Horse Food & Nutrition: Managing Your Horse's Weight

Managing your horse’s weight is important, as obesity increases the risk of a wide range of equine health problems, including laminitis, lameness or equine metabolic syndrome. And while less common, having an underweight horse is also a danger.

Every horse is different, so unfortunately there’s no magic formula to follow. Instead, you’ll need to find a method that works for you and your horse. It’s likely to involve a bit of trial and error before you find the right fit, but here are some things to consider and tips to help you get started.

How much does a horse weigh?

A horse’s ideal weight will be influenced by their size, breed, age and workload. You can only truly know how much your horse weighs if you stand them on a weighbridge. A weight tape offers a good estimate, however. Combined with body condition scoring, it’s the next best option for assessing and monitoring your horse’s weight.

Consult your vet or a qualified equine nutritionist if you’re unsure what your horse’s ideal weight should be.

How to help a horse lose weight

The basic principle of weight loss – and the best approach – is to reduce the amount of food that goes in, while increasing the energy used up. This is often easier said than done, however, as horses are genetically programmed to eat food whenever they can and store the energy.

Here are some practical steps if your horse is on the heavy side.

1. Reduce your horse’s feed gradually, weighing their feed and hay to ensure accuracy.
2. Increase your horse’s exercise – this could include ridden work, lunging or long-reining.
3. Monitor progress with a weight tape and body condition scoring every two weeks. While a weight tape may not give you an accurate weight, it will be able to tell you if you’re heading in the right direction. Remember, to compare like-for- like, each measurement should be at the same time of day – first thing in the morning is best. Keep a note in your diary, on your phone or a wall chart in the feed room so that you can see how you’re doing over time.
4. Respond to your horse’s progress. If your horse’s weight goes up or stays the same, feed them less and exercise them more. Consider whether you need to restrict their grazing or use a muzzle. If their weight is dropping slowly but steadily week on week, you’re on the right track.
5. An underlying vet issue, especially equine metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance) may be responsible for a horse or pony either being overweight or apparently unable to lose weight. Should your attempts to get weight off your horse meet with disappointment, consider asking your vet their opinion.

More tips on assessing and managing your horse’s weight can be found in our weight management guide. Aside from being overweight, if your horse is not in full health – for example, if they’re suffering from laminitis – any weight loss efforts must be monitored by your vet.

Free guide: Weight

What should I feed my horse?

Even if you’re reducing an overweight horse’s intake, they must eat enough to keep their digestive system healthy. Ensure that they receive 1.5% of their body weight in dry matter every 24 hours – this includes feed and hay.

“Most horses don’t need hard feed unless they’re in vigorous athletic work,” says Petplan Equine vet Gil Riley, so consider if they need what you're feeding them. Speak to your vet or call a free nutritional advice line if you’re unsure.

How to help a horse gain weight

Managing a horse prone to being underweight can be as stressful as the opposite problem. Here are some tips to help.

1. Give access to ad-lib high-quality forage and ensure your horse is eating 2% to 2.5% of their body weight each day.
2. Choose a bucket feed that is high in oils and fats, as these are calorie-dense and are less likely to cause fizzy behaviour.
3. Add highly digestible fibre sources such as sugar beet to your horse’s feed.
4. Ensure your horse is rugged correctly in the winter – over-rugging means your horse is carrying excess weight, while under-rugging may leave them cold and using more energy to keep warm.
5. Could there be a vet issue responsible for weight loss? Chronic pain (for example from arthritis), dental problems (preventing food being chewed properly), worm burden, stomach ulcers and Cushing’s disease in older animals are all common possible causes of weight loss.