Horse Body Condition Scoring

Areas of Emphasis for Body Condition Scoring
(Where the horse tends to store fat)

A: Thickening of neck

B: Fat covering the withers

C: Fat deposits along backbone

D: Fat deposits on flanks

E: Fat deposits on inner thigh

F: Fat deposits around tail head

G: Fat deposits behind shoulder

H: Fat covering ribs

I: Shoulder blends into neck

Ideal Scores

· Maintenance - 5-6

· Mature and Performance - 5

· Brood Mares - 6-7

1 - Poor
Extremely emaciated. Spinous processes, ribs, tail head, hip joints, and lower pelvic bones project prominently; bone in withers, shoulders and neck are easily noticed. No fatty tissue can be felt.

2 - Very Thin
Emaciated. Slight fat cover base of spinous processes; transverse processes of lumbar vertebrae feel rounded. Spinous processes, ribs, tail head, hip joints and lower pelvic bones are prominent. Withers, shoulders and neck structure faintly discernable.

3 - Thin
Fat buildup about halfway on spinous processes. Transverse processes cannot be felt. Slight fat covers ribs. Spinous processes and ribs easily discernable; tail head prominent but individual vertebrae cannot be identified visually. Hip joints appear rounded but easily discernable; lower pelvic bones not distinguishable. Withers, shoulders and neck accentuated.

4 - Moderately Thin
Slight ridge along back. Faint outline of ribs discernable. Tail head prominence depends on conformation; fat can be felt around it. Hip joints not discernable. Withers, shoulders and neck not obviously thin.

5 - Moderate
Back is flat; ribs easily felt, but not visually distinguishable. Fat around tail head feels a bit spongy. Withers round over spinous processes; shoulders and neck blend smoothly into body.

6 - Moderately Fleshy
May have slight crease down back. Fat over ribs spongy; fat around tail head soft. Small fat deposits behind shoulders and along sides of neck and withers.

7 - Fleshy
Might have slight crease down back. Individual ribs can be felt, but noticeable filling between ribs with fat. Fat around tail head soft; fat deposited along withers, behind shoulders and along neck.

8 - Fat
Crease down back. Difficult to feel ribs. Fat around tail head very soft; area along withers filled with fat. Area behind shoulders filled with fat; noticeable thickening of neck. Fat deposited along inner thighs.

9 - Extremely Fat
Obvious crease down back. Patchy fat appears over ribs. Bulging fat around tail head, along withers, behind shoulders and along neck. Fat along inner thighs may rub together. Flank filled with fat.

Body Condition Scoring Chart. Areas of Emphasis of Body Condition Scoring.
Kentucky Equine Research Incorporated
"Evaluating Your Horse's Body Condition." Purina Mills, Horse Health Tips. ZE5205. 2005.
Henneke et al., 1983