Score Your Mare
September 18, 2008
Rate your mare’s girlish figure.
This condition scoring system will help you determine if your mare is in optimum breeding condition.
Moderately fleshy to fat mares cycle earlier in the year, have fewer cycles per conception, a higher pregnancy rate and maintain pregnancy more easily than thin mares.
A condition score of 5 or less in lactating mares means they don’t have enough stored fat to support reproduction. Mares in marginal or poor condition are less likely to breed successfully.
Considering artificial insemination? Get the facts with AQHA’s “Artificial Insemination with Cooled Transported Semen” DVD.
The scores are:
- Poor. The backbone, ribs, tailhead and the bony protrusions of the pelvic girdle (hooks and pins) stand out. The bones of the withers, shoulders and neck are noticeable. No fat can be felt anywhere.
- Very thin. The backbone, ribs, tailhead and pelvic bones stand out. The bones of the withers, shoulders and neck are noticeable.
- Thin. The backbone stands out, but fat covers it to midpoint. Fat can be felt over the ribs. The backbone and ribs are noticeable. The tailhead is prominent. Individual vertebrae cannot be seen. Hook bones are visible but appear rounded. Pin bones cannot be seen. The withers, shoulders and neck are accentuated.
- Moderately thin. The horse has a crease along its back and the outline of the ribs can be seen. Fat can be felt around the tailhead. The hookbones cannot be seen. The withers, neck and shou lders do not look thin.
- Moderate. The back is level. Ribs can be felt, but not seen. Fat around the tailhead feels spongy. The withers look rounded, and the shoulder and neck blend smoothly into the body.
- Moderate to fleshy. A slight crease down the back might be visible. Fat around the tailhead and over the ribs feels soft. There are small fat deposits along the sides of the withers and neck and behind the shoulders.
- Fleshy. There might be a crease down the back. Individual ribs can be felt, but there is noticeable fat between the ribs. Fat around the tailhead is soft. Fat is noticeable in the withers, neck and behind the shoulders.
- Fat. There is a crease down the back. Ribs are difficult to feel. The area along the withers is filled with fat, and fat around the tailhead feels very soft. The space behind the shoulders is filled in and some fat is deposited along the inner buttocks.
- Extremely fat. Obvious crease down the back. Fat appears in patches over the ribs and there is bulging fat around the tailhead, withers, shoulders and neck. Fat along the inner buttocks causes the buttocks to rub together, and the flank is filled in.
Mare and stallion owners alike will benefit from owning AQHA’s “Artificial Insemination with Cooled Transported Semen” DVD. This DVD offers a step-by-step look at the procedures and equipment needed to have a successful breeding program utilizing cooled, transported semen. Topics include instructions on semen dilution and transportation.
Comments
15 Comments on “Score Your Mare”
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September 19th, 2008 at 11:42 am
How would you rate the horse pictured? It would be very helpful to see pictures of 9 horses and how you scored them according to your rating system.
I appreciate that you have taken time to point out this important aspect of keeping your horse healthy.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:47 pm
I agree with Dawna –how would you rate the mare shown? against other mares? Thank you
September 24th, 2008 at 1:01 am
It can be hard to tell on a photo like that. I would love to see a good chart like this put with photos of horses from either level. Photos that show the horse from the side, front and back.
September 24th, 2008 at 1:03 am
Sorry I meant photos of horses from EACH level/score.
September 24th, 2008 at 7:19 am
I have a mare that dropped weight a couple months ago and so I weaned her colt off her. She has always gotten a good grain mixture twice daily plus hay, I have wormed her twice in the last two months and she just won’t put weight on. Anyone have any suggestions, I didn’t breed her back this year. Thank you!
September 24th, 2008 at 9:50 am
The palomino in the picture is probably a 5 or a 6. Would have to put your hands on her to tell for sure.
Brenda, have your mare checked out by a vet to rule out any health issues. Check her teeth also, but you may just end up having to increase her feed intake. Letting her take a break from having babies will help a lot. Lactating mares need a lot of calories to support a foal.
