Weight - we seem to have different rules for different species!

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Just realised in a reply to another member, the general trend for weight is totally different for horses, dogs and us!!

Horses are supposed to be well muscled, and perhaps carrying a bit of weight to look "well"

Dogs have to be very slim, or else they are branded as fat dogs with bad owners!!

Us, well we can get away with a lot more!! We can be anything and no one will be rude.. Well most people won't anyway! :P

Why is it so different???
 
Can only see a reason between the animals and humans, no idea why we see dogs and horses differently

Its society for people, its concidered rude to come out and say 'your fat' therefore whilst people might think it the majority of people wont say it. Also people think well its thier life they can do as they please they are only hurting themselves.

With dogs and horses we have control over thier food and as they are animals they are not held to the same standard as us therefore rather then it being the dogs fault for not regulating itself as naturaly its instincts will tell it to eat all the food it can because it doesnt know when the next meal is going to be available. so it most peoples eyes it isnt the fault of the dog as it is only following its instincts it is the fault of the owner for potentialy hurting the dog due to obesity.

So basicly i think its a case of people know better and are only hurting themselves if they are overweight. Dogs and horses dont know better therefore thier condition is blamed on the owner who should know better.

As for the dog and horse difference the only possible vague idea i can think about is the prey and predator thing or the idea in peoples heads that horses live outside and need some padding and dogs live inside so dont need much, but honestly they are only wild ideas.
 
I find this really anoying too. I have dogs and horses and I am careful with all their weights. One of my mares gets laminitis and has arthritis, so I am very careful about her weight, but she is kept at a health weight. My youngster was over a bit over weight in the summer, but not huge, and was still growing so not a big problem. All the horses next door are huge, and I've got people compaining my horses are underweight!!! I even ended up getting a letter from my vet to show people, when somone threatened to get the RSPCA!!
 
Always had my horses lean too. If you have something that lives out and doesn't do too much then a bit of weight is ok. My SJ looked great, but people kept saying he was thin and I got so paranoid I got the vet out to have a look. Too be honest I think he thought I was crazy!! He just told me all the other horses looked a little too well!
 
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Personally, I don't like either my dogs OR my horses to be carrying 'a bit of weight'!

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Exactly.
 
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