This video will help horse owners learn how to measure horse weight. Owners often struggle ‘guesstimating’ how much their horses weigh, so these methods can be of use!

Bryan Cassill, MS, MBA, gives us tips and advice on measuring horse weight. Cassill is the Commercial and Formulations Manager for Mars Horsecare and BUCKEYETM Nutrition.

(Editor’s note: The content of this video is the expert’s approach to the topic. Please consult with your practitioner if you have questions.)

Using a Weight Tape

There are many different weight tapes and calculations to use to measure horse weight, explained Cassill.

“We provide weight tapes, and most feed companies provide weight tapes,” said Cassill. “The number one guarantee about using a weight tape is that the weight tape is that the weight will be incorrect every time. But it is still very, very useful!”

He said the great thing about a weight tape is that it will ‘get you in the ball park.’

“If you are wondering how to deworm your horse [based on weight], it’s very useful,” he said. “But the thing I lover about a weight tape is that it’s going to show me change.”

Cassill said owners usually weight tape their horses for a reason. Either the horse looks too thin or overweight. “But I have a goal in mind,” he noted. “I want to add weight or decrease weight. Then in two, three, four weeks from now, I want to do the same thing with my tape measure. That weight tape is going to tell me the direction I’m going. As an owner, we want to be ‘directionally’ correct.”

Body Condition Scoring

The next important thing about weight is body condition, Cassill said. “Use your eyes and use your hands and understand the body condition scoring system,” he noted. “It’s not very complicated.

“If you can see the ribs of the horse, it’s a 5 or below. If you can’t see the ribs, it’s above a 5,” he explained.

Using this in conjunction with a weight tape will get you closer to your horse’s weight goals.

Keep a Record

Keep a record of body weight and condition, advised Cassill. “I used to use a calendar to write all that stuff down, but now I use my phone,” he noted. “Guess what I always have on me when I’m looking at my horse—my phone.

“If I pull my tape together and it says, 1,340 and I look at my phone from four weeks ago and it says 1,426, then I know I’m going the right way,” said Cassill.

Final Words

Use objective measurements when trying to determine body weight on your horse, Cassill advised. “Use these tools to be an objective measurement to get you to your goal,” he said.

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