Equine Weighbridge East Of England

07/08/2024

𝐁𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠… 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭?

Body Condition Scoring(BCS) or fat scoring is a way of assessing a horse's overall fat covering to help determine whether they are in their healthy weight range. Along with weighing your horse I will also do a Body Condition Score assessment to determine where they are at with their weight and were we should be aiming for.

There are two recognised BCS scales:
⚖️ 𝟎-𝟓 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞
0 being emaciated
3 being ideal
5 being obese

⚖️ 𝟏-𝟗 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞
1 being emaciated
5 being ideal
10 being obese
the 1-9 scale has a few more steps giving a more detailed view however as long as you are consistent in which body condition scale you use it doesn’t really matter which one you choose.

For a Body Condition Assessment to be carried out you need to get hands on, looks can be deceiving so its important to feel for those fat pads
The key areas we are feeling for are:
✅ Neck
✅ Withers
✅ Behind the shoulder
✅ Ribs
✅ Over the lumber / back area
✅ Tailhead and down to the hindquarters

Notice how belly isn't include in the key areas? an enlarged belly is not typically an indicator of fat, instead it could be a 'grassy/hay' belly (those who bloat when eating pasta and bread (like me!) will understand this!), potential sign of worm burden or simply a lack of physical fitness and core strength (notice how when you improve your standing posture; shoulders back, engage your stomach muscles, tilt your pelvis etc. your belly may look or feel flatter, that's what I'm referring to)

Keep an eye out for further posts in the coming weeks on this topic 😉

04/08/2024

I DID IT!!! 😁😁😁
I managed to finally live out my childhood dream of riding on the beach and it was 𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈

Anyone that knows me or heard me chatting about this in the weeks leading up to my holiday will know how super excited I was, but also how sick I felt at the thought as I am a nervous nelly but it really was truly amazing! Already decided I’m doing it again next year 😆

If anyone is heading out Devon way I really recommend booking with Woolacombe Riding Stables for a beautiful ride along Woolacombe beach and exploring the costal paths too

Also… does anyone else have the ability to make horses look like ponies 🤔 the lovely Lilly who looked after me for my ride is 15.3hh but somehow I make her look about 14.2hh 🤷🏻‍♀️

27/07/2024

NORWHICH / SURROUNDING AREAS
SATURDAY 31st AUGUST
Weighbridge appointments available

Appointment includes:
Accurate weighing on the mobile weighbridge
Body Condition Scoring
Height Measurement (if required)
Independent, friendly advice

1 horse - £25
2 horses - £15 per horse
3-4 horses - £12ph
5+ horses - £10ph
15 + horses - Price on request
Discounts apply to those on the same yards.

Message to get booked in

26/07/2024

I am now off on holiday to the (hopefully) sunny Southwest of Devon & Cornwall for a week.

I will be busy riding ponies on the beach which unfortunately means there will be a little delay in replying to your messages while I am away.

Thanks all

26/07/2024

HUNTINGDON / ST NEOTS / SURROUNDING AREAS
SATURDAY 17th AUGUST
Weighbridge appointments available

Appointment includes:
Accurate weighing on the mobile weighbridge
Body Condition Scoring
Height Measurement (if required)
Independent, friendly advice

1 horse - £25
2 horses - £15 per horse
3-4 horses - £12ph
5+ horses - £10ph
15 + horses - Price on request

Discounts apply to those on the same yards.
Message to get booked in

25/07/2024

𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒
Diary is open

Weighbridge appointments
🔹Fri 9th - HUNTINGDON area*
🔹Sat 10th - OPEN DIARY
🔹Sat 17st - HUNTINGDON/ ST NEOTS / CAMBS area*
🔹Sat 24th - SPALDING / HOLBEACH / SUTTON BRIDGE area*
🔹Fri 30th - OPEN DIARY
🔹Sat 31st - NORWHICH area*
* 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎

1 horse - £25
2 horses - £15 per horse
3-4 horses - £12ph
5+ horses - £10ph
15+ horses - Price on request
(Discounts apply to those on the same yard)

𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐓 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒 - Diary also open

𝐏𝐌/𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐀𝐩𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧

24/07/2024

**𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞**

Due to the increasing costs of running a business (fuel, insurances, CPD courses, etc…) I have had to make some small adjustments to my prices.

