Get to grips with body scoring…

It’s important that we assess our horse or pony’s body condition at regular intervals throughout the year, to determine whether they’re a healthy weight. The most simple way of doing this is by using a body condition chart, such as the one linked below, courtesy of The Blue Cross.

1.  Remove rugs and stand your horse on a flat surface
2.  Take a good look at your horse from all angles, particularly focusing on his neck, body and hindquarters.
3.  Feel along the crest of his neck – how does it feel? Muscle will feel firm and fat will feel spongy, however dangerous crest fat can feel hard and you may have difficulty moving it from side to side.
4.  Feel along the shoulder blade – is it clearly defined or has fat accumulated in front of the shoulder?
5.  Run your hand lightly over his middle – can you feel his ribs? If you have to press firmly, he is carrying excess fat in this region.
6.  Across his back, can you feel his spine or has fat accumulated either side, causing a ‘gutter’?
7.  Over to the hindquarters, how visible are his hip bones?
8.  Give you horse an honest score from 0-5 and reference the body score chart.

A weigh tape can also be a useful tool when assessing your horse’s condition. Although not always accurate, when used regularly, they give a clear indication as to whether your horse is gaining or losing weight as our eyes won’t necessarily notice small changes. Additionally, some nutritionists and vets will use a digital weigh bridge to measure your horse’s weight precisely, which can be invaluable especially when working out dosage for medications or wormers.

https://www.bluecross.org.uk/sites/default/files/d8/2021-09/1.body-score-chart.pdf

Please seek veterinary advice if you’re at all concerned about your horse ‘s health or condition