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Discussion on Weight tapes
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Thursday, Oct 8, 2009 - 11:43 am:
Hi Dr. O.
How accurate do you feel weight tapes are when used to measure around the girth (as opposed to heart girth?) I've just finished reading your updated article and was wondering about using a weight tape as opposed to a regular tape and the calculations.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, Oct 9, 2009 - 7:53 am:
I am not sure I understand your question Sara. You should follow the instructions on the tape as different numbers will correlate to the same weight with the two different measurements. Tapes designed for heart girth vs girth measurements are probably about equally accurate.
DrO
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Friday, Oct 9, 2009 - 8:27 am:
I think I understand your question Sara. I have found there is a difference in weight tape measurements; vinyl vs cloth for example, and also a difference when you do the more complicated method of calculations.
To add to the confusion, if I remember correctly, when you do the more complicated method, I think you are supposed to add like 10% to get an accurate weight for giving worming medication.
For example I was giving Tango worming at 1400 pounds or maybe it was 1450. I think he was 200 less on the one weight tape.
Maybe the answer is to average the different results you get?
Off to read the article, maybe I missed something. I need to tape everyone for worming anyhow, need to refresh my memory. I hope the boys lost some weight!
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Friday, Oct 9, 2009 - 10:53 am:
The parenthesis was meant to say that I measure around the girth as opposed to the heart girth - terms used in your article. I was wondering if you considered the weights given by the weight tapes as accurate as the weight you come up with when you used the formula you give in the article.
Sorry about the confusion.
Angie, I did't even thing about the difference between types of tapes. Like you, I need to worm and wanted accurate weights, plus want to keep better track of weight on a couple of my horses.
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Member:
digger89
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Posted on Friday, Oct 9, 2009 - 12:07 pm:
I have always just used weight tapes to worm the horses but recently had one horse weighed on a scale prior to surgery and discovered that he weighed 1398 pounds, almost 250 more than the tape read. He is a long-bodied, large rumped, tall, muscular quarter horse. I plan to measure him and figure out the weight using Dr. O's article. It should be a good comparison
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Friday, Oct 9, 2009 - 1:35 pm:
Sara,
I'll be waiting to hear what you get for results. Like you, I got about 200, 250 pounds difference on Tango just with the 2 different methods: Tape, and the way DrO's article says. I think 250 pounds, plus adding 10% for worming, wow, that's a lot if the weight estimate is too high.
Too much worming med, plus wasted money spent.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Friday, Oct 9, 2009 - 6:09 pm:
I'm going to measure with both methods now and see how they compare. My curiosity is up as much as anything. I'll let you know.
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New Member:
lsr1950
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Posted on Friday, Oct 9, 2009 - 11:48 pm:
I bought an Equi-Calc calculator to use for estimating our equines weights. You can read about this device at www.scrippsnews.com/node/26384 and purchase the calculator from www.smartipony.com.
I also noticed that www.EquiApps.com provides information about using this calculator via iPhones or iPods.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 10, 2009 - 10:19 am:
Angie again I am having difficulty with what is meant.
It is possible you mean that by using the girth and the heart girth you get two different numbers when using the same tape or formula, but this would be expected. You must use the measurement proscribed by the particular tape or calculation. It is the way it is designed.
If instead you mean you get a disparity when you use the tape correctly and the formula correctly of 250 lbs, it suggests you have either measured incorrectly or made a mistake in calculations. If you will post:
1) Your labelled measurements
2) What you get with the weight tape and tell me what brand of weight tape you are using
I would be glad to review the information.
DrO
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 10, 2009 - 1:29 pm:
To help I have added a image to the article on weight estimation that shows how to take the various measurements and tried to make the text clearer. I have also gone back and checked the formulas and table to be sure they are accurate. Both were created using research projects and a large number of horses and should provide the accuracy detailed in the article.
DrO
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 10, 2009 - 1:32 pm:
Sara, to get back to your last question above. The calculations using both length and heart girth should earn you about 5% more accuracy over just measuring girth or heart girth alone.
DrO
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