How to Use a Measuring Tape to Weigh a Horse

Horse owners need to monitor their horse's weight for signs of illness. This can be a little tricky, since equine companions cannot exactly step on a bathroom scale. Since few horse owners have access to a livestock scale, a bit of improvising is necessary to find an accurate weight measurement. Fortunately, horse owners can estimate the weight of their animals with a tape measure and a calculator. Once a baseline weight is determined, changes in the horse's condition can be reported to a vet.

Things You'll Need

  • Soft tape measure
  • Calculator
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find a soft tape measure like the kind used by tailors, and purchase the largest available. You'll need a tape measure that can go around the horse's girth.

    • 2

      Lay the tape measure over the horse's back, positioning it just behind his withers. Reach under your horse to grasp the end of the tape.

    • 3

      Place the tape so that it sits over the girth groove. This is the spot just behind the horse's front legs where the girth of the saddle normally goes. Write down the reading from the tape.

    • 4

      Ask a friend to hold the end of the tape at the point of the horse's shoulder. Extend the tape to the point of the horse's buttocks and take a reading.

    • 5

      Use the formula "[Girth x girth x length] / 330 = Weight" to estimate the weight of your horse. For instance, if your horse's girth measurement is 80 inches and his length measurement is 45 inches, his approximate weight would be 872 pounds. That's 80 inches x 80 inches x 45 inches, divided by 330 = 872 pounds.