My new price list is effective from 1st August 2024

🐎 1 horse - £25
🐎 2 horses - £15 per horse
🐎 3-4 horses - £12ph
🐎 5+ horses - £10ph
🐎 15 + horses - Price on request
(Discounts apply to those on the same yards. Travel charges may apply)

If you are already booked in after this date the old price will be honoured, after that new prices will apply.

Thank you for understanding, your continued support and keeping me busy!

23/07/2024

More sunshine and more horses weighed this weekend😍

Advance warning, I will be away Saturday 27th Jul - Sat 3rd Aug, if you are looking to get booked in for Aug/Sept drop me a message

17/07/2024

🛑 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 👀

‘I don’t have any grass’ or ‘there’s no grass in my field to worry about’ but really we need to stop looking at the grass and whether we think it’s growing or not and look at our horses for the answer

The signs you may see from your horses that your grass IS growing:

𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐆𝐚𝐢𝐧 (the most obvious one)
Have you seen an increase in weight or a change in body condition?

𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐲/𝐆𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐲
Is your pony looking a little plump around the belly? Does your dear old gelding suddenly look like a mare that’s ready to drop a foal 😱 maybe your horse sounds like it’s being fueled by rocket power 💨

𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬
A common sign, some horses will be a little more ‘fresh’ when on grass, others may actually be a little more sleepy (think of that feeling of lounging on the sofa after a big ol’ roast dinner on Sunday followed by apple pie and custard which you 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦, 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 didn’t have room for but it would have been rude not too and now just wanting to have a good nap!)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐨 💩
Sloppy poos? Darker coloured? Change in frequency? Can all be signs of grass

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐫𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐲 🤷🏻‍♀️
Are you giving your horse hay or haylage but they just aren’t that interested now or maybe not eating as much as usual? Full bellies of grass is a pretty safe bet!

The grass will grow whether your horses are grazing in that area or not. If you were to section off a bit of your field you’d see how much it would grow in a few weeks; it hasn’t suddenly started growing, but more importantly the growth you do see would have actually already been consumed by your horse.

Remember, always look at your horse for changes!

15/07/2024

Debunking the 20% rider weight rule ⚖️

British Dressage introduced a maximum rider weight for 2023 as part of their code of conduct for equine welfare, and it’s often a topic I get asked about

BD’s guidelines set out that the maximum load carried by any equine should not exceed 20% of its total body weight. This is to be based on a horse with a ‘good’ condition score (3/5 or 5/10 BCS depending which scoring system you use)

While the 20% rule can serve as a good starting point, it is essential to note that this is just a rough generalisation. Realistically we need to be looking at the WHOLE picture; rider weight, height, build and riding ability, the horse’s own weight, age, type, fitness level and body condition score.

If basing on the 20% rider weight theory we could essentially be saying that an overweight horse can in fact carry a heavier rider, but the reality is an overweight horse should be taking a lighter weighted rider. An overweight horse is already carrying an ‘extra load’ (fat, causing additional pressure and strain on joints & muscles) - let’s say for argument sake 5% extra. This would only leave the overweight horse with the ability to carry 15% rider weight.

But surely that then means an UNDERweight horse can carry more…? 🤔
well, not quite! An underweight horse will likely have muscle atrophy meaning their overall carrying ability is also reduced.

Following the maths still? 🤯

British Dressage guidelines are a fantastic move in the right direction and I would absolutely love to see more of their equine organisation counterparts taking the same stance but it’s important to rememebr its a guideline to encourage riders to think about their own weight and those of their horses and isn’t to be seen as a set rule.

Did you know, along with weighing your horse i’m happy to weigh owners and riders too, completely free of charge!

10/07/2024

FREE Laminitis and EMS Webinar - Q&A Night

Grab a cold drink, put your feet up and join us on Wednesday the 10th of July at 7.00pm for a Laminitis and EMS Q&A webinar.

