46/ JUNE 2014 THE RIDER Body Condition Scoring - Hands on Help for Your Horse


same horse and view it with a different eye. One person may regard a horse as fat, but to the other it may appear to be just right. One might describe a horse to be quite “ribby”, but in the eyes of another, it appears lean and fit. While it’s customary for some horse owners to “eye- ball” their horses to determine its ideal weight, this just leaves room for error, which can seri- ously affect its health. Instead, there is a better way.


equine nutritionists alike have employed a sys- tem to measure fat coverage in horses with a sci- entific process called Body Condition Scoring as a more objective way to assess a horse’s weight. Developed by Don Henneke, Ph.D. dur- ing his graduate study at Texas A & M Univer- sity in 1979, Body Condition Scoring for Horses (BSC) was designed as a ranking system and remains the most reliable tool in determining a horse’s body condition. If done on a regular basis, it is an excellent way to monitor the nutri- tional wellbeing of your horse over time.


Since the mid-1980’s, veterinarians and


and accepted, and has been in use for many years since Dr. Henneke developed it,” says Gayle Ecker, director of Equine Guelph at the University of Guelph. “However, this body con- dition score method is not a subject that is com-


scale of 1 through 9 to describe the amount of fat and muscle a horse is carrying. A score of 1 is considered to be a poor or emaciated horse with no body fat, while a 9 is extremely fat or obese. Application of this method assists in evaluating a horse’s body condition no matter the breed, age, body type or sex. “The 1 to 9 scale is scientifically published


The Henneke Scoring System BCS is a numbering system that uses a


It’s odd how two people can look at the


and Handling of Equines recommends BCS as a tool for determining if an animal is too thin, too fat or in ideal condition and provides informa- tion on each individual score from 1 to 9. According to the Code, a BCS of 4 to 6 is rec- ommended for most horses, miniature horses and ponies. However, this rating would be dependent upon the animal’s purpose, breed and life stage. The Code is also now being utilized by the OSPCA in assessing potential equine welfare cases.


The Difference between Weight and Condi- tion


applied other options to keep tabs on their horse’s weight through the use of portable scales, which are costly, and weight taping. However, these methods just provide a measure-


In the past, some horse owners have


of hands to feel for areas of fat coverage) and visual assessment of anatomical sites, six specif- ic areas of the horse’s body are assessed - neck, withers, loin, tail head, ribs and shoulder. The scores are then totaled up and divided by six to obtain a more accurate score. The resulting number would be the horse’s rating on the Hen- neke Body Scoring Condition Chart. The 2013 Code of Practice for the Care


aware of the value of this scientific tool, and there are some who feel they can quite ade- quately eyeball the horse. Proper training for this [Henneke BCS] hands-on technique is important for its consistent use.” Through the use of physical palpation (use


mon knowledge. While it is generally included in most courses on horse care and nutrition, there are many horse owners that have not been exposed to this system of assessment and fewer still that have had structured training on it.” Ecker goes on to add, “Many may not be


order to maintain an ideal BCS, Henderson notes that this practice should be done on a reg- ular basis. “The general rule is that what you see today is what you fed two to four weeks ago,” says Dr. Brianne Henderson, who specializes in ambulatory horse sport medicine and emergency and critical care at Toronto Equine Hospital. “For that reason, I recommend horses that are healthy and in good work be assessed once per month through the BCS method. If you are try- ing to make a change, either weight gain or loss, then the horse should be assessed every other week.” A graduate of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, Scotland, Hen-


Rider Rest: the Night before the Horse Show


these can be the next best thing: A hot shower or bath, lying down with your feet elevated, slowly doing range of motion exercis- es, gentle stretching etc.


the show, or anything horse related for that mat- ter, is like a trip to the Bahamas for your brain. Even chatting about the show with our friends can raise excitement and adrenaline. Spend some down time reading a book or magazine, watching a feel-good movie, doing Sudoku, lis- tening to music- anything that is enjoyable and low stress. I like to take a walk before turning in for the evening.


of stress/challenge and recovery/rest. Tomor- row’s horse show takes care of the stress, but what really counts as R&R to perform at your best?


