Body Condition scoring
0 = Emaciated
0 = Emaciated
0 = Emaciated
- No fat can be felt when the skin is pulled tight over the bones
- Horse has a very thin neck with little muscle and no fat along the top of the neck
- Individual bones will be visible to the eye
- Horse has a prominent backbone, pelvis, hip and tailbone
- Hindquarters will be sunken
1 = Very Thin
0 = Emaciated
0 = Emaciated
- Can feel barely any fat
- Horse has a narrow ewe neck with very little muscle and fat along the top
- The shape of the bones will be visible to the eye, the ribs easily seen and felt
- Horses backbone will be prominent, easily felt pelvis hips and tailbone
- Hindquarters will be sunken
2 = Very Lean
0 = Emaciated
3 = Healthy Weight
- Very thin layer of fat can be felt under the skin
- Neck is narrow with defined muscle
- Ribs are just visible and can easily be felt
- Horses backbone can be felt
- Horses hips and pelvis covered by a thin layer of fat but are still visible
- Hindquarters slope and will only be rounded in horses that are fit
3 = Healthy Weight
3 = Healthy Weight
3 = Healthy Weight
- A thin layer of fat can be felt
- Neck muscles are less defined and the horse has no crest
- Horses ribs are not visible but can be easily felt
- Backbone can be felt but has a covering of fat
- Horses hindquarters will appear rounded
- Hip bones and pelvis are slightly visible and easily felt
4 = Fat
3 = Healthy Weight
5 = Obese
- Muscles are hard to determine
- Horse has spongy fat developing along the neck
- Fat can be seen and felt behind the shoulder
- Horses ribs, pelvis and hips are difficult to feel
- Horses hindquarters are rounded and have spongy fat around the tail head
- Horse has a gutter along the backbone and hindquarters
5 = Obese
3 = Healthy Weight
5 = Obese
- Horse has visible pads of fat with no visible muscles
- Large amount of hard fat on the neck (cresty neck)
- Cannot feel the ribs and hips
- Horse will have a deep gutter along the backbone and hindquarters
- Horses hindquarters will be bulging and apple shaped