What Should Your Horse Weigh?
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As an independent equine nutritionist, I visit a wide variety of yards, horses, and owners, providing nutritional advice and recommendations. As part of the assessment process, I use my portable weighbridge to collect accurate body weights for all the horses involved. After weighing a horse, I will inevitably be asked “What should my horse weigh?”. This question is understandable as we are used to seeing ‘safe’ weight ranges for ourselves at different ages and heights. It is widely accepted that being under or overweight increases the risk of diseases, injuries, poor health and welfare, for ourselves and our horses. Therefore, getting this right is fundamental for ensuring our horses receive the best possible care and management.
While height versus weight charts can work well for us as people, this approach doesn’t really work when applied to ponies and horses. Considering how much horses can vary in size, for example from a Suffolk Punch to a Thoroughbred, or a Standard Shetland Pony to a Welsh Sec A, it is not surprising that even at the same height, the ideal body weight can vary greatly. As a result, the types of charts used in our healthcare are not up to the task of assessing if our horses are the right weight. Thus, how can you be certain if your horse's current weight is too low, too high or just right? Surprisingly, the answer is not with the use of weigh tapes or even expensive weigh-bridges, it is through Body Condition Scoring.
How do you know if your horse is the right weight?
Weigh tapes and weighbridges can be useful for calculating feeding requirements, monitoring changes in body weights, and ensuring the correct dosage of wormer’s and other veterinary medications are used. Although they only tell us what the weight is, not if that weight is correct or not for a particular horse. To work that out we can use a tool called a Body Condition Scoring (BCS). BCS scores the fat coverage at specific points on a horse's front, middle and rear, to give an average or body condition score.
Two scales can be used: a 1-9 or a 1-5 scale, where 1-3/9 or 1-2/5 denotes an underweight horse, 4-6/9 or 3/5 denotes ideal body condition, and 7+/9 or 4+/5 denotes an overweight or obese horse. The choice of scale is often a personal preference, but as there is some evidence that owners can find the 1-5 scale the easier one to use, this is the one that will be described. Hopefully, you find the following helpful in assessing if your horse's weight is too low, too high or just right.
Your horse will need to be untacked, unrugged and stood securely in a suitable space, before a BCS assessment can start.
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The line on the top of the neck from the poll to wither:
Running your hand along the top of the neck from their poll down to their wither should run in a straight line (BCS of 3/5). If the neck curves downwards below this line it indicates an underweight horse (BCS 1-2/5). If your hand curves up towards the middle of the neck this indicates the start of a crest formation, and an overweight state (BCS 4/5). If there is a clear curve upwards between the poll and wither this indicates potentially dangerous fat levels (BCS 5/5).
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Rib cage:
Running a flat hand (not using finger-tip pressure) across the widest part of the rib cage from the back of the shoulder blade towards the hip, the ribs should be easily felt but covered (BCS 3/5). If your hand undulates over the individual ribs this indicates an underweight horse (BCS 1-2/5). If it is not possible to easily feel the ribs this indicates excessive fat coverage and an overweight or obese horse (BCS 4-5/5).
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Profile of the rear:
Viewed from standing safely behind the horse the spine should be the highest point, with a rounded appearance, and the rump on either side of the spine should not rise higher than it (BCS 3/5). If the spine is the highest point but, the rear looks pointy rather than rounded with the rump falling sharply on either side of the spine, this indicates an underweight horse (BCS 1-2/5). Alternatively, if the spine at the highest point of the rump sits in a groove and the rear appears heart or peach-shaped this indicates an overweight horse (BCS 5/5).
For a demonstration of a body condition assessment, please watch the video below from World Horse Welfare, which takes you through these steps.
Recognising your horse's Body Conditioning Score should allow you to identify if changes to their diet and management are required. At a BCS of 3/5 they are at the lowest risk of disease and injury, and in the best condition to be able to work easily and happily. If your horse has a BCS below or above a 3/5 then some management changes are likely to be required to ensure that underweight horses can regain condition and that overweight horses can lose health limiting excess fat tissue. As always it is important to monitor for changes in body condition, behaviour or signs of ill health, and to contact your vet with any concerns.
If you are in doubt as to the suitability of your horse's diet, or unsure how to make changes, you can again speak with your vet or you could seek help from a qualified equine nutritionist. To contact Jennifer regarding nutritional advice, please visit equinutrition.co.uk
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