Equine Body Condition Scoring

All horse owners should be aware of where their horse scores relative to body condition. The ideal body condition is subjective, body condition scoring has been developed to provide basic guidelines for evaluating a horse's condition.
A combination of visual appraisal and manual appraisal (feel) are used to estimate body condition.

Body condition scores in the five to six (moderate to moderately fleshy) range are preferred for most horses.
However, the activity level of the horse should be considered. Horses with body condition scores of less tha four, or greater than six, may have an increase risk of metabolic or nutritional disease, and their poor body condition may have a negative impact on their general welfare.



BODY CONDITION SCORES
Score 1: POOR
Animal is extremely emaciated. Spinous processes, ribs, tailhead, hip joints, and lower pelvic bones project prominently. Bone structure of withers, shoulders and neck are easily noticeable, and no fatty tissue an be felt.

Score 2: VERY THIN
Animal is emaciated, with a slight fat covering over the base of spinous processes. Transverse processes of lumbar vertebrae feel rounded. Spinous processes, ribs, tailhead, hio joints, and lower pelvic bones are prominent. Withers, shoulders, and neck structure are faintly discernible.

Score 3: THIN
Fat buildup about halfway on spinous processes. Transverse processes cannot be felt, but spinous processes and ribs are easily visible. There is a slight fat cover over the ribs. The tailhead is prominent, but individual vertebrae cannot be identified visually. Lower pelvic bones are not distinguishable. The withers, shoulders and neck are accentuated.

Score 4: MODERATE THIN
Slight ridge along the back, and a faint outline of the ribs is visible. Tailhead prominence depends on the horse's individual conformation, but fat can be felt around it. Hip joints are not visible, and the withers, shoulders and neck are not obviously thin.

Score 5: MODERATE
Back is flat and the ribs are not visually distinguishable, but can be felt easily. Fat around the tailhead feels spongy. Withers appear rounded over the spinous processes, and the shoulders and neck blend smoothly into the body.

Score 6: MODERATELY FLESHY
The horse may have a crease down the back. Spongy fat can be felt over the ribs, and fat over the tailhead is soft. Fat deposits are developing along side of the withers, behind the shoulders, and along the crest of the neck.

Score 7: FLESHY
The horse may have a crease down the back. Individual ribs can be felt, but there is noticeable filling between the ribs with fat. Fat around the tailhead is soft, and fat is deposited along the wthers, behind the shoulders and along the crest of the neck.

Score 8: FAT
The horse has a crease down the back. It is difficult to feel the ribs. Fat around the tailhead is very soft. Areas along the withers and behind the shoulders are filled with fat and there is noticeable thickening of the neck. Fat is deposited along the inner thighs.

Score 9: EXTREMELY FAT
There is obvious crease down the back. Patchy fat appears over the ribs. There are bulging fat deposits around the tailhead, along the withers, behind the shoulders and along the neck. Fat deposits along the inner thighs may rub together and the flank is filled with fat.