Horse breeds · from TrotleyCriollo weight and height, from the Brazilian studbook and Oklahoma State
The Brazilian studbook standard for the Crioulo sets weight at 400 to 450 kilograms and height near 14 hands, while other Criollo registries and types run larger or lighter.
Short answer
Criollos in the Brazilian studbook weigh 400 to 450 kg, about 880 to 990 pounds, and stand 1.38 to 1.50 m at the withers across the sex classes.
The Brazilian Criollo breeders’ association (ABCCC) standard sets weight at 400 to 450 kg (882 to 992 lb) and withers height at 1.40 to 1.50 m for stallions and 1.38 to 1.48 m for mares. Oklahoma State University says Argentine Criollos vary from light and elegant to large and heavy, with no numbers.
Associação Brasileira de Criadores de Cavalos Crioulos and Oklahoma State University
| Source | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| ABCCC standard, stallions | 1.40 to 1.50 m | 400 to 450 kg (882 to 992 lb) |
| ABCCC standard, mares | 1.38 to 1.48 m | 400 to 450 kg (882 to 992 lb) |
| ABCCC standard, geldings | 1.38 to 1.50 m | 400 to 450 kg (882 to 992 lb) |
| Oklahoma State University, Argentine Criollo | Not given | Not given |
The standard is the Brazilian studbook’s, written in Portuguese; heights are shown in metres as published. Registries in Argentina, Uruguay and elsewhere set their own standards.
One name, several types
Oklahoma State describes the Argentine Criollo as a light riding horse that descends from Spanish horses and was revived between 1875 and 1890. Thoroughbred blood made some of them light and elegant, and Percheron influence made others large and heavy.
That is why one number would mislead. The Brazilian standard is precise, with a minimum chest girth of 1.68 m for stallions and 1.70 m for mares, but it describes one national studbook.
Daily hay for a 937 pound Criollo
The arithmetic uses 937 lb (425 kg), the midpoint of the Brazilian weight range. 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. It does not list the Criollo among easy or hard keepers, so adjust to body condition. 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 (9 kg) of hay
- 2.5% of body weight: 23 lb (11 kg) of dry matter, about 26 lb (12 kg) of hay
A weight tape example for a Criollo
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 69 inches and a body length of 63 inches gives 69 x 69 = 4,761, times 63 = 299,943, divided by 330 = about 909 lb (412 kg). The girth is close to the studbook’s 1.70 m minimum for mares, about 67 inches. Those measurements are our illustration, not a real horse.
Merck says weight tapes can be used on horses, tend to read low and are best for tracking change.
Hardy by selection
Oklahoma State says the horses that became the Argentine Criollo survived on the Pampas, and that only the hardiest and strongest lived on. Hardiness does not exempt a horse from the usual limits: Merck says cold raises energy needs and that obesity and insulin resistance predispose horses to pasture-associated laminitis.
A Criollo kept on rich grass instead of range can gain weight. Watch the crest and the ribs, limit lush pasture when condition climbs, and call your vet at the first sign of foot pain.
Body condition
Merck advises keeping a horse at 4 to 6 on the 9 point Henneke scale, with 7 or more counted as overweight. The University of Minnesota found stock-type horses, which are similar working horses, averaged 5.5. Score by feel and write the number down with each weight so the trend is visible.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Criollo weigh?
The Brazilian studbook standard sets 400 to 450 kilograms (882 to 992 pounds). Other registries and types run lighter or heavier.
How tall is a Criollo?
The Brazilian standard gives 1.40 to 1.50 m for stallions and 1.38 to 1.48 m for mares. Oklahoma State gives no height for the Argentine Criollo.
Can a Criollo 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 937 pounds that is about 187 pounds, and 23% is about 216 pounds. A 190 pound rider with 25 pounds of tack is 215 pounds, or about 23% of 937 pounds. Fitness, conformation and the kind of riding change the answer, so ask your vet if you are close to the line.
Is a Criollo an easy keeper?
Oklahoma State calls the breed hardy, but Merck’s list of easy keepers does not name it. Judge by body condition: if the score creeps above 6, cut back on rich pasture and ask your vet about a feeding plan.
Sources
- Associação Brasileira de Criadores de Cavalos Crioulos, Padrão da raça (studbook standard, in Portuguese)
- Oklahoma State University, Breeds of Livestock: Argentine Criollo Horses
- 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
- Merck Veterinary Manual, Laminitis in Horses
- UC Davis Center for Equine Health, Laminitis (archived copy)
Checked on October 2, 2026.
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