Horse weights

O

OwnedbyJoe

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I don't think I could stomach posting in the "Am I too fat to ride" thread because it went to hell in a handbasket. And I REALLY don't want this t be seen as hvaing a go at anyone, but I thought this was interesting.
Here's some interesting info for you:
We threw our mob on two floats and went to the local weighbridge (OH wanted to know what the weight was on the front and back axles of the big gooseneck fully loaded with 4 horses). While there we walked each horse on the weighbridge out of curiousity...
1. Joe - 10 year old Arab X, 15.2, decent bone. Weight 480 kilos. My estimate would have been 500, the weight tape said 520. He is well sprung and looks well covered even when 100 mile fit..
2. Savannah - 9 year old "mutt", probably part Arab 15hh. Fine bone. Weight 450 kilos, weight tape put her at 475. Also VERY well sprung through the ribs (all saddles try to slip forwards) and looks like she is about to drop a foal even when she's ready for 25 mile rides!
3. Prycie, 15.1 Standy, decent bone, BIG feet. 500 kilos bang on. Never weight taped him.
4. Mojo, 12.1hh finely built Welsh pony. Weight tape reckoned 350 kilos, actual weight 340.
5. Angel, 14hh built like a brick outhouse Connemara. Weight 520 kilos (!!) in fat paddock condition. Weight tape put her at 550 kilos... She has lots of bone, a HUGE head and one would definitely describe her as a "real weight carrier".

Photobucket won't let me play at work but here (I hope) is a pic of her from my Facebook account:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...700978.-2207520000.1432691274.&type=3&theater

6. Mac, 16.1hh Standardbred. Looks like a Cleveland bay barring the head, 9" of bone. 630 kilos. Weight tape put him at 600 kilos.

From this I took the following:
1. Weight tapes aren't that accurate. OK for worming etc as the margin of safety is very wide but if I was doing an anaesthetic I'd want them weighed..
2. Even big horses may not be heavy enough for a very heavyweight rider if one chooses to follow the 20% rule.
3. Some 14hh ponies break 500 kilos. Based on Angel I'd be VERY impressed if any were genuinely North of 550 kilos.
 
They sound like a great bunch 😊 in my experience a weight tape has always under estimated the true weight by 45 kilos or there abouts, so it is interesting that you had the opposite!
 
My Icelandic weigh taped 320 KG but on the scales at the vet was actually 385 kg. He does have a lot of muscle on him though.
 
My TB mare who got put down this January was 16.3 with 8" bone and a big rib cage weigh taped at 500kg but got her on a weighbridge and she actually weighed 620kg! I now have an ISH gelding (think the only thing TB about him is his hair) who is 16.2hh and has 9.5" bone and a proper ID belly. I weigh taped him at 600kg but I think he's more 700kg... need to get him weighed properly.
 
My 14.1 Connie x Highland is 420kg on the weigh tape, but 490kg on the weighbridge in March. She was a condition score of 3.5 on weighbridge day but is now closer to 3 and dropping on weigh tape too, but I don't expect her actual weight to have changed all that much in reality. It's best to look at the whole picture - weight and body condition - to put it all in context. It would be tempting to be horrified at her weight 'on paper' without seeing her in the flesh and how lean she really is.
 
I put my horse (17hh TBx Shire x Welsh, chunky monkey) on the weighbridge at the BRC championships. The weightape put him at 624kg and he was 638kg on the weighbridge so not far off, which surprised me as he's a very unconventional shape (TB head and neck, Welsh legs - but longer - and belly and Shire backside!). I've continued to monitor him with the weightape as it's useful for tracking changes if not actual weight, I just add 2% onto the weightape result.
 
I can't see the picture you put up but you do say your connie was 'paddock fat'. Many horses can carry 100kg or more in excess fat and not look overly obese.

As an aside from the 'too fat to ride' thread, I was surprised that one person had 'no idea' of their ponies' weights and got very shirty when I asked. It is good practice to have a good idea of your horses' weights, especially for worming etc. Very interesting thread, OP.
 
Wagtail said:
I can't see the picture you put up but you do say your connie was 'paddock fat'. Many horses can carry 100kg or more in excess fat and not look overly obese.

As an aside from the 'too fat to ride' thread, I was surprised that one person had 'no idea' of their ponies' weights and got very shirty when I asked. It is good practice to have a good idea of your horses' weights, especially for worming etc. Very interesting thread, OP.
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Give it a rest Wagtail. I suspect she was put off by your rudeness.
 
Firstly, wagtail, please don't misconstrue my comments. I told you I have no idea what they weigh by weight tape - the notoriously inaccurate method you hassled me about. I have every idea what they weigh by my estimate and that of my vets and other professionals who have been happy to dose for 500kg on numerous occasions.

Secondly, like most responsible owners I don't worm indescriminately so it's pretty rare I even consider that.
 
JFTD said:
Firstly, wagtail, please don't misconstrue my comments. I told you I have no idea what they weigh by weight tape - the notoriously inaccurate method you hassled me about. I have every idea what they weigh by my estimate and that of my vets and other professionals who have been happy to dose for 500kg on numerous occasions.

Secondly, like most responsible owners I don't worm indescriminately so it's pretty rare I even consider that.
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Hassled you? On a thread discussing what Highlands weighed, I made a comment that you had Highlands and kept them trim and fit. Then when you came onto that thread I asked you what they weighed. You said that one 'taped' slightly less than the other. This led me to the assumption that you must KNOW what they taped otherwise you would not have made the comment, so I asked you if you knew what they weigh taped at. You did not answer, so I assumed that you either had missed the question, or were ignoring it, so I asked you again.

