Equine Health and BCS

• Health check

  Vital for all animals
• Health check

  • Visual and physical parameters
  • Knowing what is normal for that animal is important as it helps to notice early signs of illness/disease, enable early diagnosis, and early treatment
• Signs of good health


  • Bright eyes
  • HR between 28-44 bpm
  • BR = 10-24 breaths
  • Nose and eyes clear of discharge
  • Pink mucous membranes & good capillary refill
  • Temperature between 37-38.5 (horse dependent)
  • Good body posture and overall behaviour
  • Normal eating and drinking behaviours
  • Normal excretions
• Signs of poor health/disease


  Opposite of good health
• Vital signs - TPR


  • Recommended to take TPR for horses in your care
  • Useful to know what horse's normal (when they are healthy)
  • Able to spot illness early
  • Identify individual variation
  • Can be affected by time of day/behaviour, so use TPR with other health assessments
• Routine health management - Foot Care


  1. Regular hoof care; every 4-6 weeks

  2. Trimmed to achieve correct shape/angle

  3. Done by qualified farrier - DipWCF

  4. Can be shod/unshod
• Correct hoof pastern axis (HPA)


  • Straight line at 45o
• Incorrect (broken backwards) hoof pastern axis


  • Not straight line, Less than 45o
• Routine health management - Teeth


  Teeth examined at least every 12 months by a qualified professional: Vet, Equine Dental Technician, British Association or Equine Dental Technicians (BAEDT), Category 2 member of World Wide Association of Equine Dentists (WWAED)
• Routine health management - Vaccination


  1. All equids recommended to receive regular vaccinations

  2. Recorded in passport

  3. Common vaccines: Equine Influenza, Tetanus, Equine Herpes Virus (EHV)

  4. Affiliated competitions or racing, vaccinations should follow governing body requirements
• Equine Influenza


  • Viral disease
  • Affects respiratory system
  • Highly infectious (often not fatal, but debilitating)
• Equine Influenza vaccination

  1. Start vaccination programme from 5 months of age

  2. Primary Course: 3 injections

  3. 1st injection --> 21 – 60 days = 2nd injection --> 120 – 180 days = 3rd injection

  4. Booster: varies according to discipline

  5. FEI: booster vaccinations maximum of 12 months intervals

  6. Must be vaccinated within 6 months +21 days of competition

  7. Cannot compete if vaccinated within 7 days of competition
• Tetanus


  • Clostridium tetani – soil borne bacteria
  • Often fatal
  • Often combined with Equine Influenza
• Tetanus vaccination

  1. Start vaccination programme from 5 months of age (can be earlier if injured)

  2. Primary course: two vaccinations given 4-6weeks apart

  3. Initial booster: 12 months after primary course

  4. Subsequent boosters: every 24 months
• EHV

  Common virus, various strains: EHV1 – neurological issues and abortion, EHV4 – respiratory disease
• EHV vaccination

  1. Start vaccinations from 5 months of age

  2. Primary course boosters (specific pregnancy stages or every 6 months)

  3. Can still be infected when vaccinated
• Hygiene - Quarantine


  1. Quarantine new, returning or ill horses for 2-3 weeks

  2. Stabled or in separate field – different equipment, provide care last

  3. If separation not possible, position in place with least contact

  4. Check for signs of ill health
• Healthy bodyweight

  • More issues relating to excess BW than inadequate BW
  • Public perception = skewed
  • 50%+ horses are overweight (Rendle et al, 2018)
• Reasons to measure or estimate body weight

  • Determine nutrient requirements
  • Energy intake
  • Medication administration
  • Identify any weight related health issues
  • Whether horse is maintaining, losing or gaining weight
• Weigh bridge

  • Gold standard of weight monitoring is a calibrated weigh bridge
  • Only accurate measurement of BW
  • Expensive
  • Most feed companies have a mobile weigh bridge
  • Ideally weigh horses on a weekly basis
• Estimations - Methods of estimating BW


  • BW calculations
  • Wither height/weight tables
  • Weigh tape
• Accuracy of estimations varies considerably due to human variability, horse body shape influences, and influence of surroundings
• BW calculation

  BW (kg) = Girth2 x length (cm) / 11,877
• Weight tables

  • Uses wither height and breed
  • Most inaccurate due to body compositions variation in equids
• Weigh tape

  • Relationship between girth circumference and BW
  • Various tapes on the market
  • Consistent use of same tape required
  • Position: base of withers and close to elbow (slight forward angle)
• Body condition scoring

  • BW is important, but relative weight gain / loss needs to be monitored
  • BCS = determined by assessing the amount of subcutaneous fat stored
  • Subjective assessment
  • Guides management and dietary changes
• Body condition scoring systems

  • Carroll and Huntington (1988) - Scale: 0 (emaciated) – 5 (obese)
  • Henneke System - Scale: 1 (emaciated) – 9 (extremely fat)
• Body condition scoring

  1. Ideally, BCS 1x / month (can be every week)

  2. Only assess from point of shoulder and above (allows BCS to be used on pregnant mares)

  3. Physical palpation of areas, not just visual

  4. Realistic assessment

  5. Combine BW and BCS to monitor and manage weight