86  A survey: Horse show judges’ perceptions on equine adiposity

Munjizun, Ahmad; Phillips, S. Pratt

doi:10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103549

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Unfortunately, this study also documented that fatter animals were judged more favorably than leaner animals. To this end, a survey of hunter horse judges confirmed this notion by finding that that judges are more lenient towards overweight or obese horses, compared to those that might be slightly underweight when judged for conformation [62]. Seeing as fatter animals carrying more body condition are not healthy, such rewards for obesity will propagate the problem.…”

Section: Incidence Of Adipositymentioning

confidence: 92%

“…However as described above, overweight and obese horses have been reported in several athletic equine events, particularly those that are judged [48,60]. Studies report that judges may favor adiposity in sport horses [61,62], potentially influencing some competition horse owners and trainers to overfeed their animals on purpose [52,54]. The negative health consequences of obesity are well recognized, and yet many horse owners still keep their horses overconditioned in effort to give them an edge in the show ring.…”

Section: Incidence Of Adipositymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impacts of Adiposity on Exercise Performance in Horses

Pratt-Phillips

Munjizun

2023

Animals

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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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Section: Incidence Of Adipositymentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Incidence Of Adipositymentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of Adiposity on Exercise Performance in Horses

Pratt-Phillips

Munjizun

2023

Animals

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“…Morrison et al ( 2017 ) highlighted the social acceptability of over- compared to underweight horses, reporting that competition judges were more likely to penalise underweight horses compared to overweight horses. Further, recent publications have reported that when compared to expert assessments, judges at horse show competitions tended to underestimate horses’ weight, perpetuating a tendency for owners to maintain horses above a healthy weight range (Munjizun & Phillips 2021 ). To combat issues with subjective scoring at horse shows in the UK, veterinary assessments of horse body condition have been integrated into horse shows and competitions aiming to redefine healthy horse body condition and incentivise owners to keep their horses within a healthy weight range (Horse Trust 2022 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘It’s more emotionally based’: Prince Edward Island horse owner perspectives of horse weight management

Ross,

Proudfoot,

Campbell Nishimura

et al. 2024

Anim. welf.

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Horse obesity is a growing concern that can result in negative welfare. The role horse owners play in horse weight management is not well understood. This study aimed to: (1) explore the attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of owners with overweight or obese horses regarding their horses’ weight; and (2) understand the motivators and barriers for owners to implement, improve and maintain weight management-related strategies. A semi-structured interview guide based on the Theoretical Domains Framework was developed. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 24 owners in Prince Edward Island, Canada whose horse(s) were previously classified as overweight or obese by a veterinarian. Interviews were analysed using template analysis, organising patterns in the data into a codebook and overarching themes. Owners believed horse weight management was important, however, their perceived complexity of the issue made the implementation of the weight management practices difficult. Owners held conflicting perceptions, viewing overweight horses as well cared for, yet recognised these horses were at increased risk for negative health outcomes. Ultimately, participants felt emotionally torn about compromising their horse’s mental well-being to address weight issues. Owners considered the practicality of weight-management strategies, the strategies’ effectiveness, and whether recommended strategies aligned with their beliefs regarding good horse care practices. Knowledge was embedded into owners’ understanding of horse weight, however, some highlighted that traditional knowledge dominates the equine industry hindering systemic industry change. Increased understanding of the effectiveness and impacts of weight management strategies on horses and fostering a society that recognises and accepts horses within a healthy weight range are warranted.

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