What's the healthy range a 36" mini should weigh?

[Girlwholovesherhorses]

Hi there! My little guy looks a bit chunky. He measures 9 hands, 36" and the weight tape says 270lbs. But he looks ROUND. I can a bit feel his ribs. Wondering if he's obese and what weight he should be?

In contrast, my other little one measures 8.3 hands, 33" and 245lbs.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Abby P]

This seems reasonable for his size but a lot depends on the horse's build/body style. Some are very substantial and others are more fine-boned and that can have a big influence on weight. If you can feel ribs then you're probably OK, unless he has a crest or fat pads on his butt and along his ribs. Weight tapes are not that accurate for minis when used in the traditional way, there was a post recently that had some links to calculators that might be more accurate, or just Google "horse weight calculator" and a bunch pop up. You'll need the heart girth measurement plus the body length. By the calculator, my 37" guy is right at 300lbs, he is fairly substantially built, and I can feel back ribs easily but the front ones are a little more buried.

There are also other reasons for round bellies besides being overweight - he could just be well-sprung, could be a hay belly, worms, lack of muscle, etc.

Also right now, I see you are in MA, we have had a major fluff-up in the last two weeks! So it could be at least partly hair...

 

[Girlwholovesherhorses]

This seems reasonable for his size but a lot depends on the horse's build/body style. Some are very substantial and others are more fine-boned and that can have a big influence on weight. If you can feel ribs then you're probably OK, unless he has a crest or fat pads on his butt and along his ribs. Weight tapes are not that accurate for minis when used in the traditional way, there was a post recently that had some links to calculators that might be more accurate, or just Google "horse weight calculator" and a bunch pop up. You'll need the heart girth measurement plus the body length. By the calculator, my 37" guy is right at 300lbs, he is fairly substantially built, and I can feel back ribs easily but the front ones are a little more buried.

There are also other reasons for round bellies besides being overweight - he could just be well-sprung, could be a hay belly, worms, lack of muscle, etc.

Also right now, I see you are in MA, we have had a major fluff-up in the last two weeks! So it could be at least partly hair...

Thank you!!

 

[chandab]

Mine are a bit heavier without being fat. I had a 37" slight build gelding, he had Cushings so was weighed a lot (I have a scale), he was about right at 350#, too fat at 375# and too thin at 325#. My 35" mare runs 300-320#.