Million dollar question - estimating horses weight!

[awelshandawarmblood]

The horse . . .
14.3hh old fashioned chunkier type Welsh D out of work over summer due to pollen (will be upping his work now) & I'd condition score him a moderate/bit fleshy so could lose a touch. I can feel his ribs but has slight fat pads on his shoulders & minimal but soft crest. I do all I can with him on a track & sugar free feed (minimal just for vits & supplements).

I've been using a weight tape all summer to keep an eye on any weight gain/loss knowing its probably not very accurate, just more to monitor fluctuations - it shows him at 540kg.

I've now read that weight tapes are usually around 40kg under what they actually are which has panicked me, but also made me think there's no way based on that, the way hes looking, that hes 580kg!

This week I've used the calculations I've found online by measuring his heart girth & length etc. This works out him being 481kg! So over all a fluctaution of 100kg?!?!

I have nowhere local I can get him weighed on a scale, so just trying to make the best of a bad situation - out of all of the methods, is there one thats more accurate than the others? Or just pure guess work?

 

[Polos Mum]

What is it you want to know weight for? Monitoring his condition / worming / something else?

A weight tape is pretty meaningless as a one off - but if you use it and track it say monthly (or every couple of weeks if there are changes going on) then it's a good tracker. It doesn't matter if is no where near his true weight you just want to know whether he'd going up or down. Same with proper 9 point condition score - there are some good videos online of how to do it thoroughly then do it regularly and write it down so you have a track.
fat pads and a crest would be pretty fat on that score !

If you want to know how much wormer to give - no harm in over estimating. You're unlikely to overdose him.

If you want a one off there are lots of independent feed nutritionist that will come to your yard with a horse weighbridge. If there are a few of you wanting a one off check it's only £15 ish.
Or get a feed merchant to come and bring one - but be prepared for the hard sell on whatever feed they are plugging !!

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

Thank you for the advice that's great!

The reason I'd like to know is a combination of things including worming & condition, but also eg for towing. I use the weight tape every few weeks as I said just to monitor fluctuations not for accuracy as it's obviously out. I was just wondering if the measuring technique was more accurate in relation to a reading on scales.

Last time I contacted Spillers the closest rep was 4.5hr drive away plus we're on too small a yard to make it worth their while really. Also recently contacted the closest independent nutritionist who said it's more accurate to condition score than weight which confused me, & of course wouldn't help with towing.

I think I'll see if I can take him to a local vets to put on a bridge there as that's looking like the most viable option. I'll definitely go & find the videos you mention though about how to condition score properly, that will be great.

 

[Red-1]

Thank you for the advice that's great!

The reason I'd like to know is a combination of things including worming & condition, but also eg for towing. I use the weight tape every few weeks as I said just to monitor fluctuations not for accuracy as it's obviously out. I was just wondering if the measuring technique was more accurate in relation to a reading on scales.

Last time I contacted Spillers the closest rep was 4.5hr drive away plus we're on too small a yard to make it worth their while really. Also recently contacted the closest independent nutritionist who said it's more accurate to condition score than weight which confused me, & of course wouldn't help with towing.

I think I'll see if I can take him to a local vets to put on a bridge there as that's looking like the most viable option. I'll definitely go & find the videos you mention though about how to condition score properly, that will be great.

If you have transport, simply take the lorry to the local weigh bridge and weigh both with and without the horse. There will be many local weigh bridges.

 

[poiuytrewq]

If you have transport, simply take the lorry to the local weigh bridge and weigh both with and without the horse. There will be many local weigh bridges.

Yep, this is what i did Recently. The weigh tape was way out, horse was a fair bit heavier which was bit of a shock!

 

[silv]

Well worth a trip to the weighbridge. Was at a feeding seminar and they had scales for the horses so I took mine along. Weight tape 570kgs, which I knew was too light, Length/height calculation 610kgs, actual weight 650kgs, so quite a difference! He is a 17hh warmblood of fine build and has a perfect body score.