We'll be kicking off the evening covering a few basics, such as recognising the signs of Laminitis and EMS, common causes or triggers and the role diet, movement and trim play in recovery and management from a paddock paradise perspective. The main portion of the evening will be dedicated to answering your questions so please ask away, no question is silly!

This Wednesday (10th July) at 7.00pm

As we are restricted on the number of participants attending, please take care to secure your place by registering via our website.

If you have any questions, you can ask us on the night or leave them in the comments below for us to cover

08/07/2024

“What if my horse won’t go on the weighbridge?”

I often get owners contacting me who would like to get their horse weighed but concerned their horse may not go on the weighbridge…

The weighbridge is very low profile so it’s not really a step up for your horses unlike what a trailer ram would be. The weighbridge has a black grippy rubber surface so your horses won’t slip off and gives you’re horse confidence of standing on something solid, being black also helps as it’s not an alarming colour for them.

If your horse is a little nervous I always encourage you to walk your horses over the weighbridge in different directions without asking them to stop on it to start. It gives them time to work it all out and get a feel. Don’t panic if they catleap on or off it, the weighbridge is designed for horses so can take it 😉 then when they are comfortable we can ask them to stand still, it takes a few seconds for the weight to register and then you can hop off again!

We NEVER rush you and your horses on the weighbridge, as an owner of a ‘wussy pony’ I get it!

Here’s a photo of one of my recent weighers who as you can see was unsure to begin with but with the the right encouragement, plenty of patience and absolutely no rushing what so ever she was happy to eventually stand on the weighbridge and even opted to stay on for a little while on her own accord 😍

05/07/2024

We are proud to be supporting the MAGPAS Charity Horse Show once again this year!
Wishing all of our clients who have entered tomorrow a very fun and successful day 🏅🏆

04/07/2024

When we say we’re a ‘mobile’ weighbridge service, we really do mean it!

Our weighbridge doesn’t need plugging into an electric source so we can come out to yards and fields without electric.

Our handheld weight indicator is also wireless making it safer for your horses, as there’s no wires or cables they could potentially get caught in.

All we need is a flat surface to set up and we are good to go.

Drop us a message to get booked in

30/06/2024

It’s been a truly lovely week weighing out in this great weather across four different counties chatting away with returning clients and meeting new ones too.

July has limited spaces left with bookings also being taken for August so PM to get booked in

25/06/2024

This has been a hot topic of late with clients!

FAT OR A HAY/GRASS BELLY?

The voluminous hindgut of the horse holds millions of microbes that help them break down and digest fibre.

Fibre and water is retained in this hindgut for many hours, whilst it is being fermented by these 'bugs'. Horses on ad lib forage - especially those who do not work and have little muscle tone - may have what we describe as a 'hay belly' or 'grass belly'.

Horses don't tend to carry much fat on their bellies until they are severely obese, so a large belly might not indicate a high body fat level.

Body fat tends to be stored in the neck, over the shoulders, the back, ribs and upper hindquarters.

If you would like more information about how to assess your horse's body fat level, you can find it on the free blog on my website (link in comments)

Feel free to share!
🐴🍏

23/06/2024

BOSTON / SURROUNDING AREAS

WEIGHBRIDGE APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE
FRIDAY 28th JUNE

1 horse - £20
2 horses - £15 per horse
3-4 horses - £12ph
5+ horses - £10ph
15 + horses - Price on request

Discounts apply to those on the same yards.
Message to get booked in

23/06/2024

Helllooo sunshine 😎 no rainy weighings yesterday for me 💪🏻

21/06/2024

𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐞

When talking about feeding with owners I often hear ‘I feed a scoop of X, half a scoop of X, a cup of X and a handful of X’

But what exactly is a ‘𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑝’ or a ‘𝐶𝑢𝑝’ or even a ‘𝐻𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑓𝑢𝑙’!? 🤷🏻‍♀️It’s surprising how many different shapes and sizes of scoops, cups and even hands are out there 🤯

So how do you know if the amount you are feeding is right for your horse?

