What is a body condition score?

A body condition score, or BCS, is a tool that describes the relative fatness of horses. Horses can have a body condition score of 1 to 9:

• 1 = emaciated

• 9 = obese

An ideal BCS would be a 5, however, a slightly higher or lower score might be acceptable depending on the horse’s use.

How is a body condition score determined?

The score is determined by examining the condition of the neck, withers, loin, tail head, ribs and shoulder. The stomach is not a good indicator of body condition. Horses can have a big belly and still be in poor condition due to consuming low-quality forage, having internal parasites or simply being out of shape.
 

Health Concerns for Obese Horses

Obese horses are susceptible to:

• Insulin resistance

• Joint issues

• Equine metabolic syndrome

• Chronic laminitis

• Colic

• Founder

• Inefficient at regulating body temperature

 

Preparing for Winter

• Horses drink an average of 10-12 gallons of water per day. Fresh water should be available at all times. In the winter, if heated tanks are unavailable, ice should be broken several times a day. (Here are some tips for managing frozen horse water.) If a horse goes off feed, check his water. Horses will not eat if they are thirsty.

• A horse’s energy requirements increase by 1 percent for every degree below 16 degrees F. Digesting forage creates more heat than digesting grain, so ample hay should be provided when conditions are harsh.

• If horses are on pasture, provide hay if the grass is low-quality or snow-covered.

• If a horse tends to lose weight in the winter, increasing its BCS by one point could be beneficial. Monitor your horse in the fall and spring to establish your plan of action to maintain his winter BCS.

• Always float teeth and deworm several weeks before winter.

• Exercise tends to be limited in the winter. Watch easy-keepers to make sure they don’t reach an unhealthy score.