Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2026, 71(4):159-169 | DOI: 10.17221/54/2026-CJAS

Energy balance and its relationship to body weight and body condition in grazing horsesOriginal Paper

Eva Mlyneková ORCID...1, Stanislav Za»ko ORCID...1, Marko Halo ORCID...1, Ivan Imrich ORCID...1, Marko Halo Jr ORCID...2
1 Institute of Animal Husbandry, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic
2 Institute of Applied Biology, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic

Equine obesity currently represents a significant welfare concern, with its development influenced by seasonal changes in the nutritional value of pasture, which substantially affect the animals’ energy balance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the seasonal dynamics of pasture nutritional composition, assess the balance between energy requirements and actual intake of horses during the grazing season, and determine the impact of these factors on body weight and body condition. Pasture was analysed across three seasonal periods: T1 (May), T2 (July), and T3 (September). The highest concentration of digestible energy in pasture was recorded in T1 (10.81 MJ/kg DM), while the lowest was observed in T2 (9.67 MJ/kg DM). In T1, digestible energy intake (DEi; 98.02 MJ/day) was markedly higher than the energy requirement (61.94 MJ/day), resulting in a positive energy balance (36.08 MJ/day). This surplus was accompanied by a significant increase in body weight from 444.6 kg to 534.7 kg (P = 0.006 1) and an increase in body condition score (BCS) from 5.1 to 6.7 (P = 0.000 1). In the subsequent periods (T2 and T3), when the energy balance was close to equilibrium (–0.02 and 0.14 MJ/day), no further significant changes were observed in body weight (534.7 vs 535.0 kg; P > 0.05) or BCS (6.7 vs 6.6; P > 0.05). Changes in BCS showed a strong positive relationship with the difference between DE intake and requirement (r = 0.696 1; P = 0.000 7). The results confirm that seasonal energy surplus, particularly at the beginning of the grazing season, represents a significant risk factor for body fat accumulation in adult horses maintained on ad libitum pasture.

