SeniorHorseGuide.com

Quality of Life Scale for Horses

A printable scored checklist to assess your senior horse's wellbeing over time

Horse's Name:
Breed:
Age:
Weight / Height:
Known Conditions:
Date:

1. Quality of Life Assessment

Score each category from 0 to 5 (0 = very poor, 5 = excellent). Repeat regularly to track trends over time. A declining or consistently low total is a prompt to talk with your vet.

CategoryToday's Score (0-5)Score (Date: ____)
Appetite & Hydration
Eating and drinking willingly; maintaining intake
Weight & Body Condition
Stable, healthy body condition score
Mobility & Comfort
Moves freely; minimal stiffness or lameness
Attitude & Herd Interaction
Alert, engaged, interacts with herd and people
Ability to Lie Down & Rise
Can get up and down without struggle
Pain Signs
Free of pain behaviors (grinding, sweating, dull eye, guarding)
Good Days vs Bad Days
More good days than bad
Total Score (out of 35)TodayFollow-up
Sum of all categories

2. Scoring Guide

30 – 35: Good quality of life. Continue current care and monitoring.
22 – 29: Acceptable, but watch closely. Address declining categories with your vet.
15 – 21: Quality of life is compromised. Have a candid conversation with your veterinarian about treatment, comfort, and options.
Below 15: Quality of life is poor. Discuss humane options and comfort-focused care with your vet promptly.

A single category scoring 0 to 1 (for example, unrelieved pain or inability to rise) can outweigh the total and warrants immediate veterinary discussion.

3. Reflections

Note specific good days, bad days, and what matters most for your horse's comfort and dignity.

This scale is a decision-support tool, not a diagnosis. End-of-life and quality-of-life decisions are deeply personal and should be made together with your veterinarian, who can assess pain and prognosis directly.