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Horse weight calculator: estimate weight with a tape measure
No horse scales nearby? With a tape measure and two measurements, you can estimate your horse's weight quite accurately. The calculator uses the formula from a study in which horses were measured and weighed and shows you how much hay your horse needs at least per day.
Estimated weight
That's an estimate. In the study by Carroll and Huntington, weight was very closely related to chest circumference and length. For pregnant mares and for horses with very unusual conformations, the formula is less accurate, according to the University of Arkansas. The scale is the most accurate. The amount of hay is a lower limit; you will clarify your horse's needs with the stable, veterinary practice or feeding advice.
Your horse on the wall
Measured, weighed, loved: If you don't just want to capture your horse in numbers, turn your favorite photo into a portrait.
View horse portraitsHow to measure correctly
- Stand your horse on level ground, as straight as possible on all four legs. It's best to have someone hold it instead of tying it.
- Use a plastic measuring tape. It is more suitable than one made of fabric, a metal band can injure the horse.
- Chest circumference: Place the band once around the torso, over the highest part of the withers. A second person on the other side helps.
- Torso length: Measure from the bow joint horizontally along the body to the ischial tuberosity. The Bavarian State Agricultural Institute sets the starting point at the transition from the throttle channel to the bow joint and cites body length as a common source of error.
- If you want to compare weight over weeks, always measure at the same time of day, ideally in the morning before feeding.
The formula
Weight in kg ≈ chest circumference in cm × chest circumference in cm × torso length in cm ÷ 11,900
The value 11,900 was published by C. L. Carroll and P. J. Huntington in the Equine Veterinary Journal in 1988. They weighed 372 horses of different breeds, sizes and shapes and measured chest circumference and length on 281 of them. The average value of 11,900 provided a more accurate estimate of weight than some previously published values. The Gruber table of the Bavarian State Institute for Agriculture calculates with the same value.
An example: 185 cm chest circumference and 160 cm torso length result in 185 × 185 × 160 ÷ 11,900, i.e. around 460 kg.
What weight brings you in everyday life
Especially when feeding. The Gruber table gives the lower limit of 1.5 kg of dry matter from roughage per 100 kg of body weight per day; for hay this is at least 1.7 kg per 100 kg. A horse weighing 460 kg needs at least around 7.8 kg of hay per day. If you measure regularly, you will also notice early on if a horse is gaining or losing weight.
Stock height and bangs
The height of your horse is the height at the withers. In official pony measurements according to the rules of the World Equestrian Federation FEI, a pony may be a maximum of 148 cm tall without shoes and 149 cm with shoes. This is what it says in the FAQ of the German Equestrian Association (FN) about pony measuring. The measurements are taken by two veterinarians, the pony stands still and puts equal weight on all four legs.
You also need the height at the withers for the box: According to the guidelines for assessing horse keeping from an animal welfare perspective, a single box should be at least (2 × height at the withers)² in size. For a horse measuring 1.60 m, that's around 10.2 m².
You can calculate the total cost of a horse using the horse cost calculator. The horse age calculator shows which phase of life your horse is in, and whether carrots, apples or bread are allowed can be found in What are horses allowed to eat?.
Frequently asked questions about horse weight
How can I weigh my horse without a scale?
With a tape measure: chest circumference times chest circumference times torso length, all in cm, divided by 11,900. This formula goes back to Carroll and Huntington (1988) and is also in the Gruber table of the Bavarian State Institute for Agriculture.
How accurate is the tape measure method?
In the original study, the formula explained around 90 percent of the weight differences between horses. According to the University of Arkansas, it is less reliable for pregnant mares and horses with very unusual conformations. Only the scale is more accurate.
How much hay does a horse need per day?
The Gruber table states at least 1.7 kg of hay per 100 kg of body weight per day. A horse weighing 500 kg needs at least 8.5 kg of hay.
Up to how many cm is a horse a pony?
For official measurements according to FEI rules, a pony with a height of up to 148 cm without irons, with irons up to 149 cm is considered. This is what the FN writes in its FAQ about pony measuring.
Where do you measure the chest circumference of a horse?
Once around the body, over the highest point of the withers. The band lies smoothly and the horse stands as straight as possible.
Sources, accessed on November 5th, 2026: Carroll CL, Huntington PJ, Body condition scoring and weight estimation of horses, Equine Veterinary Journal 1988; 20(1): 41 to 45 (formula with the value 11,900, abstract at PubMed). Bavarian State Institute for Agriculture, Gruber table for horse feeding, 9th edition, January 2024 (formula, measuring points for body length, amount of roughage and hay per 100 kg). Mark Russell, Estimating a Horse’s Body Weight, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. German Equestrian Association (FN), FAQ about the FEI pony meal, as of 2026 (pony limit 148 cm). Guidelines for assessing horse keeping from an animal welfare perspective, overview of dimensions, June 2009 (box size).