Horse weight calculator
No livestock scale nearby? Measure heart girth and body length with a tape – we estimate how much your horse weighs.
- 1 Heart girth: tape around the barrel just behind the withers and elbows.
- 2 Body length: from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock.
Your horse weighs
about 1,110 lb
505 kg
Hay for this weight · Feed for this weight
The formula is usually within ±10%; only a scale is exact. Not for foals, yearlings, minis, donkeys or pregnant mares; less accurate for draft horses.
How we calculate
Weight in pounds = heart girth² × body length ÷ 330, both in inches (University of Arkansas Extension). We calculate in centimeters (÷ 11,900, Carroll & Huntington 1988), which gives the same result within 0.2%. Measure at the same time of day, ideally in the morning before feeding, with your horse standing square on level ground.
The short answer
Weight in pounds ≈ heart girth² × body length ÷ 330, both in inches (University of Arkansas Extension; the metric version, ÷ 11,900 in cm, goes back to Carroll & Huntington 1988). Example: 75 in girth and 65 in length give about 1,110 lb. In studies the formula was usually within ±10% of scale weight.
Horse weight chart by heart girth and body length
Weight from the formula, rounded to 10 lb. Row: heart girth, column: body length.
| Heart girth | 56 in | 60 in | 64 in | 68 in | 72 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 in | 610 lb | 660 lb | 700 lb | 740 lb | 790 lb |
| 64 in | 700 lb | 750 lb | 800 lb | 850 lb | 900 lb |
| 68 in | 790 lb | 840 lb | 900 lb | 950 lb | 1,010 lb |
| 72 in | 880 lb | 940 lb | 1,010 lb | 1,070 lb | 1,130 lb |
| 76 in | 980 lb | 1,050 lb | 1,120 lb | 1,190 lb | 1,260 lb |
| 80 in | 1,090 lb | 1,170 lb | 1,240 lb | 1,320 lb | 1,400 lb |
| 84 in | 1,200 lb | 1,290 lb | 1,370 lb | 1,460 lb | 1,540 lb |
“–” means outside about 220–2,860 lb.
Questions
How do I calculate my horse’s weight?
Measure heart girth and body length in inches. Then: girth × girth × length ÷ 330 = weight in pounds. For 75 in and 65 in that’s about 1,110 lb.
Where do I measure heart girth and body length?
Heart girth just behind the withers and elbows, once around the barrel. Body length from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock. Your horse stands square on level ground.
How accurate is a horse weight tape or formula?
The formula is usually within ±10%. In a Danish study (Jensen 2019) it was off by 21 kg (46 lb) on average in Icelandic horses and 36 kg (79 lb) in warmbloods. Only a scale is exact.
Does it work for ponies and foals?
For adult horses and ponies, yes. Not for foals, yearlings, minis, donkeys or pregnant mares; less accurate for draft horses.
When should I measure?
Always at the same time of day, ideally in the morning before feeding. If your horse should lose weight, measure the same way every week.
Related
- Horse hay calculatorHow much hay does your horse need? Enter its weight – we calculate the daily minimum, the usual range and how many bales you need a year.
- Horse feed calculatorIs hay enough, or does your horse need more? Enter weight, workload and hay – we calculate the daily energy need and what your hay covers.
- Horse weight loss calculatorHow much hay, how fast, how long? Enter your horse’s weight and goal – we calculate a careful plan with a lower limit.
Sources (5)
- LfL Bayern: Gruber Tabelle zur Fütterung der Pferde, 9. Auflage 2024 (nach GfE 1994 und 2014)
- Carroll CL, Huntington PJ (1988): Body condition scoring and weight estimation of horses. Equine Vet J 20:41–45
- Jensen RB et al. (2019): Weight estimation and hormone concentrations related to body condition in Icelandic and Warmblood horses: a field study. Acta Vet Scand 61:63
- University of Arkansas Extension: Estimating a Horse’s Body Weight
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional Requirements of Horses (adapted from NRC 2007)