How to weigh your horse

Just look at that fuzzy horse, covered in a nice warm winter coat. Do you ever stop and think, “He sure looks fat and sassy, but is he? Could my horse be losing weight? How can I tell under all that hair?”

The best way to monitor your horse’s weight is with a scale, but not many of us have access to a scale big enough to weigh a horse! Instead, you can use an inexpensive weight tape to calculate your horse’s weight. It is best to do this once or twice a month. The tape may not give you the exact weight, but if you measure your horse the same way each time, then you’ll get a good idea if they are gaining or losing weight.

Tips for accurate measuring with a tape.

1) Stand your horse on a flat, level surface and have him stand square.

2) Use the same tape every time and place it in the same place around the horse’s girth, following the directions on the tape.

3) Pull the tape so it is snug, but not too tight.

4) For a more accurate estimate, measure both the heart girth and the body length. Measure the circumference around the heart girth and the body length of the horse from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock, and then plug the numbers into the appropriate formula.

Adult Horse: Heart girth x heart girth x body length ÷ 300 = body weight in pounds.

Pony: Heart girth x heart girth x body length ÷ 299 = body weight in pounds.

Allergic to math? The Horse magazine has a free adult horse calculator you can use. Here is the link!

https://thehorse.com/tools/adult-horse-weight-calculator/

If you need to add extra calories to your horse’s diet in the winter, choose Equi-Jewel® Rice Bran. Equi-Jewel is high in fat and fiber! It is a healthy way to maintain weight in the cold winter months.

Learn more at https://kppusa.com/product/equi-jewel/