Seeing the general difference between a fat horse and a thin horse is simple, but when trying to monitor subtle changes in a horse's condition, a body condition score chart can be a valuable tool.
A body condition score chart illustrates the Henneke Scale, which uses numbers 1-9 to objectively rate a horse's overall body condition. A horse with a body condition score of 1 is considered poor or emaciated, while a horse with a body condition score of 9 is extremely fat. Healthy horses have a body condition score from 4-7.
A free downloadable horse body condition score chart is now available from Kentucky Equine Research (KER).
The chart details the key areas to monitor to determine your horse's condition: thickening of the neck, fat covering the withers, fat deposits along backbone, fat deposits on flanks, fat deposits on inner thighs, fat deposits around tailhead, fat deposits behind shoulders, fat covering ribs, and how the shoulder blends into the neck. Example illustrations are included.
The chart is available in two options:
Read more about body condition scoring.
KER is an international equine nutrition, research, and consultation company serving both the horse owner and the feed industry. Its goal is to advance the industry's knowledge of equine nutrition and exercise physiology and apply this knowledge to produce healthier, more athletic horses. Contact marketing@ker.com for more information.
