Fat Horse Slim

It is very difficult to know in advance the ideal weight for any horse. the chart below gives a guide, but it can only be an estimate. The most accurate method is to body score your horse. The following film and guide show you how.

If you need a little more help learning to body score, click here. See the chart below for approximate height - weight estimations.

You can download a body score chart to take with you to the stables here but to be sure that your horse is within a healthy weight range however, you need more tools.

Tools for assessing weight and condition

Weighbridge

This is the only truly accurate method to measure a horse's weight, for most people it is not an option, but if you can use one it is worth it. You can then be totally accurate with wormer and feed calculations.

Weigh-tape

In the absence of a weighbridge, a weigh-tape is an essential tool to keep in your tack box. They are cheap to buy and used regularly will help you monitor weight gain and loss, and to be more accurate with feeding and medication.

Body scoring

For most horse owners, this is the most practical method of assessing a horse’s weight. Done correctly it is accurate, and it works for every type of horse. Body scoring can help you maintain your horse at a healthy weight. Find out how to body score here.