How to determine your horse's weight

Many surveys have shown that people routinely underestimate or over estimate bodyweight and this includes experienced horsemen. One study found that only 12% of horsemen used scales to weigh their horses, 53% used a weightape and 68% said that they guessed their horses' weights. Hopefully, these figures will improve as more people become aware of the importance of using weigh tapes.

There are several methods of calculating your horse's weight and the most accurate is to use scales. Unfortunately, few of us have the luxury of owning such equipment. However, it is well worth loading your horse into a lorry and taking him to a local weighbridge, or perhaps using the scales at your veterinary surgery. Having an accurate record of your horse's exact weight is a useful basis to compare subsequent weightape measurements.

Weightapes

Weightapes offer a simple and practical solution. They are about 90% accurate, although you can get great variation on the reading, depending on where you place the tape and how the horse is standing. It is important to make sure that your horse is standing square and on a level surface. His head should be in a normal position and he should be relaxed. The tape should be dropped over the lowest part of your horse's withers and should pass underneath him as close to his front legs as possible. The tape should naturally follow a slightly angled line. The tape should be firm but not so tight that it causes an indent in the horse's flesh. The height of the horse is also an important variable. Weightapes that are calibrated to take into account the horse's height provide an improved estimate of equine bodyweight.

Horse Weight Guide (kgs)

Height	Donkey	Pony	Polo Ponies	Arab	Cob	Thrg- Bred	Light Wt Hunter	Mid Wt Hunter	Heavy Weight	Heavy Horse
9	150	200
10	200	200
12	200	200
12.2	200	300
13	350	300
14		300		400
14.1		400		400
14.2		400	400	400	450
14.3			450	450	500
15			500	450	500	400
15.1			500	500	550	400	450
15.2						450	500	500
15.3						500	500	550	600	700
16						500	550	600	650	750
16.1						550	550	600	650	800
16.2						550	550	650	650	850
16.3						600	600	650	700	850