Join the Body Condition Scoring Course
Guelph, ON January 6, 2025 - This January, Equine Guelph invites horse owners to make a meaningful New Year’s resolution; take charge of your horse’s nutrition and health through an instructor-led Body Condition Scoring Course. Facilitated by Gayle Ecker, Director of Equine Guelph, and PhD animal nutritionist, Nicole Weidner, this unique course is the cornerstone of Nutrition Education Month, an initiative that aims to empower caregivers to optimize their horse’s nutrition.
The one-week short course runs January 20-27, 2025 and will introduce students to body condition scoring (BCS), using a nine-point scale for assessing a horse’s fat deposits. With videos and instructor support, participants will learn how to evaluate six key areas of their horse’s body through visual assessment and palpation. This skill is critical in determining if a horse’s diet provides the right number of calories, or if adjustments are needed to address underfeeding or obesity.
Equine Guelph director, Gayle Ecker, checks the horse's topline during a body condition score assessment
Interested yet? It’s important to note that this is more than a course—it’s a community. Joining this course means connecting with other dedicated horse owners in a supportive environment while receiving personalized guidance from two expert facilitators.
Co-instructor, Gayle Ecker brings her extensive experience in equine education. She has received hands-on training in BCS through the Equine Investigations Academy program in Colorado. Students will learn tips and techniques that can help them finetune their body condition scores and build their confidence with the assessment tool.
Co-instructor, Dr. Nicole Weidner completed an MSc and PhD in animal nutrition at the Ontario Veterinary College. She offers advanced knowledge of equine nutrition and health, and can provide students with insight into the science behind evaluating body condition and current evidence-based knowledge on the links between body condition and horse health.
Participants will also explore additional assessment tools, such as topline scoring and cresty neck scoring, gaining a comprehensive understanding of how these evaluations complement BCS. Through live discussions, interactive exercises, and expert feedback, the course will equip caregivers with the confidence to implement these assessment tools as part of their regular management routine.
"The assessment is just the beginning of your horse’s nutrition story," says Ecker. "What you do with these scores is what truly makes the difference." This course will help participants not only assess their horse’s condition but also create actionable plans tailored to their horse’s specific needs.
As part of the Nutrition Education Month initiative, Equine Guelph is also offering a variety of resources to support learning, including free access to the interactive, online BCS Tool, educational videos, and a downloadable BCS barn poster (or a printed poster for purchase). These resources encourage participants to practice their BCS skills and apply their knowledge directly to their horses.
The Nutrition Education Month initiative is possible thanks to the generous support of Equine Guelph’s sponsor, Masterfeeds.
"We’re thrilled to partner with Equine Guelph for Nutrition Education Month," says Jenna Beach of Masterfeeds. “Masterfeeds prioritizes education on optimal nutrition and support for horse owners. Regular body condition scoring empowers owners for proactive, long-term equine health management.”
Don’t let this opportunity gallop away. Registration is open now, and the instructor-led course begins on January 20 and runs until January 27, 2025. Whether you’re looking to deepen your knowledge or take the first step in improving your horse’s health, this course is the perfect way to start the New Year.
For those who miss the January offering of the Introduction to Body Condition Scoring course, there is an on-demand version (self-paced, no instructors) available 365 days a year as well.
Sign up today at TheHorsePortal.ca and make 2025 a healthier, happier year for your horse.
About Equine Guelph:
Equine Guelph is the horse owners' and care givers' Centre at the University of Guelph in Canada. It is a unique partnership dedicated to the health and well-being of horses, supported and overseen by equine industry groups. Equine Guelph is the epicentre for academia, industry and government - for the good of the equine industry as a whole. For further information, visit www.equineguelph.ca.
Story by: Nicole Weidner, Equine Guelph
Web Link(s):
Story web link: https://thehorseportal.ca/?p=65289
Other web links:
Equine Investigations Academy: https://code3associates.org/equine-investigations-academy-eia/
BCS free interactive tool: https://thehorseportal.ca/healthcare-tools/body-condition-scoring-tool/
Body Condition Score Poster: https://thehorseportal.ca/healthcare-tools/body-condition-scoring-tool/bcs-at-a-glance-poster/
On demand BCS course: https://thehorseportal.ca/course/on-demand-body-condition-score/
Instructor led Body Condition Score course: https://thehorseportal.ca/course/introduction-to-body-condition-scoring-winter-25/
Source: Equine Guelph