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Horse Scoring
Body Condition evaluations based on the
Henneke Body Scoring System
Used by Animal Control & Law Enforcement
Points checked: neck, withers, shoulder, ribs,
loin, tailhead
For an average size horse
Add or Subtract Approx 45 lbs per Score,
example:
A 1000 lb Horse that Scores a 5 @
820 lbs=Score 1, 910 lbs=Score 3, 1090
lbs=Score 7
Use 100 lbs +/- per Draft Horse, 20 lbs per Mini
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Score
1 - Poor
Horse
Extremely Emaciated
-
The spine
&
vertebrae, ribs, tailhead, hip joints
& lower
pelvic bones project prominently
-
Bone structure or withers,
shoulders, neck are easily noticeable
-
No fatty tissue can be
felt
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Score 2 - Very Thin
Horse is
emaciated
-
Very little muscle
covering the vertical projection on the
backbone
-
Spine, vertebrae, ribs,
tailhead, hipjoints & lower pelvic bones are
prominent
-
Withers, shoulders & neck structure are
faintly discernable
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Score 3 - Thin
- Fat buildup about
halfway on vertical projection on backbone
- Vertical
projections on backbone & ribs are easily
visible
- Slight fat cover
over ribs. Tailhead is prominent, but
individual vertebrae cannot to identified
visually
- Hip joints appear
round but easily visible, Lower pelvic bones
not distinguishable, withers, shoulders &
neck are accentuated
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Score 4 -
Moderately Thin
- Slight ridge along spine
- Faint outline of the ribs is visible
- Fat can be felt around the tailhead
prominence
- Hip joints are not visible
- Withers, shoulders & neck are not
obviously thin
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Score 5 -
Moderate (Ideal)
- Back is flat & ribs
are not visually distinguishable, but can be
easily felt
- Fat around the tailhead feels spongy
- Withers appear rounded over the vertical
projections on backbones
- Shoulders & neck blend smoothly into the
body
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Score 6 -
Moderately Fleshy
- Horse may have a
crease down the back
- Spongy fat can be felt over ribs, fat
over tailhead
- Fat deposits are developing along side
the withers, behind the shoulders & along
the crest of the neck
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Score 7 - Fleshy
- Horse may have
crease down the back
- Individual ribs can be felt, but there
is noticeable filling between the ribs with
fat
- Fat around tailhead is soft
- Fat is deposited along the withers,
behind the shoulders & along the crest of
the neck
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Score 8 - Fat
- Horse has crease down back
- It is difficult to feel the ribs
- Fat around the tailhead is soft
- Areas along withers & behind the
shoulders are filled with fat
- Noticeable thickening of the neck
- Fat deposited along the inner thighs
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Score 9 -
Extremely Fat
- Obvious crease down
back
- Patchy fat appears over ribs
- Bulging fat deposits around the tailhead,
along the withers, behind the shoulders &
along the neck
- Fat deposits along inner thighs may rub
together
- Flank is filled with fat
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