Fat scoring

Fat scoring (also known as body condition scoring) is a way to assess your horse’s fat covering to help determine whether he is a healthy weight.

The three key areas to consider are the neck, body and hindquarters, and you will be required to not only look at your horse, but also to feel him so that you can determine between muscle and fat. Generally, fat will feel spongy, whereas muscle is firmer, although it’s important to remember that crest fat can start to feel hard and this is when it is dangerous. Each area is scored individually from 0-5 using the images and descriptions in the table below, and then an average is taken (add the three scores together and divide by three) to work out the final score for your horse.

A healthy score is around 2.5–3 out of 5, unless your vet advises otherwise. When it comes to getting hands on and ‘feeling’ your horse, follow the guide below.