Many feed companies are thankfully now moving away from ‘Feed 1 scoop of X’ and displaying what you need to feed by weight on the back of their bags. by feeding by scoop (volume) you may find you are over, or even under, feeding your horses. By weighing your feed you are ensuring your horse is getting their required (and essential) vitamins and minerals

Grab yourself a set of scales off good ol’ Jeff Bezos and keep them handy in the feed room ⚖️

20/06/2024

Transformation Thursday 😍
Look at that bum! 🍑

Not all our clients have horses looking to loose weight, some are all about the weight gains and this big fella was one of them!

It was really important for him to gain a steady weight over a period of time, once we were happier with his weight and body condition score it was time for him to start building muscle.

It’s so important to understand the difference between fat and muscle, often one is mistaken for the other (can you guess which 😉) for this particular guy we took into consideration his breeding, age and height to get him to a ‘good’ but lean weight, he’ll continue with his introduction to work which will continue to build those muscles with the overall aim of having a well rounded horse, fit but not fat, horse.

16/06/2024

Well yesterday was certainly a busy day with 38 horses In total weighed 💪🏻
Lovely to see some returning faces and seeing their fab progress along with meeting some lovely new faces too
Thank you to all owners for being prepared and allowing me some wiggle room with times, made for a very smooth flowing day ❤️

13/06/2024

Spaces available

04/06/2024

HUNTINGDON / ST NEOTS / SURROUNDING AREAS

SATURDAY 15th JUNE
Weighbridge appointments available

⚠️FULLY BOOKED⚠️

1 horse - £20
2 horses - £15 per horse
3-4 horses - £12ph
5+ horses - £10ph
15 + horses - Price on request

Discounts apply to those on the same yards.
Message to get booked in

01/06/2024

I don’t know about any of you but I am so pleased it’s June and May is over with! It has been a truly rotten month, I can count on one hand how many times we’ve not been poorly as a household in May 🤒😷

I am ready for some proper sunshine and getting out and about again. There are still some spaces left this month so PM to get booked in

29/05/2024

For those who may be feeding Allen & Page Horse Feeds

Due to environmental issues, coupled with equipment supply problems, the following feeds with batch dates in April may take longer to soak.

Feeds: Fast Fibre, Veteran Light & Care & Gain

Rest assured, the formulas are unchanged and provide the same excellent nutrition, therefore the feed can be fed as long as all pellets are thoroughly soaked.

please soak until all pellets are fully dissolved and a mash is formed, we suggest making your evening feed in the morning and vice versa.

28/05/2024

WOODHALL SPA / HORNCASTLE / CONINGSBY / SURROUNDING AREAS

WEIGHBRIDGE APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE
FRIDAY 28th JUNE

1 horse - £20
2 horses - £15 per horse
3-4 horses - £12ph
5+ horses - £10ph
15 + horses - Price on request

Discounts apply to those on the same yards.
Message to get booked in

27/05/2024

I shared this last year but thought it was worth resharing again! Good grassland management really is key not just for looking after your horses fields but for their health too

26/05/2024

Take a look at this video showing you the difference between top line and a cresty neck!

A cresty neck can be an early sign of laminitis so it’s important to understand the difference between top line and a cresty neck

20/05/2024

Back over Huntingdon way this afternoon to see these gorgeous horses and do their regular weigh ins.

These lovelies are a great example of why incorporating the weighbridge into your horse’s management isn’t just about weight!

Gio, the loveliest big bay, was recently having unusual weight loss for him, his super dedicated owner felt something may be off and had a vet assessment done resulting in some x-rays and follow up injections, I’m pleased to say he’s feeling better and as a result his weight has increased back into his normal range.

Blossom (with the cutest little ears) is aiming for some weight loss, her lovely owner has been trying a few new things lately to help with that but thanks to her owner’s super dedication and regular weighings we’re able to quickly see what is and isn’t working for Blossom and her owner is able to adjust and change those accordingly