“Cobs are supposed to have an apple bum… not a whole orchard!” How can we use the science of behaviour change to help owners recognise and manage obesity in their horses?

This practical talk will discuss the results of a three year study about owners’ perceptions of equine weight management and behaviour change. The talk will review the principles of human behaviour change in order to impart pragmatic knowledge that can be used in practice by vets, in order to help owners recognise when their horses are overweight, and help them change. We will use examples of real owners’ experiences throughout, and attendees will take away useful applied information to help them to facilitate those tricky conversations about weight.