and research shows (and my personal experience can attest) fatigue makes us…dumber. We for- get courses and make late decisions when we need to think fast! Rest can tin a take a variety of forms -


leisure, sleep, physical relaxation, etc. - but let’s define it here as time you are not thinking about riding, or physically exerting effort (or holding tension in your body in any way). So how can you rest when you need it


Is it: • Kicking back at the exhibitor party the night before? • Braiding, grooming, bathing at the stable with your horse and barn buddies? • Staring at the ceiling in the motel for 3 hours, thinking about your classes? We need to be sharp to be show ready –


By Lindsay Grice. Humans are designed to thrive in a cycle


seem to do it. Now what? These can help: long, slow breaths with a focus on exhaling for longer than you inhaled; tensing and then completely releasing all of your major muscle groups, par- ticularly areas where you tend to be tight; or cre- ating mental and physical relaxation by imagin- ing you are on a beach or in your pasture under a tree, or some place you associate with resting, relaxing and being at peace. Tonya Johnston, author and sports psy- chology consultant, offers these additional tips:


most? Experiment with the following to find the best combinations for you.


the night before the show you can visit the envi- ronment you will be riding in the next day. Keep this brief, ten to fifteen minutes at the most. It is ideal if you have shown at the venue before, or if you have at least been at the show grounds and know the ring you will be in so that you can create a specific and accurate image. If you are at a multi-day show, use some time at night to revisit the best parts of your rides that day to strengthen the aspects of your performance that


time thinking about the horse show. It’s best if you can harness that time and make it truly pro- ductive. When you vividly imagine yourself rid- ing successfully in the show ring, you are in effect teaching your body how to respond to the challenges you will face in competition. By drawing out some courses for yourself


Preparatory Visualization Realistically, you are going to spend some


Relaxation Techniques So you want to relax but you just can’t


Mental Rest Taking a true break from thinking about


Physical Rest You may not be able to actually sleep, but


you want to repeat. (Be disciplined about focus- ing on your successes and imagining solutions to the things you would have liked to do differ- ently.)


bushy-tailed at the next show!


Nutrition/Hydration 1. Plan ahead: Be realistic about your timing for dinner (yes, be sure to eat dinner!), eating at a reasonable hour can greatly impact your ability to fall asleep and to get going in the morning. 2. Bring healthy snacks from home: Have things on hand that you can use to fill in that last pang of hunger before you go to bed (a candy bar from the vending machine is less than ideal!). 3. Drink water: Staying away from caffeine and sugared beverages at night is hopefully some- thing that has already become of your regular routine before you show. If not, consider chang- ing your habits as you will see a real difference your capacity to settle, calm your mind and get your body into a relaxed state. So sleep well and see you, bright eyed and


throughout Canada, teaching for equine associa- tions, riding clubs and at private farms, creating thinking horsemen of her students by teaching the “hows” and “whys” of riding. “Most training problems are just communication issues between horse and rider,” she says, “solved using the science of how horses think and learn.” Lindsay teaches Equine Behaviour for a


cialized judge as well as a Provincial Hunter/Jumper judge as well as a certified Equine Canada coach and an NCCP level 3 coach.


www.lgrice.com.


the United States and Canada. For more information, visit her site


Her students have won at major shows in


chology principles. “Handling show nerves, dis- tractions, and disappointments is as much a part of a success as the technical riding skills.” She is an Equine Canada and AQHA spe-


course offered by University of Guelph. She also draws regularly on sports psy-


Lindsay Grice Bio: Coach, judge, speaker and equine behaviourist, Lindsay Grice has trained hundreds of horses and hundreds of riders in her 25 years as a professional. Riding clinics and seminars take her


feeding according to weight and growth, and for specific medications that are administered by the vet relative to the weight of the horse,” Ecker says. “However, weight alone does not even come close to telling the story of nutrition- al balance. If we had two growing boys that both weighed the same weight, what would that tell us? One could be very tall and slim and the other could be very short and carry more weight than is advisable, but both weigh the same.” When measuring a horse’s condition in


