Effect of cultivated or semi-natural pasture on changes in live weight, body condition score, body measurements and fat thickness in grazing Finnhorse mares

Two groups of Finnhorse mares, 11 horses in each group, were grazed on cultivated pasture (CG) or semi-natural grassland (NG) from the end of May to the beginning of September 2011 and the effect on possible development of obesity was followed. The observations of live weight, body condition score (BCS), cresty neck score (CNS), body measurements and fat thickness were made during the grazing season. At the end of the grazing season, the horses grazing CG were significantly heavier (P