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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Impacts of Adiposity on Exercise Performance in Horses.
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2023; 13(4); 666; doi: 10.3390/ani13040666

Impacts of Adiposity on Exercise Performance in Horses.

Abstract: There is ample research describing the increased risk of health concerns associated with equine obesity, including insulin dysregulation and laminitis. For athletes, the negative effect of weight carriage is well documented in racing thoroughbreds (i.e., handicapping with weight) and rider weight has been shown to impact the workload of ridden horses and to some degree their gait and movement. In many groups of competitive and athletic horses and ponies, obesity is still relatively common. Therefore, these animals not only are at risk of metabolic disease, but also must perform at a higher workload due to the weight of their adipose tissue. Excess body weight has been documented to affect gait quality, cause heat stress and is expected to hasten the incidence of arthritis development. Meanwhile, many equine event judges appear to favor the look of adiposity in competitive animals. This potentially rewards horses and ponies that are at higher risk of disease and reinforces the owner's decisions to keep their animals fat. This is a welfare concern for these animals and is of grave concern for the equine industry.
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Publication Date: 2023-02-14 PubMed ID: 36830453PubMed Central: PMC9951652DOI: 10.3390/ani13040666Google 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 discusses the negative impacts of obesity, or excessive body fat, on the performance of athletic horses and ponies, and its implications on their health and well-being. The study points out the dangers of equine obesity and its promotion within the equine industry, highlighting the need for more responsible practices within the sport.

Equine Obesity and Health Concerns

  • The study delves into the impact of obesity on horses, highlighting that it leads to increased risks of health complications. In particular, horses with excessive weight are shown to struggle with issues such as insulin dysregulation and laminitis, a painful condition affecting the hooves.
  • Furthermore, the research specifies how carrying excessive weight can negatively impact the physical performance of athletic horses, impacting aspects such as workload, gait, and movement. This means that the physical exertion required of obese horses to perform at their expected standards is significantly higher, thereby endangering their health.

Negative Effects of Adiposity on Performance

  • The paper also notes that obesity affects a horse’s ability to move effectively, leading to a decrease in gait quality and an increase in heat stress, both of which are likely to affect performance negatively.
  • Moreover, carrying excess weight can expedite the onset of arthritis in horses, further impairing their physical capabilities and adding to their discomfort.

Industry Practices Supporting Equine Obesity

  • The research takes note of an unfortunate trend in the equine industry, where event judges tend to favor the appearance of obesity in competitive horses and ponies. This preference means that horses and ponies with higher body fat are often rewarded, perpetuating a cycle of obesity within the industry and encouraging owners to keep their animals overweight.
  • This behavior not only jeopardizes the health of these animals but also constitutes a welfare concern, leading the researchers to question the fitness and morality of such practices within the equine sport industry.

Cite This Article

APA
Pratt-Phillips S, Munjizun A. (2023). Impacts of Adiposity on Exercise Performance in Horses. Animals (Basel), 13(4), 666. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13040666

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 4
PII: 666

Researcher Affiliations

Pratt-Phillips, Shannon
  • Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
Munjizun, Ahmad
  • Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

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