Weighing your horse?

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VikkiL

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Hi, does anybody here weigh their horse? If so how often and for what reasons?

I have been offered a weighing service and can see some general health benefits as well as some more specific ones for competing.

From my own experience I dont think its that common however just wondered what you guys think? I recall a previous post where a few people on here said they would have it done if it was accessible and at a reasonable cost.

Love to hear your thoughts

Vikki
 
I weight tape weekly, so if I could actually weigh my boy I would. Then I could compare the tape to the actual weight.

So yes, I would weigh my horse if I could.
 
I am asked to keep a check on the weight of my two as they are youngsters and were rescued in very poor condition. Before they came to me the Blue Cross were able to weigh them accurately, so I use a weigh tape and when they arrived it was not very different from actual.

I now use the weigh tape every couple of weeks to be certain of correct amount of feed, wormer and check they are gaining condition but not getting over weight and Lami prone.

So yes, I think it is a good idea to get confirmation that your horse is maintaining correct weight.
 
Yes, Im going to use their service I think. For accurate worming (I will see if the weigh tape is out or not!), can look up horse height/weight charts on net , from a training/competition point of view would love to weigh him at start and beginning of an xc to see what hes lost in hydration and also to check how well his training is going and find his optimum competition weight as he puts on, well looks like he puts on a fair bit when the season ends!

Also I dont really fancy driving out the way to a weighbridge espeically as its off a motorway island.

Vikki
 
I would definately.

A feed company is bringing a weigh bridge to our local feed shop in summer, and I've booked my two in. I think it will be very interesting to know their real weight rather than estimated weights from the weight tape (which is good to use for knowing weight increases etc).
 
We used to weigh every horse on the weigh bridge weekly at work until it broke.

The results were quite interesting. You'd get horses coming in from summer that would weigh 580kg and their racing weight would be 515-520kg. With one of the horses I looked after I weighed him as we were heading to the truck to race and back to his box upon returning home. He usually weighed 540-545kg but on return from racing he would be 515-520kg. The following day up about 10kg, and then it would take him 4-5days to regain his normal weight. He was a worrier and a nervous traveller and sweated buckets on route to the races.
 
I don't trust weigh tapes at all now! My mare comes up as roughly 350kgs on an average weigh tape, on the weigh bridge at the vets she was 197kgs. Obviously she was stressed/dehydrated that day (colicking) so she's probably a little over 200kgs but to be at least 100kgs out is just shocking in my opinion! :eek:
 
If I could weigh him on a weighbridge, then I would. It would be useful for worming doses. I currently use a measuring tape.
 
Most of the feed companies will send a rep to the yard and weigh the horses for you for free if they are allowed to give you a sales pitch!

I found it useful to have my horse weighed - at the same time I measured him on a tape and now know that he weighs approx 10% more than the tape shows, very useful and I don't feel the need to put him on a weigh bridge to keep track
 
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