It’s that time of year — when you resolve to shed weight and get some off of your four-legged friends too. Just don’t forget your equine buddy! Horse obesity causes serious medical issues, so it’s important to see how your steed measures up.

Your horse’s diet should depend on his body weight and condition. Here, we’ll focus on weight.

Scales provide the most accurate weights, but they’re costly. Alternatively, using a weight tape from your local feed or tack shop can give you a reasonable estimate.

You’ll need two measurements. For heart girth, place the tape around your horse just behind the elbows. Next, measure body length from the point of the shoulder to the point of the rump. Plug these two numbers into an online horse weight calculator and voilà — you’ve got your estimate.

Weekly weigh-ins will help determine if a diet change might be in order.