You’ve tried everything, yet your horse just won’t seem to gain or lose weight. It can be discouraging to put in so much care and not see any results, even after months of trying. You’re not alone in this struggle. Many horse owners face the same frustrating challenge.
So, what’s really going on? What we perceive as “too thin” or “too fat” often depends on what we’re used to seeing, and sometimes appearances can be deceiving. That’s why assessing your horse’s body condition is so important.
Scientific research shows that estimating the Body Condition Score (BCS) is not straightforward: owners often assess their horse differently than their veterinarian, simply because they have less experience and training in this area . That’s why it’s helpful to evaluate the BCS together with your veterinarian, learn what to look for, and, for example, take regular photos of your horse. This way, you can monitor body condition systematically using a BCS system, rather than relying solely on appearance (Henneke et al., 1983; Busechian et al. 2022).
The standard for judging your horse’s body condition is the Henneke Body Condition Score (BCS).This system uses a 1–9 scale based on fat and muscle cover at six key points:
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neck
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withers
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back shoulders
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ribs
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the back/loins
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the tailhead
Score 1-4 means your horse is too skinny, score 5 means your horse has an ideal score, and score 6-9 means your horse is overweight (Henneke et al., 1983).
In the guide below, you’ll learn what to look for from neck to tailhead, and how each score reflects what’s happening beneath the coat.
Here’s how you can assess your horse's body condition score:
Score 1: poor
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Neck: can feel/see the bones and has little to no fat
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Withers: can feel/see the bones and has little to no fat
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Shoulders: can feel/see the bones and has little to no fat
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Ribs: are very visible with little to no fat
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Back/loins: Spine is very visible and has little to no fat
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Tailhead: are very visible and has little to no fat
Score 2: very thin
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Neck: can feel/see the bones
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Withers: can feel/see the bones
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Shoulders: can feel/see the bones
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Ribs: are very visible
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Back/loins: vertebrae can be felt
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Tailhead: individual vertebrae can be seen/felt
Score 3: thin
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Neck: is accentuated
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Withers: are accentuated
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Shoulders: are accentuated
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Ribs: are still visible, but covered with a thin layer of fat
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Back/loins: vertebrae cannot be felt, but still visible
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Tailhead: can be felt, but individual vertebrae are not visible
Score 4: moderately thin
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Neck: not overly thin
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Withers: not overly thin
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Shoulders: not overly thin
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Ribs: the outline of the ribs are visible
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Back/loins: outline of vertebrae are visible and stick out slightly
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Tailhead: The vertebrae can still be visible depending on the build. Some fat tissue can be felt
Score 5: good
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Neck: transition looks smooth
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Withers: looks rounded
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Shoulders: smooth transition into the trunk
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Ribs: can be felt, but not visible
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Back/loins: the back is level
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Tailhead: fat around the tail starts to feel soft
Score 6: moderately fleshy
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Neck: Beginning fat deposits are starting to show
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Withers: Beginning fat deposits are starting to show
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Shoulders: Beginning fat deposits are starting to show
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Ribs: Fat over ribs feels spongy
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Back/loins: May have a slight positive crease down back
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Tailhead: Fat around tailhead feels soft
Score 7: fleshy
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Neck: Fat deposited along neck can be seen clearly
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Withers: Fat deposited along withers can be seen clearly
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Shoulders: Fat deposited behind shoulder can be seen clearly
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Ribs: Individual ribs can be felt with pressure and fat between ribs is visible
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Back/loins: May have a positive crease down the back
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Tailhead: Fat around tailhead feels soft
Score 8-9: fat/extremely fat
- Neck: Bulging fat is visible
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Withers: Bulging fat is visible
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Shoulders: Bulging fat is visible
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Ribs: Fat over the ribs looks unevenly distributed
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Back/loins: Obvious crease down the back
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Tailhead: Bulging fat around tailhead is visible
TIP:
Document everything!
Start by taking photos: place your horse on level ground, make sure it stands straight and as square as possible, and always take the photos from the same distance and angle (side view and from behind).
Keep a notebook handy when assessing the Body Condition Score (BCS). For each zone (neck, withers, back, ribs, loin, tailhead), write down what you see and what you feel, and assign a score.
Also use a weight tape around the girth (behind the withers) and record the circumference/estimated weight each time. Always measure in the same spot.
No single method is perfect, but by combining BCS, photos, and the weight tape, you can track changes in your horse’s condition much more clearly.
Conclusion
The weight of a horse depends on many factors: age, breed, health, and activity level. After you and your veterinarian have assessed your horse’s body condition score and determined that it is too low or too high, the next step is to work together to find out why that is.
