Prevalence of and risk factors for equine obesity in <scp>G</scp>reat <scp>B</scp>ritain based on owner‐reported body condition scores

<jats:title>Summary</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Reasons for performing the study</jats:title><jats:p>Few data are available on the prevalence of obesity in the general equine population of <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">G</jats:styled-content>reat <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">B</jats:styled-content>ritain (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GB</jats:styled-content>), and its associated risk factors.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Objectives</jats:title><jats:p>To estimate the prevalence of owner‐reported obesity in veterinary‐registered horses and ponies in <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GB</jats:styled-content>, and identify factors associated with obesity.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Study design</jats:title><jats:p>A cross‐sectional survey of horse/pony owners in <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GB</jats:styled-content> was undertaken using a postal questionnaire.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods</jats:title><jats:p>Thirty veterinary practices randomly selected horse/pony owners to complete a self‐administered postal questionnaire. Owners estimated body condition score using a modified Carroll and Huntington method (1–6 scale), and animals were classified as obese if they were scored as either 5 (fat) or 6 (very fat). Factors associated with obesity were assessed using logistic regression analysis.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>Prevalence of obesity was 31.2% (n = 247/792; 95% confidence interval [<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CI</jats:styled-content>] 27.9–34.2%). Factors associated with increased odds of obesity were breed (P<0.001), ease of maintaining weight (P<0.001) and primary use (P = 0.002). Compared to Thoroughbreds, draught‐type (odds ratio [<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">OR</jats:styled-content>] 7.3; 95% <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CI</jats:styled-content> 3.1–17.1), cob‐type (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">OR</jats:styled-content> 5.6; 95% <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CI</jats:styled-content> 2.5–12.5), native (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">OR</jats:styled-content> 3.2; 95% <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CI</jats:styled-content> 1.8–5.78) and Welsh breeds (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">OR</jats:styled-content> 3.5; 95% <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CI</jats:styled-content> 1.9–6.2) were more likely to be obese. Animals described as ‘good doers’ were more likely to be obese than those described as readily maintaining normal weight (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">OR</jats:styled-content> 3.7; 95% <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CI</jats:styled-content> 2.6–5.3). Compared to competition animals, animals used for pleasure riding (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">OR</jats:styled-content> 2.5; 95% <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CI</jats:styled-content> 1.4–4.4) and nonridden animals (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">OR</jats:styled-content> 2.9; 95% <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CI</jats:styled-content> 1.5–5.5) were more likely to be obese.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title><jats:p>Identification of at‐risk breeds and other horse‐ and management‐level risk factors for obesity will enable optimal targeting of owner education regarding management strategies to reduce the frequency of equine obesity.</jats:p></jats:sec>