Weighing Your Horse Without a Scale

September 23, 2016
Blain's Farm & Fleet

Learn all about weighing your horse without a scale with Blain’s Farm & Fleet.

Knowing your horse’s weight can help with choosing the right feeding program, giving them medications, and just keeping track of their overall health. However, most horse owners don’t have a scale that’s big enough for a horse, or even access to a scale that size. Thankfully with help from Nutrena and Blain’s Farm & Fleet, weighing your horse can be done right at home.

How to Weigh Your Horse Without a Scale

To weigh your horse without a scale, you only need a weight tape and a simple math formula. While it’s not completely accurate–especially when compared to a scale–it can still give you a good indication of where your horse’s weight is at.

Using a weight tape, measure the length of your horse by measuring from the point of the horse’s shoulder to the point of the buttock. Then measure the heart girth by wrapping the tape around the midsection right behind the elbow and withers. Use those measurements with this equation:

(Heart girth x heart girth x body length) / 330 = Weight of horse

The 330 number is used for a mature horse. This number can vary depending on the age of your horse:

  • 330 – Mature Horse
  • 301 – Yearling
  • 280 – Weanling
  • 299 – Pony

Of course, other factors like height and body type can affect the accuracy of the weight measurement. We recommend consulting with your veterinarian before changing your horse’s feed program or making other weight-related decisions.

At Blain’s Farm & Fleet, we understand that you want only the best for your horses. That’s why we offer horse feed from trusted brands like Agrimaster and Nutrena to help nourish and nurture your horse. For more tips on horse care and selecting the right horse feed, visit our Hobby Farming blog.