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

Furtado, T
·
Perkins, E
·
Pinchbeck, G
·
McGowan, C
·
Watkins, F
·
Christley, R

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.

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Publication Date: 2020-10-30 PubMed ID: 33002214DOI: 10.1111/evj.13360Google Scholar: Lookup

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Summary
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Affiliations
MeSH
Grants
References
Citations

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.

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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

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