How do I know if my horse is overweight?Updated a year ago

Unfortunately, many people are accustomed to seeing overweight horses as ‘normal,’ so it can be challenging to identify if your horse has a problem that needs addressing. The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) estimates that over half of American horses are overweight, and around 20 percent are obese. 

The longer a horse carries excess weight, the more likely it is to acquire several associated degenerative health problems. Among them are laminitis, founder, colic, metabolic disorders, insulin resistance, musculoskeletal stresses, and arthritis.

One telltale sign of an overweight horse is fat pads–most commonly found in the crest of the neck, shoulder, and tail head areas.

Healthy horses should have the following:

• Visible or easily palpable ribs

• Minimal to no crest fat

• No fat pads over the shoulder area or ribs

• No noticeable gully along the spine or on top of the horse’s hindquarters 

The best and most accurate way to assess your horse’s weight is by using body condition scoring (BCS). BCS divides the horse into three sections: neck and shoulders, back and ribs, and hindquarters. Each section is scored between 0 and 5, where 0 = Emaciated, 1 = Poor, 2 = Moderate, 3 = Good, 4 = Fat and 5 = Obese.

For a step-by-step guide to determining if your horse is overweight, check out our blog post Is my horse fat?