Calorie count at horse weigh day

Horses will be weighed using specialist equipment: pic HorseWorld

Owners of overweight horses and ponies are being encouraged to bring their pets to a weigh day at equine charity HorseWorld near Bristol.

The event on 19 July, at the centre in Whitchurch, will check the animal's weight using specialist equipment.

Veterinary surgeon Janet Harrison will be at the weigh day to offer general advice on horse health.

Welfare manager Jerry Watkins said monitoring a horse's weight should be part of its routine care.

'Careful record'

"There are many good reasons to weigh your horse or pony, either as part of your routine management, part of a fitness programme or to monitor specific health issues," he said.

The horse and pony's weight will be checked using a weighbridge, which is a device used by the charity to monitor an animal's weight accurately and help carers gauge its recovery following neglect.

HorseWorld helps to rehabilitate equines and monitoring a horse's weight is often a huge part of the recovery process.

"Neglected horses are often thought of as those that are weak animals with little or no fat on their bodies, which is often a product of cruel starvation," said Mr Watkins.

"But neglect can also be allowing an animal to become obese. The weighing machine allows grooms to keep a careful record of an animal's progress, which is essential to treating them."