Effect of dietary restriction on body condition, composition and welfare of overweight and obese pony mares.
Authors: Dugdale A H A, Curtis G C, Cripps P, Harris P A, Argo C McG
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Dietary Restriction for Pony Weight Loss Obesity in UK equines demands practical, evidence-based weight management protocols, yet guidance on safe caloric restriction has been limited. Dugdale and colleagues investigated whether restricting dry matter intake to 1% of bodyweight—supplying approximately 67% of predicted maintenance energy requirements—could achieve meaningful weight loss whilst preserving health in overweight ponies. Over 12 weeks, five obese pony mares (mean bodyweight 257 kg, body condition score 6.8/9) received a measured, chaff-based complete diet at this restricted level, with weekly monitoring of weight, girth measurements, ultrasound-derived subcutaneous fat depth, body composition (deuterium oxide dilution) and clinical biochemistry. The protocol achieved consistent weight loss of approximately 1% of initial bodyweight weekly after an initial 4.3% loss in week one; critically, fat comprised 45% of total weight lost, with fatter animals mobilising proportionally greater adipose tissue, and no adverse effects on clinical parameters were documented. Whilst body condition score proved insensitive to early changes, heart girth, belly girth and rib-eye fat depth emerged as superior markers of progress, and increased rest behaviour (438% increase) offset the reduced feeding activity, suggesting acceptable welfare during restriction. This evidence supports 1% bodyweight feeding protocols as a safe, practical approach for weight loss in obese equines where exercise is contraindicated or limited.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Restrict feed intake to 1% of actual body mass daily to achieve safe, consistent weight loss of ~1% per week in obese ponies without compromising health
- •Do not rely on body condition scoring to monitor early weight loss progress; instead use girth measurements and ultrasound assessment of subcutaneous fat as more sensitive markers
- •This feeding plane is suitable for obese animals where exercise is contraindicated or inadvisable, providing an evidence-based alternative management strategy
Key Findings
- •Dietary restriction to 1% of body mass daily achieved 1% weekly weight loss with 45±19% of losses comprising fat
- •Body condition score was not a useful early indicator of weight loss; heart girth, belly girth, and ultrasound rib-eye fat depth were superior markers
- •Weight loss resulted in decreased feeding activity with compensatory increases in play (36±11%) and rest (438±95%)
- •Fatter animals lost proportionally more fat mass during the restriction period