Relevant Issues

Condition Scoring

In order to prevent a future attack of laminitis, it is crucially important to maintain your horse or pony at the correct weight. This is especially so given that horses who have suffered one bout of the disease, become more succeptible. Condition scoring of the fat carried by the horse is one such way to do this.

Condition scores range from 0 (very poor condition) to 5 (obese). The horse's neck and shoulders, ribcage and backbone, and quarters are the body parts used to determine the horse's condition.

So what score is my horse?

Score 0 (Emaciated)

• Neck/Shoulder Scraggy ewe neck with little covering of skin.
• Ribcage/Backbone Barely any skin covering the ribcage, spinous processes prominent and very easily felt.
• Quarters Pelvis sticks out, no fat pads on either side of rump.

Score 1 (poor)

• Neck/ShoulderScraggy ewe neck with little covering of skin.
• Ribcage/Backbone Visible ribs, spinous processes prominent and very easily felt.
• Quarters Supple skin, pelvis easily visible.

Score 2 (Moderate)

• Neck/Shoulder - narrow and taught skin.
• Ribcage/Backbone - Ribs slightly visible, well covered backbone and spinous processes easily felt.
• Flat rump, some fat pads either side of croup.

Score 3 (good)

• Neck/Shoulder - No crest, tight neck.
• Ribcage/backbone - Ribs easily felt, not seen. No gutter along spine.

Score 4 (Fat)

• Neck/Shoulder - Slight crest, wide neck.
• Ribcage/Backbone - Hard to feel ribs, gutter along spine.
• Quarters - Gutter to top of dock, pelvis only felt with firm pressure.

Score 5 (Obese)

• Neck/Shoulder - Large, obvious crest.
• Ribcage/Backbone - No sign of ribs!, flat back and deep gutter along spine.
• Quarters - Deep gutter to top of dock, very hard to feel pelvis.