A delicate balance
Fit not Fat
MEET THE EXPERT
VICKI WALKER is an equine lecturer and programme manager for BSc (Hons) equine performance and rehabilitation degree at Hartpury University. She holds a BSc (Hons) in equine science from Bishop Burton and an MSc in equine science from the University of Edinburgh. She worked at the Animal Health Trust researching injury risks and rehabilitation methods in sports horses and is currently working on new projects in this field.
HORSES NEED ENERGY to function and they also need energy to exercise. In humans the currency we use to quantify this is a calorie. This is a unit that represents an amount of energy used or consumed. Our horse’s daily energy requirements depend on several factors, such as weight, age, status (growing or breeding, for example) and how much exercise they do. The latter includes its general activity as well as its scheduled work.
A key aspect of managing our horses is managing how much energy goes in versus how much energy goes out, and
