Fat Kills

And it does not just kill insulin resistant horses like Tradewind. Obesity is the leading contributor to the shortening of the lives of modern horses. The established horse world with its emphasis on conformation and "halter" classes are greatly to blame for this epidemic.

Over feeding is a much more common form of neglect than lack of feeding, yet I have never heard of a case of an owner being charged with abuse and neglect for maintaining a horse in a chronically obese fashion. Ironic--it does not seem to matter if you abuse your horse. The question is how you abuse your horse. Too thin--criminal charges--too fat--blue ribbon in the halter class.

I am not suggesting that owners of fat horses be carted off and sent to jail any more than I would suggest that parents of overweight kids be criminally charged. The solution for both situations is the same--education.

Some horses, like some people are genetically prone to obesity. They require special care because their lives depend on it. Some horses, like some people are genetically prone to maintain very little body fat. They require no special care. They are blessed, not abused.

The more one looks at problems that horses have the more one realizes that the solutions tend to come back to three things--natural horsemanship, natural horse care, and natural hoof care.