Henneke Body Condition Score Sheet

Unsure what body condition score your horse is???
Use this sheet to individually score 6 areas on your horse so you can objectively remove your emotion to your own horse away from the score sheet.
I have more information regarding each area written below.

Neck Score  (Adapted from Cresty neck score 0-5)

*Please note that heavy breed horses have a naturally thick and muscular neck which is different from a fatty neck.

Score 1to3:   No crest or fat present, neck slightly dips down or is accentuated.  1= bone structure easily seen.  2= bone structure faintly seen.  3=   Bone structure not seen

Score 4:  Neck obviously not thin.  No crest visible.

Score 5: Slight layer of fat is palpable but crest is still not visible 

Score 6: Crest is visible and a layer of fat is depositing equally along the neck, crest can be grabbed and moved from side to side 

Score 7: Middle of the neck is accumulating majority of fat, giving a mounded appearance, harder to move the crest side to side 

Score 8: Crest is thicker and more dense, no longer flexible and moveable, wrinkles may be apparent perpendicular to crest 

Score 9: Crest is very large and mounds up in a peak confirmation, will permanently droops to one side

Withers

Score 1: Wither is very noticeable and protruding out significantly

Score 2: The wither bone is still protruding

Score 3: Bone is faintly visible with slight fat deposition on each side of the wither bone Score 4: Enough fat is visible that the wither is no longer protruding prominently

Score 5: Wither is rounded and blends smoothly into the body

Score 6: Wither bone is slightly hidden under a layer of palpable fat

Score 7: Greater fat deposition along withers and fat feels spongy

Score 8: Area along and over withers is completely covered with fat and feels soft and spongy

Score 9: Fat is now bulging along withers

Shoulder

Score 1: Bone is very noticeable and is protruding out

Score 2: Bones are noticeable, no fat seen or felt

Score 3: Bones faintly noticeable, some fat can be felt but not obviously seen

Score 4: Minimal fat deposit around shoulder

Score 5: Shoulder covered in a thin layer of fat and blends smoothly into the body, no clear distinction of shoulder bones

Score 6: Pocket of fat beginning to accumulate between shoulder and ribs

Score 7: Pocket of fat between shoulder and ribs is palpable and is beginning to feel spongy

Score 8: Larger pocket of fat between shoulder and ribs, feels very soft and spongy Score 9: Bulging fat is significant enough to grab and jiggle

Ribs

Score 1: Ribs project out prominently and we can visually count each rib

Score 2: Ribs are slightly rounded and are easily visible, each rib can be felt

Score 3: Slight fat over a few ribs but all are still visible

Score 4: Very faint outline of ribs visually

Score 5: Ribs are not visible but can still be easily felt

Score 6: Thin layer of fat over ribs, ribs can be felt with light pressure

Score 7: Individual ribs can be felt with pressure but noticeable fat filling between ribs Score 8: Excessive pressure is required to feel ribs, fat accumulating over and between the ribs

Score 9: Pockets of fat appear over and between the ribcage, can no longer feel the ribs

Back 

Score 1: Spine is projecting out prominently with no fat present, skin is also sunken on both sides

Score 2: Skin is protruding out but there is slight fat covering both sides

Score 3: Fat buildup halfway on spine is visible but not palpable

Score 4: Fat can be felt on the spine but slight bony ridge is still visible

Score 5: Back is now level and flat with no bone protruding out

Score 6: Horse may have slight fat accumulation along the spine but still relatively flat Score 7: Noticeable fat accumulation along and on top of spine that feels soft

Score 8: Extensive fat deposits causing a bulge above the spine

Score 9: Back is broad with obvious fat deposits on both sides that rise above the spine

Tailhead AREA

*Assess your horses tailhead by standing from behind

Score 1: Hip and pelvic bones are sharp and projecting out, rump is sunken, deep cavity under tail

Score 2: Bones are slightly covered in fat and less prominent, outline of hind area dips inwards on both sides

Score 3: Tailhead is prominent but individual vertebrae are not visible, hip bones are easily detectable but less sharp

Score 4: Hip bones are not visible, palpable fat is present

Score 5: Hips are level and rounded, fat around tailhead feels spongy

Score 6: Hips are level but greater fat deposition on both sides

Score 7: Cannot feel hip bones, tailhead has a rounder shape

Score 8: Fat feels very soft and spongy, rump has an apple shape

Score 9: Significant amount of fat bulging, fat deposition along inner thighs

Heres a link to a page which has photos of the scores.  its VERY HELPFUL.

https://www.gerlltd.org/Education/Equine%20Body%20Condition%20Score%20Presentation.pdf