Keywords: body condition score; body weight; energy balance; horse; pasture

Received: April 15, 2026; Accepted: April 28, 2026; Published: April 30, 2026  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Mlyneková E, Za»ko S, Halo M, Imrich I, Jr MH. Energy balance and its relationship to body weight and body condition in grazing horses. Czech Journal of Animal Science. 2026;71(4):159-169. doi: 10.17221/54/2026-CJAS.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Adams BR, Gee EK, Back PJ, Rogers CW. Seasonal variation in pasture mass offered was not associated with changes in live weight, or body condition score, in three cohorts of horses. N Z J Anim Sci Prod. 2021;81:16-21.
    2. Bastard JP, Maachi M, Lagathu C, Kim MJ, Caron M, Vidal H, Capeau J, Feve B. Recent advances in the relationship between obesity, inflammation, and insulin resistance. Eur Cytokine Netw. 2006 Mar;17(1):4-12.
    3. Carroll CL, Huntington PJ. Body condition scoring and weight estimation of horses. Equine Vet J. 1988 Jan;20(1):41-5. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    4. Catalano DN, Coleman RJ, Hathaway MR, McCue ME, Rendahl AK, Martinson KL. Estimation of actual and ideal bodyweight using morphometric measurements and owner guessed bodyweight of adult draft and warmblood horses. J Equine Vet Sci. 2016 Apr;39:38-43. Go to original source...
    5. Catalano DN, Coleman RJ, Hathaway MR, Neu AE, Wagner EL, Tyler PJ, McCue ME, Martinson KL. Estimation of actual and ideal bodyweight using morphometric measurements of miniature, saddle-type, and thoroughbred horses. J Equine Vet Sci. 2019 Jul;78:117-22. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    6. Chavez SJ, Siciliano PD, Huntington GB. Intake estimation of horses grazing tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum) or fed tall fescue hay. J Anim Sci. 2014 May;92(5):2304-8. Go to original source...
    7. Clauss M, Schiele K, Ortmann S, Fritz J, Codron D, Hummel J, Kienzle E. The effect of very low food intake on digestive physiology and forage digestibility in horses. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2014 Feb;98(1):107-18. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. Daradics Z, Crecan CM, Rus MA, Morar IA, Mircean MV, Catoi AF, Cecan AD, Catoi C. Obesity-related metabolic dysfunction in dairy cows and horses: Comparison to human metabolic syndrome. Life (Basel). 2021 Dec 16;11(12):1406. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    9. Dowler LE, Siciliano PD, Pratt-Phillips SE, Poore M. Determination of pasture dry matter intake rates in different seasons and their application in grazing management. J Equine Vet Sci. 2012 Feb;32(2):85-92. Go to original source...
    10. Dugdale AH, Curtis GC, Cripps P, Harris PA, Argo CM. Effect of dietary restriction on body condition, composition and welfare of overweight and obese pony mares. Equine Vet J. 2010 Oct;42(7):600-10. Erratum in: Equine Vet J. 2011 Jan;43(1):121. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    11. Dugdale AH, Curtis GC, Cripps PJ, Harris PA, Argo CM. Effects of season and body condition on appetite, body mass and body composition in ad libitum fed pony mares. Vet J. 2011 Dec;190(3):329-37. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    12. Dugdale AH, Grove-White D, Curtis GC, Harris PA, Argo CM. Body condition scoring as a predictor of body fat in horses and ponies. Vet J. 2012 Nov;194(2):173-8. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    13. Durham AE, Frank N, McGowan CM, Menzies-Gow NJ, Roelfsema E, Vervuert I, Feige K, Fey K. ECEIM consensus statement on equine metabolic syndrome. J Vet Intern Med. 2019 Mar;33(2):335-49. Go to original source...
    14. Edouard N, Fleurance G, Martin-Rosset W, Duncan P, Dulphy JP, Grange S, Baumont R, Dubroeucq H, Perez-Barberia FJ, Gordon IJ. Voluntary intake and digestibility in horses: Effect of forage quality with emphasis on individual variability. Animal. 2008 Oct;2(10):1526-33. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    15. Frank N, Geor RJ, Bailey SR, Durham AE, Johnson PJ; American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Equine metabolic syndrome. J Vet Intern Med. 2010 May-Jun;24(3):467-75. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    16. Fuller Z, Cox JE, Argo CM. Photoperiodic entrainment of seasonal changes in the appetite, feeding behaviour, growth rate and pelage of pony colts. Anim Sci. 2001 Feb;72(1):65-74. Go to original source...
    17. Geor RJ. Metabolic predispositions to laminitis in horses and ponies: Obesity, insulin resistance and metabolic syndromes. J Equine Vet Sci. 2008 Dec;28(12):753-9. Go to original source...
    18. German AJ. The growing problem of obesity in dogs and cats. J Nutr. 2006 Jul;136(7 Suppl):1940S-6S. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    19. Goh SY, Gee EK, Thomas DG, Back PJ, Rogers CW. Miniature horses in New Zealand: Demographics and feeding management. N Z J Anim Sci Prod. 2020 Sep;80:1-7.
    20. Grace ND, Shaw HL, Gee EK, Firth EC. Determination of the digestible energy intake and apparent absorption of macroelements in pasture-fed lactating Thoroughbred mares. N Z Vet J. 2002 Oct;50(5):182-5. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    21. Gracz F, Halo M. [Good breeding practice in horse husbandry] Spravna chovatelska prax v chove koni. 1st ed. Nitra: Garmond; 2009. 16 p. Slovak.