Honestly JFTD, if this causes you to go into a petulant strop, then I think you have an anger problem. Call that 'rude' if you like, but I really have lost all interest.
 
Who's having the petulant strop?

I'm not sure why you feel, or felt, you had a right to demand information and complain I was ignoring you when I failed to respond within your timeframe, and then to come to another thread and question my ability to manage my horses appropriately (your worming comment) on the basis of the fact you don't seem to understand that a tape measurement isn't actually remotely appropriate to base a dosage/ dodgy weight carrying calculation on anyway. But hey, carry on, I've never much cared for your opinion anyway ;)
 
Weight tapes can give an indication of the horse gaining or losing weight but they are no good at telling how much your horse weights for calculating drug dosage .
It's very important that we don't under dose antibiotics to minimise resistance problems , it freaks me out that antibiotics are handed out on a guess the wieght basis .
 
So anyway...

Mongoose11 said:
They sound like a great bunch 😊 in my experience a weight tape has always under estimated the true weight by 45 kilos or there abouts, so it is interesting that you had the opposite!
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This is interesting as I know of horses (Connie, actually) for whom taping is 100kg under. I also know of some who are under estimated by it - like many of the OP's. They're great for monitoring subtle changes in condition but utterly useless as an indicator of weight - terrible accuracy, but pretty reliable as measurements go! But interesting set of data from the OP.

Eta common sense from GS, and I strongly agree about antibiotics and anthelmintics...
 
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How do I find my nearest weighbridge for weighing my horse? He is a 14.2hh TB with no bone, and the weigh tape has him as 425kg which astonished me - I was judging him to be around 375kg!
 
Goldenstar said:
Weight tapes can give an indication of the horse gaining or losing weight but they are no good at telling how much your horse weights for calculating drug dosage
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Exactly, dont ever use the things myself, prefer them to be weighed at vets; this is always close enough to my estimate give or take 10kg :)

It's very important that we don't under dose antibiotics to minimise resistance problems , it freaks me out that antibiotics are handed out on a guess the wieght basis .
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You echo my vet on that :)
 
Wagtail said:
I can't see the picture you put up but you do say your connie was 'paddock fat'. Many horses can carry 100kg or more in excess fat and not look overly obese.

As an aside from the 'too fat to ride' thread, I was surprised that one person had 'no idea' of their ponies' weights and got very shirty when I asked. It is good practice to have a good idea of your horses' weights, especially for worming etc. Very interesting thread, OP.
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For wormers weight really isn't that important! Much better more than less for resistance issues, especially with some wastage so Frank (similar to JFTDs) just gets a whole tube.

He has never been weighed when he has been to the vets and I have no transport to take him there now anyway.
 
If your yard is big enough, quite a few feed companies will now come out with a bridge, give a talk and flog their wares! Most want a minimum of ten.
 
ester said:
For wormers weight really isn't that important! Much better more than less for resistance issues, especially with some wastage so Frank (similar to JFTDs) just gets a whole tube.

He has never been weighed when he has been to the vets and I have no transport to take him there now anyway.
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It's only important if you underestimate the horse's weight.
 
Quite- so you make sure you over estimate. I would never give less than 600 kgs worth, and have no issue giving more on the larger tubes.

Fwiw this is what JFTD said
JFTD said:
One of mine is a connie-style lightweight. He tapes only slightly less than my more traditional one, and I'd be surprised if he's way off 500kg even as a skinny pocket rocket!
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You can 'tape' with a bit of baler twine to compare two horses, without knowing the actual reading. All it is saying is they have a similar size barrel anyway ;).
 
ester said:
For wormers weight really isn't that important! Much better more than less for resistance issues, especially with some wastage so Frank (similar to JFTDs) just gets a whole tube.
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but people often under dose because they are scared about giving them too much and underestimate their horse's weight. I have even seen it recommended on here (albeit a few years back) that someone give half a dose one week, and the other half two weeks later. In reality, underdosing is one of the main causes of resistance.

tapes are notoriously bad at underestimating-as are horse people. Studies using studs have showed that experienced people often underestimate by 50-75kg per animal even when looking at foals and youngsters. Farmers are much better at estimating sheep/cattle weight though-maybe because they weigh animals more routinely. Vets are usually pretty good-especially if they are anaesthetising regularly.

The OP's data is interesting, I wonder if its because her animals are somewhat finer than we tend to get as a norm here now (I can't see the photos though).

cross posted with about 3 posters *sighs* always the bridesmaid.
 
I should point out I am only talking with regards to wormers not antibs, steroids etc.

MofC, yes I know, though that is an educational issue as much as a needing to know actual weights one and agree underdosing is probably the main cause of resistance.
 
ester said:
Quite- so you make sure you over estimate. I would never give less than 600 kgs worth, and have no issue giving more on the larger tubes.

Fwiw this is what JFTD said

You can 'tape' with a bit of baler twine to compare two horses, without knowing the actual reading. All it is saying is they have a similar size barrel anyway ;).
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Of course you can. But I have never known anyone do that, personally. I think it is a logical assumption to make that she had used a weight tape. But who cares, eh? Wish I'd never asked.
 
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