1. Temperature, pulse and respiration
These are a good place to start. Your horse’s normal heart rate is 28-44 beats per minute. If you don’t have a stethoscope to listen just behind his elbow, by the girth area, you can feel for his pulse on the underside of the jaw, where an artery passes over the jaw bone. Take the pulse for 15 seconds then multiply by four to determine the number of beats in a minute.
Your horse’s normal temperature is between 37.2 and 38.3degC. To take his temperature, use a digital thermometer inserted underneath his tail. Don’t forget to use a bit of Vaseline to make it more comfortable, and don’t let go of the thermometer!
A normal respiratory rate for an adult horse is 10-24 breaths per minute. You can measure this by watching his flank move as be breathes, watching his nostrils, or even by holding a hand in front of his nose. If you have a stethoscope, you can listen to the air travelling across his trachea (on the bottom of his neck), and ensure the breaths are clear and not wheezy.
2. Pink gums
Your horse’s gums should be moist and salmon pink. If they are pale, deep red, purple, overly yellow or streaked with blood, it’s time to call the vet. Pale gums can indicate shock, deep red ones can indicate poisoning, blue or purple gums low oxygen and yellow ones a liver problem.
3. Capillary refill time
If you gently press your horse’s gums, they should turn white, but return to pink within two seconds. A delay in this time (known as the capillary refill time) indicates poor circulation and can be a sign of dehydration, shock or poisoning.
4. Gut sounds
Put your ear to his flank, and you should be able to hear gurgling noises coming from the gut; tinkling and the odd roar are normal. But beware if you can’t hear anything, especially if your horse shows other signs of colic. Listen regularly to work out what is normal for your horse.
5. Bright eyes
Your horse’s eyes should be clear, bright and free from discharge. Any swelling or weeping needs further investigation, and may need the vet.
6. Pinch test
You can check your horse’s hydration status by gently pinching the skin on the base of his neck or shoulder, then releasing. It should snap back to normal within two seconds.
7. Decent droppings
Dung can be an indication of health. Your horse’s droppings should be well-formed balls without massive chunks of undigested food, have an inoffensive smell and a fairly even colour. Very loose droppings (apart from when your horse is very excited or has been on fresh grass) or failure to pass droppings for hours may be indicative of a stomach upset.
8. Legs eleven
Lumps and bumps are pretty inevitable on a horse’s legs as they get older. But you need to work out what is normal for your horse, so you can spot anything new. Cold, healed splints aren’t a problem. Feel your horse’s legs daily, checking for heat, swelling, puncture wounds and anything out of the ordinary. Remember that if your horse has been standing in the sun, his legs will be warm!
9. Be picky with feet
Are your horse’s feet overdue for a trim or for shoeing? Has he lost a nail or sprung a shoe? Do you know the early signs of thrush, white line disease and footrot? These are just some of the reasons every pony clubber is taught to pick out feet on a daily basis – it’s the best time to give hooves an overall inspection. Ask your farrier or trimmer to show you what to look out for and how to treat problems before they turn into lameness.
10. Weighty matters
Your horse’s overall condition is the best way to tell his overall health status. Has he put on or lost weight recently? Is his coat shiny or dull? Learn how to assess the correct body weight by feeling the fat covering his ribs, withers, neck and tailhead – beware if a winter coat is hiding the bones. Take his rug off at least once a week to fully assess him.
- This article was first published in the June 2015 issue of NZ Horse & Pony
