Ask an experienced owner what they'd track if they could only choose one thing, and many will say weight. Not because a single number tells you much — it rarely does — but because the direction of change tells you almost everything about whether feeding, workload and health are in balance.
Why the trend beats the number
Two horses can weigh exactly the same and be in completely different states of health. What matters is where each one is heading. A horse quietly losing condition over six weeks is telling you something long before the change is obvious across the stable door.
You can't see a slow change day to day. A curve on a page shows it in seconds.
Three ways to measure
Weighbridge
The gold standard. If you have access to one, use it — the most accurate figure and the best anchor for everything else.
Weigh-tape
A weigh-tape gives an estimate, not a precise weight. Its magic is consistency: used the same way each time, it tracks change reliably even if the absolute number is off.
Body condition scoring
Scoring assesses fat cover by feel and eye across neck, ribs, back and hindquarters. It complements weight: weight is the quantity, condition is where it sits.
Whatever method you pick, standardise it: same tool, same time of day, same handler, same schedule. A consistent estimate beats an accurate one-off.
How often to weigh
- Monthly for horses in steady work.
- Every one to two weeks during a deliberate change.
- Before and after winter at minimum.
Reading the curve
- Steady: your management fits the horse. Change nothing.
- Rising: intake is outpacing work — review before it becomes a risk.
- Falling: the first flag. Check teeth, worming, feed and workload, and talk to your vet if it continues.
See your horse's weight as a curve, not a guess
MARBAT EQ logs weight in seconds and shows the trend over 30 days and beyond — alongside care, training and appointments, all in one private place.
Discover MARBAT EQ