Grace Equine Rescue and Therapy for Humans, Inc.         

Brevard Animal Services Enforcement Hours

Monday-Friday 7AM-6PM
Saturday & Sunday 7AM-6PM
24 hour, 7- day  service during natural disasters
24 hour, 7 -day  service on emergencies

Phone - 321-633-2024
Press # 1 for operator         
             

Fax  - 321-255-4429
          321-255-4375

For more information about the Henneke Body Condition Scoring check out: www.squidoo.com/henneke

Henneke Body Condition Scoring System

Horse veterinarians consider a body score of between 4 and 7 as acceptable.

Scoring the neck:

1 - Bone structure easily noticeable
2 - Bone structure faintly discernable
3 - Neck accentuated
4 - Neck not obviously thin
5 - Neck blends smoothly into body
6 - Fat beginning to be deposited
7 - Fat deposited along neck
8 - Noticeable thickening of neck
9 - Bulging fat

The neck allows for refining the assessment of body condition. In an extremely thin horse, you will be able to see the bone structure of the neck, and the throatlatch will be very trim. As the horse gains condition, fat will be deposited down the top of the neck. A body condition score of 8 is characterized by a neck that is thick all around with fat evident at the crest and the throatlatch.

Scoring the withers:

1 - Bone structure easily noticeable
2 - Bone structure faintly discernable
3 - Withers accentuated
4 - Withers not obviously thin
5 - Withers rounded over spinous processes
6 - Fat beginning to be deposited
7 - Fat deposited along withers
8 - Area along withers filled with fat
9 - Bulging fat

Conformation of the withers may affect your assessment of body condition. The prominence or sharpness of the withers may vary between breeds; a thoroughbred typically has more prominent withers than a quarter horse. However, if a horse is very thin, the underlying structure of the withers will be easily visible. At a level 5, the withers will appear rounded. At levels 6 through 8, varying degrees of fat deposits can be felt along the withers. In obese horses, the withers will be bulging with fat.

Scoring the loin:

1 - Spinous processes project prominently
2 - Slight fat covering overbase of spinous processes. Transverse processes of lumbar vertebrae feel rounded. Spinous processes are prominent.
3 - Fat buildup halfway on spinous processes but easily discernible. Transverse processes cannot be felt.
4 - Negative crease along back
5 - Back level
6 - May have slight positive crease down back
7 - May have positive crease down back
8 - Positive crease down back
9 - Obvious positive crease down back

An extremely thin horse will have a negative crease and a ridge down the back where the spinous processes projects up. No fat can be felt along the back of the horse. However, this is one of the first areas to fill in as a horse gains weight. Fat is first laid down around body organs, then along the base of the spinous processes. As the horse gets fatter, an obvious crease or depression forms down the back because of fat accumulation along the spinous processes.

Scoring the tailhead:

1 - Tailhead (pinbones) and hook bones projecting prominently
2 - Tailhead prominent
3 - Tailhead prominent but individual vertebrae cannot be visually identified. Hook bones appear rounded, but are still easily discernible. Pin bones not distinguishable.
4 - Prominence depends on conformation; fat can be felt. Hook bones not discernible
5 - Fat around tailhead beginning to feel spongy
6 - Fat around tailhead feels soft
7 - Fat around tailhead is soft
8 -Tailhead fat very soft
9 - Building fat around tailhead

In a very thin horse up to a number 3, the tailhead is prominent and easily discernible. Once the horse starts gaining weight, fat fills in around the tailhead. Fat can easily be palpated, and as the horse becomes obese, the fat will feel soft and begin to bulge.

Scoring the ribs:

1 - Ribs projecting prominently
2 - Ribs prominent
3 - Slight fat cover over ribs. Ribs easily discernible.
4 - Faint outline discernible
5 - Ribs cannot be visually distinguished but can be easily felt
6 - Fat over ribs feels spongy
7 - Individual ribs can be felt, but noticeable filling between ribs with fat
8 - Difficult to feel ribs
9 - Patchy fat appearing over ribs

The next place to look is in the ribs. Visually assess the rib area, then run your fingers across the rib cage. A very thin horse will have prominent ribs, easily seen and felt, with no fat padding. As the horse begins to gain weight, a little padding can be felt around the ribs; by level 5 the ribs will no longer be visible, but can be easily palpated by passing a hand down the rib cage. Once the horse progresses towards obesity, feeling the ribs will be impossible.

Scoring the shoulder:

1 - Bone structure easily noticeable
2 - Bone structure faintly discernable
3 - Shoulder accentuated
4 - Shoulder not obviously thin
5 - Shoulder blends smoothly into body
6 - Fat beginning to be deposited
7 - Fat deposited behind shoulder
8 - Area behind shoulder filled in flush with body
9 - Bulging fat

The shoulder will also help you refine the condition score, especially if conformation factors have made some other criteria less helpful. As a horse gains weight, fat is deposited around the shoulder to help it blend smoothly with the body. At increasing condition scores, fat is deposited behind the shoulder, especially in the region behind the elbow.