In this blog, we want to provide you with tips on how to keep your horse at a healthy weight during the summer months.

Weight gain in summer is a natural phenomenon

Wild horses lose weight (drastically) in winter due to food scarcity and fewer nutrients in the grass. During that time, horses use their fat reserves to get through the winter. These fat reserves are built up by horses in the summer when the grass is abundant and rich in nutrients. Wild horses are often very fat after the summer period. It is a natural phenomenon for horses to gain weight in the summer, but nowadays horses hardly lose weight in the winter due to the richer roughage they receive. The natural process of using fat reserves in the winter is almost nonexistent, which leads to health risks and horses often ending up too fat when out in the field.

Tips to maintain weight

To reduce the risk of laminitis and insulin resistance, it is important to keep the horse at a healthy weight.

Here are some tips to keep your horse at a healthy weight:

• Start in the winter: Make sure your horse doesn't come out of winter too heavy. It will be easier to maintain weight in the summer. Therefore, feed poorer hay in the winter if your horse gains weight easily. Poor hay and a vitamin & mineral pellet are sufficient for most horses for standard work. Make sure not to overfeed your horse! We tend to spoil our horses extra in the winter with mash and other extras that they don't need.

• Don't start grazing too early: Of course, we like to see our horses on grass as soon as possible. But the young grass is very nutrient-rich and contains few fibers. If you let the grass grow, it will contain more fibers, making the horse work harder to digest it. Mature grass also has less energy and sugar, making it safer for horses that are sensitive to conditions like laminitis.

• Limit grass intake: Not all horses are suitable for 24/7 grazing. Some horses have no stop/eat continuously and can become very overweight that way. But even horses that stop eating can gain a lot of weight with 24/7 grazing. Some horses are just more sensitive to overweight than others. You can limit grass intake by strip grazing. This also ensures that the pasture is grazed more evenly, including the less desirable areas. Make sure to clean up the manure properly! Another way to limit grass intake is by providing limited grazing time, such as only half a day in the pasture or nights in the paddocks. Using a grazing muzzle is also an option, but keep in mind that it may limit the social interactions of the horse and some horses may get very frustrated with wearing one.

• Increase intensity/frequency of training: Increasing the amount of exercise your horse gets has two advantages. Firstly, your horse will burn more energy, and secondly, your horse cannot eat while training. So, it's a win-win situation. Just 20 minutes of brisk walking per day has a positive effect on the horse's metabolism, so even with limited time, you can effectively work your horse. Of course, consider the weather conditions. It may be irresponsible to work your horse in extreme heat.

• Don't feed extras: Your horse probably loves mash, muesli, apples, treats, alfalfa, etc. But does your horse really need all of this? Isn't the grass treat enough? The less extras you feed your horse, the less weight your horse will gain. In this case, every little bit helps!

Does your horse still have overweight?

It is extremely difficult to get an overweight horse to lose weight and reach a healthy weight. The most important thing is to take your time, feel free to take up to six months! Hence, it is important to ensure that your horse also maintains a healthy weight in the winter. Despite the weight loss, make sure to continue feeding enough roughage. A horse should consume at least 1-1.5% of its body weight in dry matter. Feeding a smaller amount is not recommended due to the risk of ulcers and other health issues. Continue giving a vitamin and mineral supplement to prevent deficiencies. A lack of vitamins and minerals can lead to other problems.

Also, increase the duration of your training, gradually build up your horse's fitness, and push their limits within the capabilities of your horse. Consult with your vet for the best method. Keeping your horse at a healthy weight in the summer is extremely difficult as it goes against the horse's nature. By taking various steps, you can limit weight gain so that your horse enters the winter with a healthy weight. Then it will be easier to help your horse lose weight in the winter, so they will have fewer problems the following summer.

By keeping your horse at a healthy weight, you can also reduce the risk of insulin resistance, summer eczema, and laminitis.