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To Contact
CA-BAA,
Click HERE

 

NORTH BAY HORSE & BURRO OWNERS:
Click to Download Wendee Walker's Printable Resource List
(handy to give out to new adopters)

 


 


 

The body scoring system is a means of evaluating an animal's body condition by taking into account the amount of body fat. Body condition is graded on a scale from 1 to 9. A body score between 4 and 6 is ideal. Evaluate your horse's body score using the chart below.
Regardless of your horse's age, breed, height, and body weight, aim to keep the horse at a body condition score between 4 and 6.

TOOLS FOR MENTORS & COMPLIANCE VOLUNTEERS

HOW TO READ A BRAND

Click to enlarge
 

HOW OLD IS THIS HORSE IN "HUMAN YEARS?"

 

Body Condition Score Reprinted from "Preventing Laminitis in Horses" by Richard A. Mansmann, VMD, PHD and Christine King, BVSc, MACVSc, MVetClinStud, with permission of author.

For more information, see www.habitatforhorses.org/rescues/bodyscoring.html

 
Henneke Scale Body Score Ribs Spine Pelvis and
Tail Head		 Bones of Withers, Shoulder & Neck
1 (emaciated)
 very prominent very prominent very prominent very noticeable
2 (very thin)

Mare rescued by Tina Scott
 prominent prominent prominent noticeable
3 (thin)

(This is the same horse as appears above, #2, after a month of good care)
very noticeable
 		 tops of vertebrae
very noticeable
 		 pelvic bones
noticeable; tail
head prominent		 faintly noticeable
4 (light, slightly thin, almost ideal)
 faintly
noticeable
 		 slight ridge
along back
 		 pelvic bones
covered; can feel
fat at tail head
 		 not obviously thin
5 (moderate/ideal)
 not visible
but easily felt
 		 back is flat; no
crease or ridge
 		 pelvic bones well
covered; spongy
fat at tail head
 		 rounded withers;
shoulder & neck blend into body
6 (moderately fleshy)
 spongy fat over ribs; can feel individual ribs
 		 may have slight
crease down back
 		 pelvic bones well covered; soft fat
around tail head		 some fat deposits
on withers, neck, & behind shoulders
7 (fleshy)
 obvious filling
between ribs; can feel ribs
 		 may have crease
down back
 		 pelvic bones well
covered; soft fat
around tail head		 fat deposits on withers, neck, &
behind shoulders
hard to feel ribs
 		 crease down back very soft fat at
tail head; fat on
inner thighs
 		 fat fills withers area
& behind shoulders;
thickened neck
9 (obese)

From University of Tennessee files 		dimpled fat over ribs obvious crease down back bulging fat at tail head & inner thigh; flank filled with fat bulging fat on withers, neck, & behind shoulders

Reprinted from "Preventing Laminitis in Horses" by Richard A. Mansmann, VMD, PHD
and Christing King, BVSc, MACVSc, MVetClinStud, with permission of author.

 
This website is created and managed by Nancy Kerson, a BLM volunteer, and owner/author of:

information & resources for adopters and others who love wild horses and burros
To Contact THE CA-BAA WEBMASTER, Click HERE