Table 3.

Body condition scoring performed as part of horse physical health assessment. Fat deposits on the neck, withers, back and loin, ribs and hind quarters were assessed by palpation according to Wright et al. (1998)

Score	Description	Area	Assessment
0	Very thin/emaciated	Neck	Bone structure easily felt- no muscle shelf where neck meets shoulder
		Withers	Bone structure easily felt
		Back and loin	Vertebrae points easily felt
		Ribs	Each rib easily felt
		Hindquarters	Tail-head and hip bones projecting, sunken rump, deep cavity under tail
1	Thin/poor	Neck	Bone structure can be felt, slight shelf where neck meets shoulder
		Withers	Bone structure can be felt
		Back and loin	Spinous process easily felt - transverse processes have slight fat covering
		Ribs	Slight fat covering, but ribs can still be felt, ribs visible
		Hindquarters	Hip bones can be felt, prominent pelvis
2	Fair/moderate	Neck	Fat covering over bone structure
		Withers	Fat deposits over withers, depending on conformation
		Back and loin	Fat over spinous processes
		Ribs	Ribs not visible, but can still be felt
		Hindquarters	Hip bones covered with fat,
2.5			e.g. racing condition or endurance horse
3	Good	Neck	Neck flows smoothly into shoulders
		Withers	Neck rounds out withers
		Back and loin	Back is level
		Ribs	Layer of fat over ribs
		Hindquarters	Hip bones cannot be felt, covered in fat and rounded,
3.5			e.g. mature mare mid-gestation
4	Fat	Neck	Fat deposited along neck
		Withers	Fat padded around withers
		Back and loin	Positive crease along back
		Ribs	Fat spongy over and between ribs, requires firm pressure to be felt
		Hindquarters	Hip bones cannot be felt
5	Very fat	Neck	Bulging fat
		Withers	Bulging fat
		Back and loin	Deep positive crease
		Ribs	Pockets of fat, ribs cannot be felt
		Hindquarters	Pockets of fat, bones cannot be felt