Bodyweight Estimation From Linear Measures of Growing Warmblood Horses by a Formula

• We observed 13 body measurements, body mass index, and bodyweight of warmblood horses.
• We evaluate the influence of 13 body measurements on the horse bodyweight.
• Four body measurements were selected to be used for weight estimation.
• Formula that corresponds with the physiology of warmblood horses was developed.
• A comparison of weight estimation on the basis of other authors' formulas was made.

Formulas for the estimation of bodyweight (BW) are generally used when no scale is available. The objective of this study was to develop a suitable formula for the BW estimation of warmblood horses of different age that were based on linear relations. Five hundred twenty-four warmblood horses from 97 to 1,290 days were weighed, and 13 body measurements, BW, and body mass index were taken. Because of the closest linear correlation with weight, four measurements were selected for weight estimation: body length (BL), heart girth (HG), sternum height (SH), and front pelvis width (FPW). The formula value = [(2 × SH + HG) × 2 × BL × BL × FPW]/10,000,000 was developed from the four selected parameters. Taking into account the variable growth intensity during horse maturation, four age groups with boundary values of 365, 650, and 950 days were created. Using the coefficients of linear correlation between the value and actual weight, the formula for BW estimation was adjusted for each age group: mass = coefficient_1 × value + coefficient_2 (horse age < 365 days: coefficient_1 = 4.46, coefficient_2 = 91.12; 365 days < horse age < 650 days: coefficient_1 = 3.83, coefficient_2 = 135.87; 651 days < horse age < 950 days: coefficient_1 = 3.60, coefficient_2 = 168.09; horse age > 950 days: coefficient_1 = 3.23, coefficient_2 = 221.55). In comparison with past BW estimation formulas, the new equation is the most suitable for BW estimation in warmblood horses of different age (P value < .001).