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America’s problem with obesity is well known. And more and more cats and dogs are also suffering from obesity. Now veterinarians have found that another favorite animal is in danger of serious health problems due to being just too fat: horses.

Horses in Virginia were recently experiencing a big increase in cases of laminitis, a condition where the connective tissue between the hoof and bone falls apart. It’s what got the racehorse Barbaro. Researchers at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine theorized that the laminitis increase might be related to an epidemic of obesity, which could bring about chronic inflammation and other deleterious conditions. So they examined 300 horses randomly chosen on over a hundred farms during the summer of 2006. And they found that just over half, 51 percent, were either overweight or obese. And for the same reasons as people—too many calories and too little exercise.

The horses may not be overeating, though. Modern pasture plant materials were themselves bred to help foraging animals, like cattle, pack the weight on faster. Looks like horses may have been cowed into becoming fat.

Link: 60-Second Science

I think Catherine Bird says it best in her book:”A Healthy Horse the Natural Way.” Traditional veterinary medicine and natural therapies are not mutually exclusive; both disciplines have boundless areas in which they can and do enhance each other. The use of Natural therapies is complementary and not meant to replace veterinary medicine.”

Link: Natural Horse Network

The Horse provides health information for horses of all breeds, and offers cutting-edge knowledge to veterinarians, owners and managers who care for horses. The magazine is a forum for the exchange of information and knowledge between researchers and veterinarians, and the top-level clients which are served by equine health professionals.

The Horse is staffed by editors and writers with strong backgrounds in animal science, who are backed by an authoritative board of veterinary advisors. Their mission: To help readers breed, raise, and train healthier horses.

TheHorse.com is the award-winning website of The Horse magazine, including all content from the magazine as well as additional news and feature articles on equine health and welfare. Aside from more than 11,000 articles, valuable resources include:

* Articles organized by topic,
* Special Reports (PDF article collections on specific topics),
* Free e-newsletters on horse health and welfare/industry news,
* Free RSS news feeds for individuals and web sites,
* Videos including news reports, how-to topics, Webinars, Horse Courses, and more
* The Horse Source searchable equine industry directory,
* Classifieds advertising area for jobs, products, horses, and more;
* New Products listings,
* Events calendar featuring horse health educational events, and
* Glossary of equine health terms.

Link: The Horse: Your Guide to Equine Healthcare

EquiSearch.com works closely with these magazines to deliver the content horse owners care about: tips on riding and training, authoritative information on horse care, the latest horse sports and industry news, plus sweepstakes and active online forums.

Link: http://www.equisesarch.com/