Horse breeds · from TrotleyAkhal-Teke weight and height, with the naked foal syndrome test
Akhal-Tekes average about 15.2 hands and 900 to 1,000 pounds, a lean build that can pass for thin, and a UC Davis DNA test screens for a fatal inherited disorder of the breed.
Short answer
Akhal-Tekes average 15.2 hands and weigh 900 to 1,000 pounds, about 408 to 454 kg.
The Livestock Conservancy gives an average of 15.2 hands (62 inches) and 900 to 1,000 lb (408 to 454 kg). Oklahoma State University gives an average height of 15 to 15.1 hands and no weight.
The Livestock Conservancy and Oklahoma State University
| Source | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| The Livestock Conservancy (averages) | 15.2 hands (62 inches) | 900 to 1,000 lb (408 to 454 kg) |
| Oklahoma State University (average) | 15 to 15.1 hands | Not given |
| University of Minnesota, 62 Arabians (comparison) | Average 58 inches (14.2 hands) | Average 937 lb |
| University of Minnesota, 100 Thoroughbreds (comparison) | Average 65 inches (16.1 hands) | Average 1,184 lb |
The Minnesota rows are other light breeds, shown for comparison only.
A lean horse by design
Oklahoma State describes a long, narrow build with a narrow chest, flat ribs, long slender legs and tendons that show clearly. The Livestock Conservancy compares the breed to a Greyhound, with a thin neck, thin skin and a short silky coat that grows a dense undercoat in winter.
The Conservancy puts the world population under 7,000 and calls the breed globally rare.
Daily hay for a 950 pound Akhal-Teke
The arithmetic uses 950 lb, the midpoint of the Conservancy’s 900 to 1,000 lb. Replace it with your own horse’s weight and the amounts scale with it.
Merck gives 2 to 2.5% of body weight in dry matter as the usual daily maximum, with at least 1.5 to 2% from forage, and it counts Thoroughbreds and related breeds among the hard keepers. It does not name the Akhal-Teke, so a horse that holds weight easily can sit on the lower lines while a leaner one may need more. These figures are our arithmetic, counting hay as 90% dry matter.
- 1.5% of body weight: 14 lb (6 kg) of dry matter, about 16 lb (7 kg) of hay
- 2% of body weight: 19 lb (9 kg) of dry matter, about 21 lb (10 kg) of hay
- 2.5% of body weight: 24 lb (11 kg) of dry matter, about 26 lb (12 kg) of hay
A weight tape example for an Akhal-Teke
The horse weight calculator uses the adult equation in the Merck Veterinary Manual: heart girth squared times body length, in inches, divided by 330. A heart girth of 71 inches and a body length of 62 inches gives 71 x 71 = 5,041, times 62 = 312,542, divided by 330 = about 947 lb (430 kg). Those measurements are our illustration, not a real horse.
Merck says weight tapes can be used on horses, tend to underestimate and are best for tracking change.
Naked foal syndrome
UC Davis describes naked foal syndrome as an inherited disorder of the Akhal-Teke with hairlessness, abnormal teeth, digestive disorders, persistent diarrhea and laminitis-like problems. A foal with two copies of the variant has a condition incompatible with life.
A carrier looks normal and passes the variant to half its foals, and two carriers have a 25% chance of an affected foal at each mating. The test uses 20 to 40 hairs with roots, and a result in hand before breeding is the point. Your vet can help read it.
Cold and thin skin
Merck says cold raises energy needs, most for horses with thin or clipped coats and little shelter. The Conservancy describes the Akhal-Teke’s thin skin and short coat, so winter feed, shelter and a blanket are worth planning, and the best extra energy comes from more forage.
Body condition
Merck advises keeping a horse at 4 to 6 on the 9 point Henneke scale, with 7 or more counted as overweight. Because the breed’s ribs and tendons show by type, a horse can look thin at a healthy score. Check by feel over the ribs, loin and crest, and compare the number over time. The University of Minnesota found Arabians averaged 5.4 and Thoroughbreds 5.0.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Akhal-Teke weigh?
The Livestock Conservancy gives 900 to 1,000 pounds (408 to 454 kg) for horses averaging 15.2 hands.
How tall is an Akhal-Teke?
The Livestock Conservancy gives an average of 15.2 hands (62 inches) and Oklahoma State gives 15 to 15.1 hands. Individual horses vary around those averages.
Can a Akhal-Teke carry a 190 pound rider?
The University of Minnesota reports that an average adult light riding horse can comfortably carry about 20% of its ideal bodyweight, rider and tack included. For 950 pounds that is about 190 pounds, and 23% is about 218 pounds. A 190 pound rider with 25 pounds of tack is 215 pounds, or about 23% of 950 pounds. Fitness, conformation and the kind of riding change the answer, so ask your vet if you are close to the line.
Should I test an Akhal-Teke for naked foal syndrome?
UC Davis offers the test and says two carriers have a 25% chance of an affected foal each time they are bred. A result is most useful before a mating, and your vet can explain what a carrier result means.
Sources
- The Livestock Conservancy, Akhal-Teke
- Oklahoma State University, Breeds of Livestock: Akhal Teke Horses
- UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, Naked foal syndrome (archived copy)
- University of Minnesota Extension, Estimating actual and ideal bodyweight of adult horses
- University of Minnesota Extension, Guidelines for weight-carrying capacity of horses
- Merck Veterinary Manual, Nutritional Requirements of Horses and Other Equids
Checked on October 2, 2026.
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See TrotleyMore in Horse breeds
- ArabianAn Arabian usually weighs 800 to 1,000 pounds and stands 14.2 to 15.2 hands.
- ThoroughbredA typical Thoroughbred weighs about 1,000 pounds and stands about 16 hands.
- AndalusianAndalusians usually stand about 15.2 hands, and a fair weight estimate is 1,000 to 1,300 pounds.
- American SaddlebredAn American Saddlebred weighs 1,000 to 1,200 pounds and stands about 15 to 16.3 hands.
- American Miniature HorseMiniature Horses stand no more than 34 inches, and adults average about 257 pounds.
- American Paint HorseA Paint Horse stands 14.2 to 15.2 hands and weighs about what a Quarter Horse does, 1,000 to 1,300 pounds.
- Horse weight calculatorFree tool: Estimate a horse’s weight from heart girth and body length with the formulas in the Merck Veterinary Manual, for adults, yearlings and weanlings.
