. 48, p. 247.
  5. Hitchens PL, Hultgren J, Frössling J, Emanuelson U, Keeling LJ, Geor R. Prevalence and risk factors for overweight horses at premises in Sweden assessed using official animal welfare control data. Acta Vet Scand 2016;58:61.
  6. Wyse CA, McNie KA, Tannahil VJ, Love S, Murray JK. Prevalence of obesity in riding horses in Scotland. Vet Rec 2008;162:590-1.
  7. Robin CA, Ireland JL, Wylie CE, Collins SN, Verheyen KLP, Newton JR. Prevalence of and risk factors for equine obesity in Great Britain based on owner-reported body condition scores. Equine Vet J 2015;47:196-201.
  8. Stephenson HM, Green MJ, Freeman SL. Prevalence of obesity in a population of horses in the UK. Vet Rec 2011;168:131.
  9. Dugdale AHA, Curtis GC, Harris PA, Argo CM. Assessment of body fat in the pony: Part I. Relationships between the anatomical distribution of adipose tissue, body composition and body condition. Equine Vet J 2011;43:552-61.
  10. Morrison PK. Equine Obesity: Concepts and Mechanisms [Thesis]. University of Liverpool: 2015.
  11. Gentry LR, Thompson DL, Gentry GT, Del Vecchio RP, Davis KA, Del Vecchio PM. The relationship between body condition score and ultrasonic fat measurements in mares of high versus low body condition. J Equine Vet Sci 2004;24:198-203.
  12. Pagan JD, Martin OA, Crowley NL, Pagan JD, Martin OA, Crowley NL. Relationship between body condition and metabolic parameters in sport horses, pony hunters and polo ponies. J Equine Vet Sci 2009;29:418-20.
  13. McGowan CM, Dugdale AH, Pinchbeck GL, Argo CM. Dietary restriction in combination with a nutraceutical supplement for the management of equine metabolic syndrome in horses. Vet J 2013;196:153-9.
  14. Dugdale AHA, Curtis GC, Cripps P, Harris PA, Argo CM. Effect of dietary restriction on body condition, composition and welfare of overweight and obese pony mares. Equine Vet J 2010;42:600-10.
  15. Potter SJ, Bamford NJ, Harris PA, Bailey SR. Comparison of weight loss, with or without dietary restriction and exercise, in Standardbreds, Andalusians and mixed breed ponies. J Equine Vet Sci 2013;33:339.
  16. Tackling Obesity in Equine Practice: BEVA Member Survey Results. Available from https://www.beva.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/Resources/Obesity/SurveyResultsSummary.pdf?timestamp=1530798113586. Accessed September 5, 2018.
  17. Hockenhull J, Creighton E. The day-to-day management of UK leisure horses and the prevalence of owner-reported stable-related and handling behaviour problems. Anim Welf 2015;24:29-36.
  18. Birke L, Hockenhull J, Creighton E. The horse's tale: narratives of caring for/about horses. Soc Anim 2010;18:331-47.
  19. Kienzle E, Bergler R, Mandernach A. A comparison of the feeding behavior and the human-animal relationship in owners of normal and obese dogs. J Nutr 1998;128:2779S-82S.
  20. German AJ. Obesity prevention and weight maintenance after loss. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 2016;46:913-29.
  21. German AJ. The growing problem of obesity in dogs and cats. J Nutr 2006;136:1940S-6S.
  22. German AJ. Style over substance: what can parenting styles tell us about ownership styles and obesity in companion animals?. Br J Nutr 2015;113:S72-7.
  23. Morrison P, Harris P, Maltin C, Grove-White D, Argo C, Barfoot C. Perceptions of obesity in a UK leisure-based population of horse owners. Acta Vet Scand 2015;57:O6.
  24. Silverman D. Doing Qualitative Research: A Practical Handbook - David Silverman - Google Books, fourth. Sage, GB; 2013.
  25. Green J, Thorogood N. Qualitative Methods for Health Research. 3rd ednLondon: Sage Publications; 2004.
  26. May C. Discovering new areas of veterinary science through qualitative research interviews: introductory concepts for veterinarians. Aust Vet J 2018;96:278-84.
  27. Hidano A, Gates MC, Enticott G. Farmers' decision making on livestock trading practices: cowshed culture and behavioral triggers amongst New Zealand dairy farmers. Front Vet Sci 2019;6:320.
