Climate change is making horses fat as it’s causing an abundance of grass to grow, top vet warns
29 November 2019 • 4:39pm
Gillies Moffat, director of a veterinary centre in Hythe, Hampshire, said the wetter and warmer climate has meant the animal’s staple food has grown more rapidly than in the past.
Horses should be moved into bare paddocks, vets have said, because an abundance of grass caused by climate change is making them fat.
The vet warned a “significant” percentage of horses he treats are overweight because of a range of modern “socioeconomic pressures” including climate change.
It comes after the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) found in a study of 792 horses last year that 31 per cent were overweight, with vets citing a lack of facilities such as stables and bare paddocks (48 per cent) as reasons.
Their report’s top recommendation to reducing their animal’s weight was keeping horses in bare paddocks and giving them a weighted food diet.
Mr Moffat believes as a result of the pressures horse owners are struggling to control their animals’ weight, leading to a number of painful physical conditions.
He said: “A significant percentage of the horses we see are overweight. It is partly a reflection on socioeconomic pressures.
“Owners are working longer hours so find regularly exercising their horses hard to do.
“Also, the term ‘good show condition’ has historically and subconsciously implied a more ’rounded’ horse rather than a fit well muscled horse.
“Warmer and wetter climates also mean greater grass availability.
HT/shrnfr
Don’t insult the British veterinary profession on the basis of this article! The vet was mainly blaming ‘socioeconomic pressures’ , the climate change angle was added to make a headline – possibly by the journalist. As a veterinary surgeon and horse owner I can confirm that ponies used to get fat in the summer back in the 60s and 70s.
I can also remember that my bit of marshland used to flood regularly in the winter, I don’t own it now but I drive by and haven’t seen it covered with water for many years.
Simple solution: horse aerobics, equinocize, a new video called “The Barnburner Workout”, oh, … so much fun to be had with this one.
It’s such an easy thing to blame climate, instead of blaming owners of the horses, isn’t it?
So, in that spirit, if you spot a misspelled word above, then it’s because of climate change. If I catch a cold, then … climate change. If I trip on a banana peel, then … climate change. If my internet service gets interrupted, then … climate change. It’s a great way to avoid realistic responsibility for stuff.
The Barnburner Workout?
I call that “Morning Chores.” 😉
I would be more interested in how climate change has caused donkeys to get fat.
I see what you did there!
People who own horses should not be allowed to own cars. Then they would have to ride the horses and that would keep the horses nice and slim.
So, now veterinarians are climate experts, too. Who isn’t a climate expert?
It’s also arguable that climate change alarmism has caused many experts to become fat due to a very rich diet.
I hate to use the term “fake news” but this is definitely fake news. Low-skill/no-skill horse owners don’t establish good feeding habits early on and the horses get fat. Climate change has little to do with it.
So what? Climate Change made Progressives stupid.
Then Orange Man came along and they lost their minds.
“Owners are working longer hours so find regularly exercising their horses hard to do.”
Owners not exercising their horses has been a problem long before climate change was a gleam in Al Gore’s eye.
However, in the UK, climate change may well be causing owners to work longer hours so they can pay the skyrocketing utility bills.
Taking horses off pasture and putting them in bare paddocks is going to make for very unhappy horses who get even less exercise and is not likely to be conducive to their fitness, weight or mental health. I can’t recall ever seeing a fat horse who’s only food was grass in a pasture. Methinks this vet is obsessed with Climate Change, not his patients health.
Yes, I’ve owned a number of horses in the past. The only bigger holes than horses to throw money into are boats.
But since we aren’t allowed to use motor vehicles any more, we’ll have to go back to horses. Then the horses will get plenty of exercise, and be slim again.
If you’re ever in Pennsylvania, take a look at the off-track Standardbreds pulling Amish buggies–they’re mostly all lean to just this side of bony! And if they founder, it’s from foot concussion on the road.
Antique saddles seldom fit modern horses–our Quarter Horses, Warmbloods, etc. are much wider-backed and more muscular than our native breeds in days of yore.
