Body Condition Scoring

What would you score her at? She was used as a breed mare before I got her and left in a 20x20 pen and taken out only to be breed (back to back for 3 years) The vet thinks she is 6yers and currently in a 32x64 pen and taken out daily to run in an areana at her will. I have been feeding her so when I get there the following day she has "leftovers, I have added 2 1/2 cups grain, 1 cup alfalfa pellets and 2 1/2 cups shredded beetpulp will be adding more as she gets used to it.

Id say she's a 2 1/2 on the body sore chart could be worse she's pretty hairy so that might be hidding what she really looks like.But I do see ribs, hips and back bone through the hair.

Id call that a 3. Clearly thin but has some meat there still. Hard to tell with all the hair tho. Gotta get your hands on them to really know


3. Thin
Fat buildup about halfway on spinous processes; transverse processes cannot be felt; slight fat cover over ribs; spinous processes and ribs easily discernable; tailhead prominent, but individual vertebrae cannot be identified visually; tuber coxae (hip joints), appear rounded but easily discernable;
Tuber ischia (lower pelvic bones) not distinguishable; withers, shoulders and neck accentuated.

Trinity I think the hair is deciving you. If she had no winter coat I would honestly be surprised if she scored a 2.5/3. She is extremely skinny.

How much and what type of hay are you feeding her? Honestly free choice of quality hay goes a long, long way to put weight back on.

Did the vet worm her? Or check for pregnancy?

How much hay and pasture does she have access to per day? She's very thin IMO. Give her at least double the hay she's on and allow her to graze at will. That will help.

I don't think so. Look at her butt, the shape and the points. There is meat there. About half what there should be but meat. Same with the shoulder. Topline sucks but the neck and butt could be alot worse. The score is an average of the parts, not just the lowest. Her topline is the worst score it appears but the neck shoulder and butt don't look as bad. I could certainly be wrong and there is no doubt the horse is thin and needs groceries no matter the point or not.

I think alot of folks see an obviously thin horse and think the score is lower than it is because it is clearly thin. I have seen 1s and 2s in real life. They are far far worse than this and no picture hides it. A true 1 is on deaths door and skin over bone. A 2 is not far behind that. This horse looks better than a 2 or 2.5 to me even considering the hair. JMO based on these pictures.