Ep. 69: Managing Overweight Horses Through Diet, Forage, and Exercise

Scoop & Scale: An Equine Podcast (Mostly) About Nutrition

Scoop & Scale: An Equine Podcast (Mostly) About Nutrition
Ep. 69: Managing Overweight Horses Through Diet, Forage, and Exercise
Feb 16, 2026 Season 3 Episode 69
Dr. Clair Thunes and Jill Jackson

In this episode we discuss a challenge many horse owners face: fat or overweight horses. From disciplines where a “round” horse is seen as ideal to the health risks of carrying extra weight, we cover why managing body condition matters.

Our guest, Madeline Boast, MSc, PAS, equine nutritionist and founder of Balanced Bay Nutrition, shares her research on safe weight loss programs for horses and explains how diet, exercise, and metabolic health work together to support long-term wellbeing.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why overweight horses are so common, especially easy keepers
  • How to check body condition and spot risky fat deposits
  • Safe ways to help horses lose weight with diet and exercise
  • How fat affects inflammation, laminitis, and metabolic health
  • Tips for forage management, slow feeders, and practical weight control

To learn more about Madeline and Balanced Bay Nutrition you can visit her website here https://balancedbaynutrition.com/ 

Here is an episode to Ep. 38: Body Weight, Condition Scoring and Equine Nutrition https://scoopandscale.com/ep-38-body-weight-condition-scoring-and-equine-nutrition/  

 

Do you have questions about feeding your horse? Contact us at info@scoopandscale.com

Thanks for riding along with us!

Episode Artwork Ep. 69: Managing Overweight Horses Through Diet, Forage, and Exercise 1:03:53 Episode Artwork Ep. 68: Alfalfa for Horses: Common Myths Explained 36:39 Episode Artwork Ep. 67: Herbal Supplements for Horses: Do They Work? 1:08:26 Episode Artwork Ep. 66: Joint Supplements for Horses: What Actually Works (and What Doesn’t) 1:00:40 Episode Artwork Ep. 65: Stop Wasting Hay and Money: Research-Based Ways to Reduce Hay Waste 59:13 Episode Artwork Ep. 64: Feeding Fat Supplements to Horses: Different Types and What to Know 1:10:00 Episode Artwork Ep. 63: Our Favorite Things 2025 - Gifts for Horse Lovers 1:39:02 Episode Artwork Ep. 62: Rooted in Science: Feeding Beet Pulp to Horses 55:35 Episode Artwork Ep. 61: Winter Horse Blanketing: Should You Do It? What the Science Says 1:15:56 Episode Artwork Ep. 60: Chew on This: Equine Teeth, Dentistry & Nutrition (Part 2) 46:40 Episode Artwork Ep. 59: Chew on This: Equine Teeth, Dentistry & Nutrition (Part 1) 1:07:12 Episode Artwork Ep. 58: Poisonous Plants and Horses: How to Spot and Manage Risks 1:26:18 Episode Artwork Ep. 57: Not All Equine Nutritionists Are Created Equal: How to Find Qualified Advice 1:00:13 Episode Artwork Ep. 56: Horse Feed Tags Demystified: How to Read and Compare Feeds 1:19:12 Episode Artwork Ep. 55: What to Feed When Hay Isn’t an Option: Hay Pellets & Cubes Explained 50:30 Episode Artwork Ep. 54: Understanding Pasture Grass Sugar Levels — The Long and the Short of It with the Equine, PhD 1:13:10 Episode Artwork Ep. 53: The Forage Based Diet Trend: What You’re Probably Already Doing Right 37:08 Episode Artwork Ep. 52: Summer Heat and Your Horse Part 2: Nutrition and Management 1:00:37 Episode Artwork Ep. 51: Summer Heat and Your Horse Part 1: The Science Behind the Stress 57:42 Episode Artwork Ep. 50: From Shedding to Shining: Nutrition & Care Tips for Healthy Horse Coats 1:11:30 Episode Artwork Ep. 49: Beyond Diarrhea: Identifying and Managing Free Fecal Water Syndrome (FFWS) in Horses 1:22:00 Episode Artwork Ep. 48: Decoding Muscle Myopathies Part 2: Managing RER, MFM, MFM-ER, MFM-WB, PSSM2-ER; 1:03:02 Episode Artwork Ep. 47: Decoding Muscle Myopathies Part 1: Understanding RER, MFM, MFM-ER, MFM-WB, PSSM2-ER; 52:57 Episode Artwork Ep. 46: The Power Of Grazing Muzzles 57:45 Episode Artwork Ep. 45: Pasture Management and Rotational Grazing 1:05:44