Scottish horse owners are invited to #FeelForFat at Scone Palace International Horse Trials

We’re showcasing our #FeelForFat weight management resources at the inaugural Scone Palace International Horse Trials (21st-24th August 2025) to help Scottish horse owners get hands on with fat scoring. The practical materials have been designed in response to feedback about the challenges owners can face when fat scoring horses.

“We know equine weight management can be a sensitive issue, often fraught with worries about associated health risks,” said Sam Chubbock, our Head of UK Support. “Our #FeelForFat resources, launched earlier this year, aim to help horse owners feel more confident about assessing their horses’ weight. Feedback from a number of fat scoring surveys and workshops suggested making the process clearer, so our new materials have been designed to reflect that.”

Visitors to Scone Palace International Horse Trials will be able to try out the new fat scoring resources for themselves on the World Horse Welfare section of the horsescotland stand, including having a go at fat scoring using our life-like equine model. The model, known as Freddie, has a ‘fit side’ and a ‘fat side’ to help owners find out what fit and fat really feels like on a horse. Our knowledgeable team will also be happy to chat with visitors to the stand and offer tips, advice, and support.

Research shows that horse owners – even those with plenty of experience fat scoring other horses – often find it difficult to accurately fat score their own horse. To gain more insight into this issue, World Horse Welfare asked staff from across the charity to complete a survey examining what motivates horse owners to fat score and what they find to be barriers to using this valuable equine weight management tool. Those who took part were also invited to join a series of fat scoring workshops.

The charity’s existing weight management materials were updated using the survey results and feedback from the workshops, incorporating a new way of presenting the three body areas to be assessed during the fat scoring process rather than using the traditional whole-body fat scoring diagram. Feedback had revealed that owners found it confusing having to assess each body area to be scored and then refer back to a whole-body diagram, so the layout of the materials was designed to reflect this, allowing owners to allocate scores against a diagram for each area.  

Health conditions linked with obesity in horses include equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) – which can only be managed, not cured – and laminitis, an extremely painful hoof condition. According to Agria, the UK’s only lifetime provider of equine insurance in the UK, the average annual claim of dealing with these conditions is £514.98 for laminitis and £365.15 for EMS.

“As well as being expensive and incredibly challenging for horse owners to deal with, long-term illnesses like EMS and laminitis can cause pain and discomfort to the horses suffering from them,” explained Sam. “This is why, alongside our #FeelForFat resources, we’re offering practical advice to horse owners about steps they can take to help manage their horses’ weight.

“We can’t wait to meet visitors to the first ever Scone Palace International Horse Trials and support them on their equine weight management journeys. Look out for our distinctive, life-like model horse Freddie and don’t miss your chance to get hands-on and #FeelForFat.”

Visitors to Scone Palace Horse Trials can find World Horse Welfare on the horsescotland stand, located on the King Charles II Wynd.

The new resources are available to download as a standalone poster and included in our ‘How to know if your horse is the right weight’ leaflet on our weight management advice page.