How to fat score a horse

Do you know whether your horse is the right weight? Believe it or not, more than 80 per cent of all leisure horses in the UK -- from Thoroughbreds to cob types -- are overweight.

As a result of this, overweight horses are now considered 'normal', making it almost impossible to know what a horse's ideal weight is.

Certain breeds are designed to have heavier frames than others. However, these shape differences should be purely down to breeding, rather than excess fat. This film will show you how to regularly assess the weight of your horse, to ensure that he remains a healthy weight for his type and height.

Find out more at http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• World
• Horse
• Welfare
• Fat
• Score
• Horses
• Obese
• Overweight
• Obesity
• Right
• Weight

[Horsymad2]

I'm pretty sure my cob is overweight, but how can i actually slim her down. It's winter and the field is in a terrible condition considering where we live and the wether conditions! So, she doesn't have food (is that ok?) but she has hay in the morning and maybe the occaisional slice at night. Is this only making matters worse and could she be at any risk?

[horsecharity]

An overweight horse is usually fine not having hard feed, although they may need a vitamin and mineral supplement. Horses should eat for at least 16 hours a day and it can be dangerous to cut this down. There are ways to give your horse enough food (and remember food includes grass and hay) without giving her more calories than she needs. For advice on how to do this, you could view our video Top tips for managing horses weight.

[comco745]

why do you fat score a horse nice name for the pony or horse anyway!!!!!!!!!

[horsecharity]

Fat scoring is a way of finding out whether a horse is at the right weight. It is difficult to tell if a horse is overweight just by looking at them so by using this method every two weeks or so, owners can find out if their horses are overweight and pick up on any changes in weight very quickly.

[Breyerhorserider]

My standeredbred is a 4 :(

[morganluvur]

my welsh cob X morgan trotter is a very confusing case. He has a normal neck with no extra weight, normal round bottom and normal back.. the problem is his belly looks like he is pregnant, heavily pregnant. I am not exagurating at all, when you feel it too it is a load of fat. all the fat he puts on goes straight to his belly, not even around his girth. its not worms as he is wormed regularly, and it has gotten to the point he sneezes&coughs after 10 second trots. hes very unfit too, help!

[Tiffytufo]

I have a Dartmoor/Newforrest. He is over weight and is probably a 4.5 from what it says in the video. He doesn't have feed and he shares a field with quite a few horses. I work him nearly everyday on hacks or in the school and I only ever rug him if it is pooring down with rain and then it is only a light weight. I give him hay sometimes but I am not giving him so much now and after a ride I will give him something small but tastey! I don't know I can get him to loose weight, what should I do?

[lilyabbo]

It really annoys me that fat horses have become the norm! I get a lot of stick about my horse because apparently he's very underweight but he's a good weight just lacks muscle. I have shared this video I think its disgusting that 80% are overweight :o

[gabbybella123]

thats interesting ---- coz i was always taught that a *quote* apple bottom *quote* was muscle and a horse was fat if the bum was rounded .......

[MegF142857]

Thanks. This is very helpful!

[jett888]

@PantherLuna1013 is it the same w/ people though- you can definately still be overweight and "malnourished" in fact, most people who are overweight are not eating high nutrition- this is why they are fat. I have endurance horses, and if they looked like that cutie in this video- we'd be overheating in the first 5 miles! yikes! but i enjoyed this video!

[gollum935]

thankyou for posting!

When fat scoring the horse's bottom, how much does individual conformation vary results? my horse has what I call a 'carthorse' bum - the point of hip is high up in comparison to the croup (when viewed from behind). Other horses, more thouroubredy types, have lower points of hip when compared to the croup. Will this affect the appearence, ie the carthorse bums have less space for fat, so get apple-shaped with less fat?

[phoenixrb1]

This video has been very educational. Thank you. The pony in this video looked a normal weight to me, at first. I tend to imagine fat hanging,or pouches of fat. Its a real eye opener as to where fat deposits and where to look. Thank you =)

[niriton]

squishy horsey lol!!

Lady: *walks to the back of chandler*

chand: what are you doooingg!? O.O;;