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Owner Education - Body Condition Scoring Chart

Table 1. Descriptions of Anatomical Differences Between Body Condition Scores

Condition	Neck	Withers	Back & Loin	Ribs	Hind Quarters
0 Very thin	bone structure easily felt- no muscle shelf where neck meets shoulder	bone structure easily felt	3 points of vertebrae easily felt	each rib can be easily felt	tailhead and hip bones projecting
1 Thin	can feel bone structure- slight shelf where neck meets shoulder	can feel bone structure	spinous process can be easily felt - transverse processes have slight fat covering	slight fat covering, but can still be felt	can feel hip bones
2 Fair	fat covering over bone structure	fat deposits over withers - dependent on conformation	fat over spinous processes	can't see ribs, but ribs can still be felt	hip bones covered with fat
3 Good	neck flows smoothly into shoulder	neck rounds out withers	back is level	layer of fat over ribs	can't feel hip bones
4 Fat	fat deposited along neck	fat padded around withers	positive crease along back	fat spongy over and between ribs	can't feel hip bones
5 Very fat	bulging fat	bulging fat	deep positive crease	pockets of fat	pockets of fat

As a guide to learning the scoring system and interpreting the results, examples of "typical" condition scores are listed below. There will be a range of condition within each score so it is sometimes convenient to assign +'s and -'s or half point scores as in 2.5 or 3.5.

Score 0	Emaciated	with sunken rump and deep cavity under tail, skin tight over ribs; e.g., severely debilitated older horses with abnormal teeth occlusion, starvation.
Score 1.0	Poor	very thin with prominent pelvis and croup, ribs visible
Score 2.0	Moderate	thin with flat rump, croup well defined, some fat; e.g., mare that has been severely dragged down by milking while on poor pasture.
Score 2.5		e.g., racing condition or endurance horse.
Score 3.0	Good	ribs and pelvis covered with fat and rounded; e.g., a halter horse in prime show condition.
Score 3.5		e.g., mature mare in mid-gestation.
Score 4.0	Fat	fat covering ribs and pelvis requiring firm pressure to feel; e.g., an easy-keeping, mature horse on pasture with little or no work.
Score 5.0	Very Fat	severe over condition with ribs and pelvis that cannot be felt, deep gutter in back; e.g., a fat pony prone to founder (laminitis).

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