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138:, under stress due to illness or management conditions, or when subjected to hard work. With a normal horse, adjusting the animal's diet to compensate for the conditions it is facing will usually return the animal to its normal condition. Another reason for weight loss in horses that doesn't have anything to do with being a hard keeper is the inability of some group-fed horses to get a fair shake at feeding time due to being less dominant than other horses.
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cases where starvation is alleged, the caretakers of such animals often will claim that too-thin animals are "just a hard keeper" as a defense. However, the weight distribution and musculature of a hard keeper, particularly in the neck and hindquarters, is distinct from that of a starving horse, and
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is a standardized scoring table produced by Don
Henneke, PhD. The Henneke Chart is a scientific method based on both visual appraisal and palpable fat cover of the six major points of the horse that are most responsive to changes in body fat. The system is used by law enforcement agencies as an
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A horse that has not previously had trouble maintaining weight that suddenly begins to lose weight for no apparent reason is not a hard keeper. This type of weight loss is usually a sign of a health problem. In most cases, the horse may require
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A normal horse may become a hard keeper when it becomes older, particularly when over the age of 20 to 25 years. There are some body weight distribution changes that are linked to age, including a loss of muscle tone along the
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If an animal is truly a hard keeper, proper nutrition requires a calorie-rich diet, but one that will not make the horse "hot" and prone to excess energy that may lead to yet more nervous behavior and continued weight loss.
249:, or other specialized feeds. In such cases, these horses will appear to be too thin, but if obtaining proper nutrition will still have a healthy hair coat, flesh over bone, and other indicators of good health.
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is a breed of horse that is naturally lean and can be difficult to keep in good flesh. This horse is in racing condition and is thin, but not too thin when considering the work that is being asked of it.
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of older horses becomes less efficient, and a change in diet to "senior" feeds that are easier to digest is in order. However, weight loss in an older horse is more often linked to a
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to be a hard keeper. The condition is most often seen in light horse breeds that have either a naturally high-strung temperament or breeds that tend to a very lean
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of the teeth. Sometimes, weight loss is a symptom of a more serious medical condition. Any horse with an unexplained weight loss usually should be examined by a
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A horse that is elderly and too thin even with adequate forage, such as this horse, may have an underlying dental problem or have trouble digesting a normal diet.
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226:, hipbones, and ribs. However, these areas still should maintain good flesh. It is not natural for an old horse to be excessively thin. Sometimes the
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or pelleted feed ration to assist weight gain without creating excess energy. High-energy feeds containing significant amounts of sugars, such as
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and other health problems associated with a too-rich diet. In contrast, a truly hard keeper is almost never fat under any circumstances.
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and are then subjected to stressful conditions. Breeds with a higher percentage of hard keepers include race horses such as the
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A horse that is too thin is not necessarily a hard keeper. The animal may be ill, elderly, or has not been provided adequate
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objective method of scoring a horse's body condition in horse cruelty cases. These condition categories are as follows:
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can often result in a return to normal weight, provided the horse still has enough functional teeth remaining.
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animal that is naturally prone to be thin, will lose weight quickly, and has difficulty gaining weight.
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In extreme old age, such as when a horse is over 30 years old, the animal may no longer have any
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507:"A Useful Tool: Don Henneke's nine-point scale takes the guesswork out of evaluating equine"
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It is natural for a normal horse to require more nutrition to avoid weight loss if it is
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left, and may require a diet of mushy foods such as hay cubes soaked in water,
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give the horse a thorough examination and recommend the best course of action.
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in this image is too thin. She has increased nutritional needs because she is
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can usually provide an expert opinion as to what is normal and what is not.
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are often recommended. Concentrated feeds that are high in fat but low in
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Equine Facts, Henneke Body
Condition Scoring table including photos
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A horse that is not merely a hard keeper, but actually too thin
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429:"How to Keep Weight on Your Horse: Managing the Hard Keeper"
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that are highly nutritious and calorie-dense, such as
482:"End isn't necessarily near for 'old guy' horses"
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279:Henneke horse body condition scoring system
222:and hip that lead to somewhat more visible
401:Janicki, Kristen M. (26 October 2018).
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65:The opposite of a hard keeper is an
480:Boswell, Evelyn (17 October 2005).
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456:"Management of Thin Older Horses"
377:"Putting Weight on Hard Keepers"
433:SmartPak Equine Health Library
403:"Feeding Healthy Hard Keepers"
375:Geor, Ray (1 September 2002).
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546:How to Condition Score Horses
518:. No. 377. February 2009
16:Term used in animal husbandry
427:Gray, Lydia (24 June 2007).
345:"Managing the "Hard Keeper""
343:Briggs, Karen (3 May 2017).
265:Horse body condition scoring
170:are often added to a basic
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301:6. Moderately fleshy
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286:1. Emaciated/Poor
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289:2. Very thin
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522:14 February
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298:5. Moderate
83:Description
68:easy keeper
33:hard keeper
466:2019-02-14
438:2019-02-14
354:2019-02-14
327:References
158:, such as
407:The Horse
381:The Horse
304:7. Fleshy
247:beet pulp
200:parasites
162:, ground
160:rice bran
152:beet pulp
136:lactating
97:phenotype
73:good doer
56:nutrition
49:livestock
47:or other
41:poor doer
555:Category
315:See also
252:In some
208:floating
176:molasses
168:corn oil
164:flaxseed
132:pregnant
349:EquiMed
292:3. Thin
224:withers
196:worming
148:alfalfa
144:Forages
120:nursing
77:obesity
307:8. Fat
243:molars
232:dental
204:dental
93:donkey
515:Equus
510:(PDF)
220:spine
172:grain
166:, or
91:or a
45:horse
43:is a
524:2019
493:2019
414:2019
388:2019
277:The
150:and
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116:mare
114:The
89:pony
35:or (
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