The SPILLERS brand is urging owners of overweight horses and ponies to take part in its new weight management survey.
The results will help the manufacturer to shape its weight management support resources into exactly what owners need to help them with their horses’ weight loss journeys.
As a thank you for participating three lucky winners will receive a three-month supply of a SPILLERS Balancer of their choice.
It’s estimated that over 50% of leisure horses and ponies may be overweight or obese and in some groups of ponies, obesity rates may be as high as 70%.
Excess weight carries many health risks, with laminitis being one of the most serious. Quite simply horses usually get fat because they receive more calories in their diet than they burn through activities such as exercise, keeping warm and just the daily energy required to keep them alive (basal metabolic rate).
Contributing factors to piling on excess pounds include:
- Improved pastures due to farm diversification;
- More horses and ponies being kept for leisure purposes rather than sport;
- Leisure horses and ponies are often only in very light work, reducing their energy expenditure;
- Milder winters compounded by the overuse of heat insulating rugs;
- Changes in the type of horses owned for example more cobs and natives that tend to be good doers; and
- Owners not being able to recognise when their horse or pony is overweight.
“Managing equine obesity is crucial for the health and wellbeing of our horses,” said Bella Fricker, SPILLERS’ Slimmers’ Club project lead.
“As horse owners ourselves we know how hard it can be to keep our horses’ waistlines in check. This survey gives us the opportunity to listen directly to horse owners so that we can continue to provide the best possible support to help horses achieve healthier weights.
“It’s all a part of our mission to end equine obesity in the UK by 2035.”
The survey, which takes less than five minutes to complete, is open until Friday, August 1, 2025; click here to participate.