  28. Anderson PK. Social dimensions of the human-avian bond: parrots and their persons. Anthrozoos 2014;27:371-87.
  29. Bard AM, Main DCJ, Haase AM, Whay HR, Roe EJ, Reyher KK. The future of veterinary communication: partnership or persuasion? A qualitative investigation of veterinary communication in the pursuit of client behaviour change. PLoS One 2017;12:e0171380.
  30. Downes MJ, Devitt C, Downes MT, More SJ. Understanding the context for pet cat and dog feeding and exercising behaviour among pet owners in Ireland: a qualitative study. Ir Vet J 2017;70:29.
  31. Scantlebury CE, Perkins E, Pinchbeck GL, Archer DC, Christley RM. Could it be colic? Horse-owner decision making and practices in response to equine colic. BMC Vet Res 2014;10:S1.
  32. Christley RM, Perkins E. Researching hard to reach areas of knowledge: Qualitative research in veterinary science. Equine Vet J 2010;42:285-6.
  33. Charmaz K. Constructing Grounded Theory. 3rd edn. Wiltshire: The Cromwell Press; 2008.
  34. Furtado T. Exploring the recognition and management of obesity in horses through qualitative research [thesis]. University of Liverpool: ; 2019.
  35. Boswell J. The real war on obesity: contesting knowledge and meaning in a public health crisis. Southampton: Palgrave Macmillan; 2016.
  36. White GA, Hobson-West P, Cobb K, Craigon J, Hammond R, Millar KM. Canine obesity: is there a difference between veterinarian and owner perception?. J Small Anim Pract 2011;52:622-6.
  37. Cairns-Haylor T, Fordyce P. Mapping discussion of canine obesity between veterinary surgeons and dog owners: a provisional study. Vet Rec 2017;180:149.
  38. Öhlund M, Palmgren M, Holst BS. Overweight in adult cats: a cross-sectional study. Acta Vet Scand 2018;60:5.
  39. Espley C, Bowes V. Addressing a weighty problem. Vet Rec 2019;185:4-5.
  40. Eastland-Jones RC, German AJ, Holden SL, Biourge V, Pickavance LC. Owner misperception of canine body condition persists despite use of a body condition score chart. J Nutr Sci 2014;3:e45.
  41. Westgarth C, Christley RM, Marvin G, Perkins E. The responsible dog owner: the construction of responsibility. Anthrozoos 2019;32:631-46.
  42. Rolph NC, Noble P-JM, German AJ. How often do primary care veterinarians record the overweight status of dogs?. J Nutr Sci 2014;3:1-5.
  43. Lynden J, Ogden J, Hollands T. Contracting for care - the construction of the farrier role in supporting horse owners to prevent laminitis. Equine Vet J 2018;50:658-66.
  44. McLeroy KR, Bibeau D, Steckler A, Glanz K. An ecological perspective on health promotion programs. Health Educ Q 1988;15:351-77.
  45. Christmas S, Michie S, West R. Thinking about behaviour change: an interdisciplinary dialogue. Great Britain: Silverback Publishing; 2015.
  46. Davis R, Campbell R, Hildon Z, Hobbs L, Michie S. Theories of behaviour and behaviour change across the social and behavioural sciences: a scoping review. Health Psychol Rev 2015;9:323-44.
  47. Carciofi AC, Gonçalves KNV, Vasconcellos RS, Bazolli RS, Brunetto MA, Prada F. A weight loss protocol and owners participation in the treatment of canine obesity. Ciênc Rural 2005;35:1331-8.
  48. Jacob JJ, Isaac R. Behavioral therapy for management of obesity. Indian J Endocrinol Metab 2012;16:28-32.
  49. Dixon KJL, Shcherba S, Kipping RR. Weight loss from three commercial providers of NHS primary care slimming on referral in North Somerset: service evaluation. J Public Health (Bangkok) 2012;34:555-61.
  50. Gudzune KA, Doshi RS, Mehta AK, Chaudhry ZW, Jacobs DK, Vakil RM. Efficacy of commercial weight-loss programs: An updated systematic review. Ann Intern Med 2015;162:501-12.
  51. NHS Choices Couch to 5K - Live Well. Available from https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/couch-to-5k-week-by-week/. Accessed July 4, 2016.
  52. German AJ. Weight management in obese pets: the tailoring concept and how it can improve results. Acta Vet Scand 2016;58:57.
  53. Michie S, van Stralen MM, West R. The behaviour change wheel: a new method for characterising and designing behaviour change interventions. Implement Sci 2011;6:42.

Citations

This article has been cited 17 times.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,850 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.