The ideal body condition of a riding horse depends on the performance activities and purpose that horse has for the rider. There may be many answers to this question depending on the horse's purpose and the ideals of the owner/rider. Limited research and practical experience indicate that a performance horse should have a body condition score between 5 to 7 on a scale from 1 to 9. One is a Poor horse that is extremely emaciated and unfit for riding. Nine is an Extremely Fat or obese horse. A body condition score of 5 represents a horse in moderate body condition with a level back, ribs that cannot be visually distinguished but can be easily felt, and where the fat around the tailhead begins to feel spongy. The withers appear rounded over the spinous processes and the shoulders and neck blend smoothly into the body. A body condition score of 7 is a fleshy body condition in which the horse has a crease down the back, individual ribs can be felt, but there is noticeable filling between the ribs with fat. Fat around the tailhead is soft; fat is deposited along withers, behind shoulders, and along the neck.
For More Information: Complete the Learning Lesson on "How to Body Condition Score Horses"
