You've heard the warnings: Obesity—concerning on its own—can lead to a host of other serious health problems in horses. But your horse isn't obese, is he? Nah…he's just a little chunky with a little fat over his tailhead, or maybe just a touch of a cresty neck.

Guess what: That horse is probably overweight, and could be well on his way to obesity. So to help you better understand how to tell whether your horse is overweight, too skinny, or just right, we've compiled five body condition scoring resources available to you for free on TheHorse.com.

And for additional information about helping that overweight horse subsist on fewer calories, see "5 Tips for Feeding Easy Keepers" in the July 2014 issue of The Horse: Your Guide to Equine Health Care. 

Article: Determining Horses' Body Weight and Ideal Condition When it comes to calculating a horse's nutrient requirements, it's important to first determine that animal's body weight and condition. Body weight is measured in kilograms or pounds. Body condition refers to how much or how little fat coverage an animal has, and it can be measured through both subjective visual inspection and objective and quantitative body measurements. Find out what you need to know.

Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.