Horse Weight Calculator

Calculate your horse's estimated and ideal weight using body measurements

1 Horse Type

Arabian Pony Stock Horse

A: Height B: Neck Circumference C: Girth Circumference D: Body Length

2 Horse's Measurements

Height (A):

Measure from the ground to the top of the withers (the highest point of the back)

Neck Circumference (B):

Measure halfway between the poll and withers

Girth Circumference (C):

Measure around the barrel at the base of the mane hairs

Body Length (D):

Measure from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock

About the Calculation

Estimated Weight Formula:

        EBW = [girth1.486 × length0.554 × height0.599 × neck0.173] / divisor
      

Ideal Weight Formula:

        IBW = 2.8 × length + 4.2 × height - subtrahend
      

These formulas are based on 2014 research by K.L. Martinson et al. studying 629 horses and ponies.

Note: This calculator provides an estimate only. For precise weight measurements, use a livestock scale or consult your veterinarian.

How to Take Accurate Measurements

Height (A): Measure from the ground to the highest point of the withers (where the neck meets the back). For accuracy, the horse should be standing on level ground.
Neck Circumference (B): Measure around the neck halfway between the poll (between the ears) and the withers.
Girth Circumference (C): Measure around the barrel just behind the elbow and at the base of the mane hairs. This is typically the widest part of the barrel.
Body Length (D): Measure from the point of the shoulder (where the neck meets the chest) to the point of the buttock in a straight line. This should be a perpendicular line to the point of the buttock.

Welcome to RevisionTown’s horse weight calculator where we’ll try to estimate the Arabian, stock horse, or pony weight, together with the ideal one. Scientific journals have multiple articles on the topic, each trying to perfect the formula and get the best result possible. Nevertheless, remember that horses greatly differ between species and breeds, so all we can hope for here is an estimate and not a flawless result. Still, it’s amazing how accurately we can estimate the average horse weight with the right mathematical and statistical tools.

So, how heavy is a horse, exactly?

How heavy is a horse?

Obviously, it depends on the breed. Clearly, Arabians are, in general, heavier than ponies or miniature horses since (surprise, surprise) they are a bit larger.

Still, even horses that are similar in size can differ in weight. Breeds can have a different distribution of fat in their bodies, which translates to different measurements. For instance, Arabians are, in general, rather lean, so the average horse weight in their case is around 1,000 lbs (or around 450 kg), while their average horse height is 60 in (or 150 cm). For comparison, a Shire horse (no, not the Shire from The Lord of the Rings) can be twice as heavy and even taller, with their average horse height being almost 70 in (or 180 cm).

What we wish to say here is the following:

🔎 RevisionTown’s horse weight calculator gives an estimate. In other words, the actual weight strongly depends on the breed, age, etc. Consult your vet for more precise information. 🐎

That being said, there has been extensive study on how to estimate a horse’s weight. Scientists are continuously working on perfecting the formulas, and our tool uses a quite recent one.

Make sure to check if your buddy is somewhere around the average horse weight.

Do you need any other horse tools? You may want to try our mare gestation calculator.

Ways to estimate the horse or pony weight

Usual horse weight formulas use three measurements: height, length, and girth circumference. In a study from 2014, K. L. Martinson et al. suggested adding a fourth one: neck circumference. Then, based on a study of 629 horses and ponies that were:

Not pregnant;
3 years or older; and
Measured at least 112 cm in height,

they developed a formula that estimated their weight. It reads:

⁣ E B W = \frac{{girth}^{1.486} \cdot {length}^{0.554} \cdot {height}^{0.599} \cdot {neck}^{0.173}}{div}

where:

$girth, length, height, and neck are all expressed in centimetres;$
$EBD is the estimated body weight in kilograms ;and$
$div is a divisor equal to 3,596, 3,606, and 3,441 for Arabians, ponies, and stock horses, respectively.$

Additionally, the study dealt with the so-called body condition scoring (or BCS for short): an objective scoring system to evaluate the amount of fat on a horse’s body. After all, “How heavy is a horse?” is as important a question as “How much should a horse weigh?” And what’s the answer to the second?

Ideal horse/pony weight

In the above section’s formula, the girth and neck circumferences are the only numbers that distinguish underweight and overweight horses, while the height and length are constant. Therefore, it’s the latter two that we should use to determine the ideal horse weight, and, indeed, K. L. Martinson et al. do just that:

I B W = 2.8 \cdot length + 4.2 \cdot height - sub

where,

$IBWis the ideal body weight inkilograms; and$
$subis a subtrahend equal to611,606, and577for Arabians, ponies, and stock horses, respectively.$

Alright, let us now put the formulas to the test! We’ll explain how to use RevisionTown’s horse weight calculator on a nice example and see what we get.

Example: using the horse weight calculator

Let’s find out what the tool says for an equine with more or less the average horse weight and height. For that, we need the four measurements given in the calculator and described in the picture at the top. However, to be on the safe side, let’s say a few words about measuring each:

Height (A) — From the ground to the third thoracic vertebra.
Neck circumference (B) — Halfway between the poll and withers.
Girth circumference (C) — At the base of the mane hairs.
Body length (D) — From the point of the shoulder along a line perpendicular to the point of the buttock.

(Note, how it’s enough to input only the first and last values to compute the ideal body weight, while the estimated one requires all four.)

Recall that the formulas from the above section were done in centimeters. Nevertheless, our imperial friends out there can have inches and pounds in the horse weight calculator – the tool will convert them and display the result whichever way the user wishes.

Suppose that our horse has the following measurements:

height = 58 in;

neck circumference = 36 in;

girth circumference = 70 in; and

body length = 58 in.

Once we give input the numbers, the horse weight calculator will tell us that

estimated weight = 933.6 lbs; and

ideal weight = 926.5 lbs.

Only seven pounds difference? Seems like our horse is doing just fine! Regardless of their weight, horses need exercise. With the round pen calculator, you’ll find out the number of panels required to build your horse a perfect pen.

A horse will always have your back.

FAQs

How much does a horse weigh?

It depends. Different breeds not only differ in size but also in the distribution of fat in their bodies. For instance, Arabians usually weigh around 1,000 lbs (or 450 kg), while some of the heaviest breeds like the Shire horse can reach twice that.

How much does my horse weigh?

To estimate your horse’s weight, you need to:

Measure its height.
Measure its neck circumference.
Measure its girth circumference.
Measure its body length.
If needed, convert the above to centimeters.
Use the formula:
EBW = [girth^1.486 × length^0.554 × height^0.599 × neck^0.173] / div, where:
- div = 3,596 for Arabians;
- div = 3,606 for ponies; and
- div = 3,441 for stock horses.
EBW is the horse’s estimated body weight in kilograms.

How much does a pony weigh?

It depends. Obviously, breeds differ in size, but they may also have a different distribution of fat in their bodies. For example, Shetland ponies weigh over 400 lbs (or 180 kg), while quarter ponies can reach twice that.

How do I make my horse lose weight?

It’d be best to consult your vet for advice, but in general, you can try to:

Increase the amount of exercise;
Reduce high-calorie concentrates;
Reduce high-fat supplements;
Feed them grass or hay instead of legumes; or
Limit the time the horse spends out at pasture.

How do I help my horse gain weight?

It’d be best to consult your vet for advice, but in general, you can try to:

Check if it isn’t an underlying health problem;
Increase the amount of hay;
Introduce alfalfa to their diet;
Try performance feed products;
Introduce high-fat supplements; or
Allow them 24/7 access to the pasture.