give us enough information, as a fat horse and a well-muscled horse can be of the same weight, but as in humans, muscle weighs more than fat. Instead, applying the BCS technique of examin- ing the six areas where fat is deposited on a horse’s body will help determine the body con- dition score in order to assist with the horse’s overall nutrient requirements. “Weight determination is important for


ment of the horse’s body weight, not its condi- tion. In addition, depending on how the tape is applied in the heart girth area, weight tapes can be very inaccurate. Ecker notes that weight alone does not


derson also furthered her trained as a hospital intern at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lex- ington, Kentucky. Most recently, she was the Assistant Team Veterinarian for Team Canada at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington. She points out that in addition to careful record keep- ing, documenting with photographs of your horse is also an immense help when trying to make a change in body weight and condition. “It gives you a concrete visual to compare to when you are three to six months down the road.”


is too thin or dangerously thin and easy to spot as a case you would report to the SPCA for a possible neglect scenario, many horse owners have difficul- ty acknowledging that their horse is also at risk should it rate at the other end of the scale with an 8 or 9.


ty as a disease in horses is a more recent revela- tion,” notes Henderson. “With the amount of cur- rent research being focused on the impact of fat cells on the hormones and metabolism of animals, specifically insulin resistance and equine metabolic syndrome, we must start to manage our horses in a manner which ensures their longevity and reduces the risk of colic, laminitis and orthopaedic disease worsened by a high body condition.” She notes that there is a strong association


“Much the same as in people, viewing obesi-


Henneke’s 1 to 9 scoring system, determining opti- mal body condition can be simple no matter the horse’s age or breed. “Breed cannot be used to jus- tify a skinny horse or fat horse, as the system is designed to look at fat cover, and this is irrespec- tive of age or breed,” Ecker says. “There is a healthy range of scores from 4 to 7, and where your horse falls within that narrow margin can be different depending on the use of the horse. For example, a broodmare going into the winter can be a 7, as this will help keep up her body weight dur- ing the cold of the winter. However, an athletic horse should be a 4 or 5, as it is not desirable for that horse to be carrying excess weight when they are running, jumping, turning, and more, as this extra weight puts more stress on the joints, liga- ments and tendons.” While a horse rated 1- 3 on the Henneke scale


Too Fat or Too Thin? Once a person becomes properly trained with


between feeding good food as a demonstration of love and status, and as a result, Equine Metabolic Syndrome (insulin resistance) is becoming more commonly diagnosed amongst our horse popula- tion.


body condition, consult your regular veterinarian to ensure that all other systems are in working order such as teeth, parasite load, and hoof balance,” states Henderson. “They will be able to help you make a plan for any safe weight loss or gain.” The Code of Practice for the Care and Han-


colic, illness and disease. By understanding your horse’s body condition through the use of Hen- neke’s Body Condition Scoring, you’ll be in a bet- ter position to prevent any problems that may arise. “If you are concerned about your horse’s


ciated with this disease can be hugely detrimental to a horse’s athletic career and general welfare,” says Henderson. “What we must remember is that the original horse survived on the poor quality pas- ture of Mongolia. This is what their system is designed for. While the elite athlete and geriatric will require additional nutritional support, the majority of backyards horses would likely do better with a diet higher in plain forage than concen- trates.” A horse that is too thin or too fat is prone to


“The cresty necks and chronic laminitis asso-


EquineGuelph.ca which will deliver monthly wel- fare tips throughout 2014 and announce tools to aid all horse owners in carrying out their ‘Full-Circle- Responsibility’ to our beloved horses. Visit Equine Guelph’s Welfare Education page for more infor- mation. In partnership with the Ontario Ministry of


Preparedness course for horse owners Sept 18 fol- lowed by a Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue Awareness and Operations Level course Sept 19, 20, 21. Contact Susan Raymond for more details at


slraymon@uoguelph.ca


Agriculture and Food, Equine Guelph is develop- ing a ‘Full-Circle-Responsibility’ equine welfare educational initiative which stands to benefit the welfare of horses in both the racing and non-racing sectors. Equine Guelph will be hosting an Emergency


dling of Equines, which includes Henneke’s Body Condition Scoring system, can be viewed or down- loaded at: http://www.nfacc.ca/codes-of- practice/equine. Sign up for our free e-newsletter at


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