This adapted from Carroll and Huntingdon 1988, shows you how to assign a condition score to your horse Condition Neck & shoulder Withers Back & Hindquarters Ribs Bone structure felt Bone structure Three points of Tail head and hip Each rib can be easily felt 0 very poor easily, no muscle felt easily vertebrae felt easily protecting shelf where neck meets the shoulder 1 poor Bone structure can Bone structure Spinous process can Can feel hip Slight fat covering but ribs can (eg some older be felt, slight shelf can be felt be easily felt, bones still be felt horses with where neck meets transverse processes very poor shoulder have slight fat dentition etc) covering Fat covering over Fat deposits Dependent upon Hip bones Fat over spinous processes. 2 moderate (eg mares bone structure over withers conformation covered with fat Ribs are not visible but they milking can still be felt towards the end of the grass season) 3 Good Neck flows Neck rounds Back is level Can't feel hip Layer of fat over ribs (eg show smoothly into out of withers bones condition) shoulder 4 Fat Fat deposited along Fat padded Positive crease along Can't feel hip Fat spongy over and between Good-doer and neck around withers the back bones the ribs increasing risk of laminitis Bulging fat Bulging fat Deep, positive crease Pockets of fat Pockets of fat 5 Very fat WORKING LIVERY
This adapted from Carroll and Huntingdon 1988, shows you how to assign a condition score to your horse Condition Neck & shoulder Withers Back & Hindquarters Ribs 0 very poor Bone structure felt easily, no muscle shelf where neck meets the shoulder Bone structure felt easily Three points of vertebrae felt easily Tail head and hip protecting Each rib can be easily felt 1 poor (eg some older horses with very poor dentition etc) Bone structure can be felt, slight shelf where neck meets shoulder Bone structure can be felt Spinous process can be easily felt, transverse processes have slight fat covering Can feel hip bones Slight fat covering but ribs can still be felt 2 moderate (eg mares milking towards the end of the grass season) Fat covering over bone structure Fat deposits over withers Dependent upon conformation Hip bones covered with fat Fat over spinous processes. Ribs are not visible but they can still be felt 3 Good (eg show condition) Neck flows smoothly into shoulder Neck rounds out of withers Back is level Can't feel hip bones Layer of fat over ribs 4 Fat Good-doer and increasing risk of laminitis Fat deposited along neck Fat padded around withers Positive crease along the back Can't feel hip bones Fat spongy over and between the ribs 5 Very fat Bulging fat Bulging fat Deep, positive crease Pockets of fat Pockets of fat WORKING LIVERY
working-livery-application-2017-2018.docx