Horse weight loss calculator
How much hay, how fast, how long? Enter your horse’s weight and goal – we calculate a careful plan with a lower limit.
How much does your horse weigh today?
A scale is best. Without one, estimate with a tape and measure the same way every week.
Every plan is a starting point – the scale or tape decides.
The short answer
A horse should lose 0.5–1% of its body weight per week (ECEIM consensus 2019, Merck Veterinary Manual). Feed hay at 1.5% of current body weight as dry matter and no grain; go below 1.25% only with your vet. A 1,230 lb horse gets about 21.5 lb of hay a day, never less than 17.9 lb; the pace equals about 6–12 lb a week.
Hay for weight loss by weight
| Weight today | Hay per day | Lower limit | Loss per week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 700 lb | 12.2 lb (5.5 kg) | 10.2 lb (4.6 kg) | 3.5–7.0 lb |
| 900 lb | 15.7 lb (7.1 kg) | 13.1 lb (5.9 kg) | 4.5–9.0 lb |
| 1,100 lb | 19.2 lb (8.7 kg) | 16.0 lb (7.3 kg) | 5.5–11.0 lb |
| 1,300 lb | 22.7 lb (10.3 kg) | 18.9 lb (8.6 kg) | 6.5–13.0 lb |
| 1,500 lb | 26.2 lb (11.9 kg) | 21.8 lb (9.9 kg) | 7.5–15.0 lb |
Hay at 1.5% (lower limit 1.25%) of today’s weight as dry matter, hay with 86% dry matter. Pace 0.5–1% a week.
Questions
How fast can a horse lose weight?
About 0.5–1% of body weight per week (ECEIM consensus 2019, Merck). For a 1,230 lb horse that’s about 6–12 lb a week.
How much hay should an overweight horse get?
Hay at 1.5% of its current weight as dry matter – based on today’s weight, not the goal (Merck). Below 1.25% only with your vet.
Why not just feed much less?
Too little feed can trigger hyperlipemia, a dangerous fat metabolism disorder. It’s most common in ponies, miniature horses and donkeys (Merck). Fasting for more than 24 hours is especially risky for ponies and draft horses.
How do I know my horse is overweight?
With the Henneke body condition score (1–9): 4–6 is good, 7 and up is overweight, 8–9 obese (Merck).
What else helps besides less hay?
No grain, a slow-feed hay net for longer eating times and straw as part of the forage (ECEIM: up to 30%). And weigh or tape every week.
Related
- Horse weight calculatorNo livestock scale nearby? Measure heart girth and body length with a tape – we estimate how much your horse weighs.
- 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.
Sources (4)
- Durham AE et al. (2019): ECEIM consensus statement on equine metabolic syndrome. J Vet Intern Med 33:335–349
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional Requirements of Horses (adapted from NRC 2007)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Hyperlipemia and Hepatic Lipidosis in Large Animals
- LfL Bayern: Gruber Tabelle zur Fütterung der Pferde, 9. Auflage 2024 (nach GfE 1994 und 2014)