Condition - Neck - Withers - Back & Loin - Ribs - Hind Quarters

0 Very thin - bone structure easily felt- no muscle shelf where neck meets shoulder bone structure easily felt 3 points of vertebrae easily felt (see Figure 2) each rib can be easily felt tailhead and hip bones projecting
1 Thin - can feel bone structure- slight shelf where neck meets shoulder can feel bone structure spinous process can be easily felt
- transverse processes have slight fat covering slight fat covering, but can still be felt can feel hip bones
2 Fair fat - covering over bone structure fat deposits over withers dependent on conformation fat over spinous processes can't see ribs, but ribs can still be felt hip bones covered with fat
3 Good - neck flows smoothly into shoulder neck rounds out withers back is level layer of fat over ribs can't feel hip bones
4 Fat fat - deposited along neck fat padded around withers positive crease along back fat spongy over and between ribs can't feel hip bones
5 Very fat - bulging fat bulging fat deep positive crease pockets of fat pockets of fat

As a guide to learning the scoring system and interpreting the results, examples of "typical" condition scores are listed below. There will be a range of condition within each score so it is sometimes convenient to assign +'s and -'s or half point scores as in 2.5 or 3.5.

	Score 0 Emaciated - with sunken rump and deep cavity under tail, skin tight over ribs; e.g., severely debilitated older horses with abnormal teeth occlusion, starvation.
	Score 1.0 Poor - very thin with prominent pelvis and croup, ribs visible
	Score 2.0 Moderate - thin with flat rump, croup well defined, some fat; e.g., mare that has been severely dragged down by milking while on poor pasture.
	Score 2.5 - e.g., racing condition or endurance horse.
	Score 3.0 Good - ribs and pelvis covered with fat and rounded; e.g., a halter horse in prime show condition.
	Score 3.5 - e.g., mature mare in mid-gestation.
	Score 4.0 Fat - fat covering ribs and pelvis requiring firm pressure to feel; e.g., an easy-keeping, mature horse on pasture with little or no work.
	Score 5.0 Very Fat - severe over condition with ribs and pelvis that cannot be felt, deep gutter in back; e.g., a fat pony prone to founder (laminitis).