    22. Henneke DR, Potter GD, Kreider JL, Yeates BF. Relationship between condition score, physical measurements and body fat percentage in mares. Equine Vet J. 1983;15(4):371-2. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    23. Hughes TP, Gallacher JR. Influence of sward height on the mechanics of grazing and intake by race-horses. In: Proceedings of the XVII International Grassland Congress; 1993 Feb 8-21; Palmerston North, New Zealand. p. 1325-6.
    24. Ireland JL, Clegg PD, McGowan CM, McKane SA, Chandler KJ, Pinchbeck GL. Comparison of owner-reported health problems with veterinary assessment of geriatric horses in the United Kingdom. Equine Vet J. 2012 Jan;44(1):94-100. Go to original source...
    25. Kelemen Z, Grimm H, Vogl C, Long M, Cavalleri JMV, Auer U, Jenner F. Equine activity time budgets: The effect of housing and management conditions on geriatric horses and horses with chronic orthopaedic disease. Animals (Basel). 2021 Jun 23;11(7):1867. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    26. Longland AC, Byrd BM. Pasture nonstructural carbohydrates and equine laminitis. J Nutr. 2006 Jul;136(7_Suppl):2099S-102S. Go to original source...
    27. Martinson KL, Coleman RC, Rendahl AK, Fang Z, McCue ME. Estimation of body weight and development of a body weight score for adult equids using morphometric measurements. J Anim Sci. 2014 May;92(5):2230-8. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    28. NRC - National Research Council. Nutrient requirements of horses. 6th revised ed. Animal Nutrition Series. Wash-ington (DC): National Academies Press; 2007.
    29. Owers R, Chubbock S. Fight the fat! Equine Vet J. 2013 Jan;45(1):5. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    30. Pollard D, Wylie CE, Verheyen KLP, Newton JR. Identification of modifiable factors associated with owner-reported equine laminitis in Britain using a web-based cohort study approach. BMC Vet Res. 2019 Feb 12;15(1):59. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    31. Ringmark S, Roepstorff L, Essen-Gustavsson B, Revold T, Lindholm A, Hedenstrom U, Rundgren M, Ogren G, Jansson A. Growth, training response and health in Standardbred yearlings fed a forage-only diet. Animal. 2013 May;7(5):746-53. Go to original source...
    32. Ritz KE, Heins BJ, Moon RD, Sheaffer CC, Weyers SL. Forage yield and nutritive value of cool-season and warm-season forages for grazing organic dairy cattle. Agronomy. 2020 Dec;10(12):1963. Go to original source...
    33. Robin CA, Ireland JL, Wylie CE, Collins SN, Verheyen KL, Newton JR. Prevalence of and risk factors for equine obesity in Great Britain based on owner-reported body condition scores. Equine Vet J. 2015 Mar;47(2):196-201. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    34. Rogers CW, Gee EK, Bolwell CF, Rosanowski SM. Commercial equine production in New Zealand. 2. Growth and development of the equine athlete. Anim Prod Sci. 2017 Aug;60(18):2155-63. Go to original source...
    35. Rogers CW, Herbst A, Langhans K, Stone R, Hirst R, Gee EK, Back PJ. The management of Standardbred breeding stock on commercial properties. N Z J Anim Sci Prod. 2020;80:84-9.
    36. Scheibe KM, Streich WJ. Annual rhythm of body weight in Przewalski horses (Equus ferus przewalskii). Biol Rhythm Res. 2003;34(4):383-95. Go to original source...
    37. Steinmeyer FT, Lukac M, Reynolds MP, Jones HE. Quantifying the relationship between temperature regulation in the ear and floret development stage in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under heat and drought stress. Funct Plant Biol. 2013 Jul;40(7):700-7. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    38. Suagee JK, Burk AO, Quinn RW, Petersen ED, Hartsock TG, Douglass LW. Effects of diet and weight gain on body condition scoring in Thoroughbred geldings. J Equine Vet Sci. 2008 Mar;28(3):156-66. Go to original source...
    39. Superchi P, Vecchi I, Beretti V, Sabbioni A. Relationship among BCS and fat thickness in horses of different breed, gender and age. Annu Res Rev Biol. 2014;4(2):354-65. Go to original source...
    40. Thatcher CD, Pleasant RS, Geor RJ, Elvinger F. Prevalence of overconditioning in mature horses in southwest Virginia during the summer. J Vet Intern Med. 2012 Nov-Dec;26(6):1413-8. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    41. Topczewska J, Krupa W. Effect of some factors on championship results and performance in Hucul horses. Ann Anim Sci. 2018 Jan;18(1):209-24. Go to original source...
    42. Toth F, Frank N, Chameroy KA, Bostont RC. Effects of endotoxaemia and carbohydrate overload on glucose and insulin dynamics and the development of laminitis in horses. Equine Vet J. 2009 Dec;41(9):852-8. Go to original source...
    43. Weinert JR, Williams CA. Recovery of pasture forage production following winter rest in continuous and rotational horse grazing systems. J Equine Vet Sci. 2018 Nov;70:32-7. Go to original source...
    44. Williams CA, Kenny LB, Burk AO. Effects of grazing system, season, and forage carbohydrates on glucose and insulin dynamics of the grazing horse. J Anim Sci. 2019 May 30;97(6):2541-54. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    45. Wyse CA, McNie KA, Tannahill VJ, Murray JK, Love S. Prevalence of obesity in riding horses in Scotland. Vet Rec. 2008 May 3;162(18):590-1. Erratum in: Vet Rec. 2008 Jul 19;163(3):92. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content