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

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Mar 16, 2022
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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!
 
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...
 
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!!
 
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#.
 

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