Condition scoring your horse

Obesity in horses is an ever increasing problem. In fact, anywhere between 50 and 80 per cent of horses in the UK are overweight.

Why does weight matter?

Obesity in horses can lead to problems including:

• Laminitis
• Insulin resistance
• …and the resulting metabolic syndrome
• Reduced fertility
• Heat stress
• Heart, lung and joint problems
• Worsened arthritis
• Lethargy
• …and many more.

It is therefore essential that you keep an eye not only on your horse’s weight, but his body condition, too.

Condition scoring your horse

The easiest way to determine if your horse is within a healthy weight range is to look at him. Using the 1-9 condition scoring scale, you’ll be able to see how well or poorly conditioned he is.