Hang on a minute, isn’t “global warming” being caused, in part, by horses eating grass an farting out lots of methane? – just asking!
This must be spoof. Haha.
What makes horses fat ?
Unlimited grass and little exercise .
Nothing to do with climate change ,
As Ian Magness said on the first blog this is Horse schist.
I recall years ago our farm hack ( working horse for moving stock ) was in 40 acres of harvested maize after cattle had cleaned up the stubble .
There was a lot of grassed areas around that could not be cultivated and the horse had more than enough to eat
He stood up by the highway and talked to the brood mares across the other side .
One day a lady from the SPCA arrived and wanted to inspect a starving horse that had been reported .
On inspection she could see that he was in perfect working condition but she asked me if I would move him as a favour so that she would not get any more calls from people driving by who just saw a horse in a harvested maize paddock and presumed it was being starved .
My grand daughters are into show jumping and eventing and they constantly have to restrict the pasture intake of their horses .Just common sense they don’t need a vet to tell them its global warning causing it .
Proud to be a farmer and a proud grandfather of two very good horse woman .
Graham Anderson.
In Ancient Rome, there was a god for everything. If you were planning a trip to visit your pregnant sister in Naples, you made a sacrifice to the god responsible for safe travel. Along the way, you’d make a stop at the shrine of the goddess responsible for healthy baby girls and another stop at the shrine of the god responsible for healthy baby boys, just to be sure. You might pay homage to the each of the gods responsible for clean water, good weather, and inn vacancies, too. There was a god for everything, and every one demanded a sacrifice. It was a lot to remember, and very confusing. The gods, although very powerful, were also very fickle. Make the wrong sacrifice to the wrong god at the wrong time and you could be stricken with plague or wind up in a heap at the base of a cliff.
We know better now. We need only pay homage to one god, Climate, who is responsible for everything. If it is too hot, Climate is responsible. If it is too cold, blame Climate. Too much rain? Climate. Not enough rain? Climate. Mass migrations from third the third world? Climate. Too many hurricanes? Climate. Tornadoes? Climate. Retreating glaciers? Climate. Advancing glaciers? Climate. Wildfires? Climate. Power outages? Climate. Not enough food? Climate.
And just like all the other gods, Climate demands a sacrifice. We have failed to provide Climate with a worthy enough sacrifice. And the longer we wait, the greater will be the wrath of Climate.
The diviners of Climate have been hard at work for many years to determine the appropriate sacrifice. Climate will not be appeased with the blood of rats, goats, chickens, or cows. Climate is a jealous and vengeful god, and is extremely vexed with us. Climate demands OUR blood. Oodles and oodles of it. And we don’t have a lot of time. The diviners tell us that Climate is impatient. Very impatient. So no half measures will suffice. We must cull the human herd to a level that pleases Climate, and to do so in a timely manner requires the abandonment of modernity and everything associated with it. That means no more cheap, reliable electricity. No more cars, busses, trucks, trains, or planes. No more factories. No more drugs. In order to appease Climate, we must abandon modernity and revert to an agrarian way of life.
Well, not all of us. Some will need to remain in bubbles of modernity to better manage the remaining human herd. The diviners of Climate will be among them, obviously. Some politicians and their servants. Those who have paid their fair share in carbon offsets. The faithful. The rest of unworthy humanity will be offered up to Climate as a blood offering.
Time is running out. The longer we wait, the worse it will be.
What about the climate feedback effects of all these horse farts and manure? Surely, it must be considerable at 1 W/m2 or more.
Someone please issue a grant to study it.
I don’t know about horses ; but Academics, Jounalists, and Media Barons are certainly getting very fat indeed.
Climate change is making me fat…I seem to carry a few more pounds than I use to and it trends right with the CO2 increase in the atmosphere…if I can plot it on an chart, it must be true
“Charles Rotter ( Your sorrows. I’d like to have! )
/ 4 days ago November 30, 2019 From The Telegraph
Climate change is making horses fat as it’s causing an abundance of grass to grow, top vet warns.”
“Full article here.
HT/shrnfr”
That kind of “articles” consume reading time and roaming fees.