September 25th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
I think the first thing I would do is have the mares’ teeth checked: if they are O.K. then perhaps she needs thyroid pills, only a Vet can take the necessary tests for this. Maybe your hay was of poorer quality with a lower protein content? Many “poor doers” need to have access to a good grass hay 24/7. If the mare did well before, then perhaps it is just a ” feed quality” issue. Not breeding her back was an excellent move. Sometimes they just need a rest. I have a 23 year old mare that I bred at age 3; she produced her first foal as a 4 year old. She has presented me with 15 happy, healthy foals. Her last foal was huge, a filly born in 2006, weighing 115 lbs., and she had a few foaling problems, – I had to call a vet- so I retired her. She is now a “lesson horse”, for folks who want to ride but have no idea how. She only missed having a foal 1 year, and never lost any weight over it.
September 25th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
I have raised quarter horses for many years, and my mares are always “fleshy” . All of them always caught every year – I pasture breed. When a mare loses weight I look into it immediately, but my mares have always been able to be out on good pasture in the summer months. I only feed hay in the winter, from November until May. Most of my problem mares have had bad teeth.
September 30th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Thank you for the input on my mare. There were no health issues, I separated her and put her in a grassy pen by herself. I think she was getting booted out of her feed by my gelding who has gotten a little overweight. He is on a diet and exercise program and she seems to be doing better already. Thanks and God bless!
October 7th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
I liked the information and its nice to know my horse is moderate and not skinny thanks a bunch
October 8th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
My horse is unweight around 50-70 pounds. She was getting pasture (8-9 hours) and hay at night and grain twice daily. Though you can see her ribs, the vet said he rather see her ribs than not be able to feel them, it’s just not healthy for them to be that fat.
I have had two vet checks and they both have done a full physical, checked her teeth (she’s five), did blood work and checked for parasites. The good news is that all areas earned an A+ and they were pleased with what I was feeding her and didn’t suggest that I add more or take out anything from her diet. My mare is a mover and a bit nervous. She is home now and has total run of the paddock for 24/7. She loves it. She has a lot of energy and is a nervous horse/and inexperienced at many levels. We are now testing her out for ulcers. We are putting her on medicine to see if it helps.
Has anyone experience weight loss due to ulcers and what have you tried? My mare is a picky eater and the things like yogurt were just one thing I tried to help with the ulcer and she snubbed it. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.
October 8th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
My bay has a saddle sore on her back. Does anyone know what I could you to cover that up for halter class?
September 3rd, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Hi Tara,
You stated that your mare is nervous and full of energy. Are you feeding her a diet of oats and corn with molasses? If so, you might want to put her on a 12% pellet, like triumph from Nutrena feeds. It will give her the proper weight she needs without all the sugar. You will see a big difference in about a week and she will appreciate it as well. I breed and train cutting horses for a living and found that a light performance feed works better than all that sugar. Good Luck.
September 3rd, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Tara, for that saddle sore, try udder cream, it works wonders.
March 17th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
I also have a nervous,but FRANTIC 6yr mare.(I just bought her and she cam to me after beeing at the trainer for 1yr 1/2. And its not her food she is on safechoice*(only 2 1/2 pounds a day,)Alfalfa/grass hay and SmartPak* DailyOmegaPlus(suppose to calm her down),and I’d like to turn her out but she freeks out if I do! I can tie her anywaywhere and she is fine ,stall(loves it)Hand walk most ly ok as long as its not a new place,cross-ties fine,wash-rack,tree what ever! she is calm! but turn her out in the arena,grass turn-out,round-pen.She go’s nuts and runs constantly till she is dripping wet(scared to death!!)!.If I stand where she can see me she is a little better,but still frantic! To ride her,I have to get her to the point she is dripping wet in the round-pen or lunge,then ride.but she is still, So hot I’m afraid she is going to get ulsers! Is there anything I can do or give her? that will calm her down? She comes to me from a world renoun trainer,and I’m at a loss what could have happend? Had horses all my life never seen one that didn’t like to be turn’d out!anyidea’s?