Condition & Weight Most of us don’t have access to a specialised equine weighbridge but
Vicki’s Nutrition Tip
Try to condition score at a similar time every two weeks and invest in a weigh tape. If you can ask another horse owner to condition score your horse, it is often difficult to pick up on changes when you see them every day! Your farrier and vet are usually the best people to notice any changes to your horse’s condition as they see them regularly but (hopefully) not frequently.
‘Condition Scoring’ and using a weigh tape on a regular basis is a great way of keeping track of your horse or pony’s condition and whether or not you need to adjust their diet. There are instruction videos provided by WHW and the Blue Cross which will point you in the right direction. It is recommended that you aim for a condition score of between 2.5 - 3.5 depending on what level of work your horse is in. This essentially means that you are looking for your horse to have a firm neck with no crest, ribs that can be easily felt but not seen when standing still and a well- covered but easily felt pelvis. So ‘get hands on’, remember overweight horses and ponies are at greater risk of developing conditions such as laminitis, musculo-skeletal diseases and foot disorders.
Neck
Loins
Tailhead
Withers
Shoulder
Ribs
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