Horse Health

The Healthy Horse

It's important for every rider and horse owner to become familiar with what a healthy horse looks and acts like so they can immediately recognize it when something is wrong. Learning to recognize the warning signs means an early diagnosis of any problem, which in turn means a better chance for a full recovery.

Vital Signs

Every owner should know what their horse's temperature, respiration, heart rate and capillary refill time is when he's "normal." The easiest way to do this is to take all three vital signs at least three days running and come up with an average. It's also good practice to be familiar with how to take these measurements so that in case of emergency you'll know exactly what to do.

Temperature - a horse's normal temperature is around 101.5 Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). The temperature is taken by inserting a thermometer in the rectum. (Yep, that means what you think.) First clean the thermometer with alcohol, and then dip it in a little Vaseline just to make things easier. If using an analog thermometer, wait two minutes to get an accurate reading. You don't have to stand there the whole time, but you will need to thread some twine or brightly colored ribbon through one end of the thermometer and clip it to your horse's tail using a clothes pin. Otherwise, you stand a chance of losing it in the stall (or worse) and a missing glass thermometer is never a good thing. Digital thermometers usually take much less time so it's best just to stand there and make sure the horse doesn't dislodge it. Temperatures can vary slightly from horse to horse as well as from thermometer to thermometer. If possible, take your horse's temperature with both an analog and digital the mometer for a healthy baseline reading on both.
Respiration - A normal horse at rest takes between eight and ten breaths per minute. To count respirations, watch either his flanks move in and out or his nostrils flaring. Count either his inhalation or exhalation, but be sure not to count both!
Pulse - A normal horse's resting heart rate is between 36 - 40 beats per minute. You can either use a stethoscope placed just behind his left elbow to hear his heartbeats or feel for his pulse by pressing against the large artery under his jaw. You can also feel his pulse in his fetlock joint but be aware that if his illness has to do with his hooves, such as laminitis or "founder," the pulse there may be elevated anyway.
Capillary Refill Time - Lift up your horse's upper lip and press your finger into his gums until you make a white spot. Let go. It should take 2 seconds for the pink color to return. If it takes longer than that, it indicates a circulation problem. The longer it takes, the bigger the problem is.

Any time any of these measurements are out of the "normal" zone, keep a close eye on your horse and don't waste any time calling the vet if it seem appropriate. If you do need to call the vet, note down what your horse's temperature, heart rate, etc. are and let them know immediately.

Appetite

The saying that someone is "off their feed" stems from the horse world and nowhere is it more true. Often the first sign that something is wrong with your horse will show up in its change of eating habit. If a horse that normally digs in to his hay suddenly stops eating, be suspicious. It could be a sign or colic, a very serious condition that can end in death, or a symptom of something less drastic, like teeth problems. Be aware of what your horse eats, how fast, and any changes in his routine. Just because he's not eating his apple, for instance, may not be a sign of illness if he doesn't normally like apples anyway. Horses have quirks, just like people, so observe your horse when he's healthy so you'll recognize the signs when he's not.

Soundness vs. Lameness

A "sound" horse is one whose motion isn't inhibited by injury or a chronic condition. All four of his legs move smoothly and evenly, with no discernable limping or head bobbing.

A horse can be "serviceably sound" if they are experiencing a minor issue that only partly inhibits the horse's movement. For instance, a horse that has minor or intermittent lameness may not be useful in the show ring anymore but may be perfectly fine as a trail or pleasure horse.

A horse is lame when pain impedes his motion. It could be caused by an injury, such as a kick from another horse, or an abscess in a hoof. More major injuries include pulling a muscle or tendon and can takes months to heal. Chronic causes, ones that develop over a long stretch of time and are usually a natural part of aging, include arthritis, inflamed joints or navicular. Lameness from chronic issues will never be cured but can be managed with medication, special shoes and exercise.

To diagnose lameness, watch the horse as he walks or trots. A horse that bobs his head down is a sign that there is a problem in the hind leg; if a horse lifts his head up it indicates he's trying to take the weight off a painful front leg.

Other signs of leg problems include unusual swelling, sometimes accompanied by heat, anywhere on the leg.

A horse that is lame or has any kind of swelling present should not be ridden and should be looked at by a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Dehydration

It really is true that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. However, that doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't need the fluids. It's important to test your horse, particularly in hot weather, in stressful situations or if he's working hard, to make sure he isn't dehydrated. Pinch the skin on the side of your horse's neck and hold it for a few seconds before releasing. If it quickly goes back to normal then he's fine. However, if it stays folded for more than a few seconds, your horse may be dehydrated. If he's been working and is hot as well, cool him off by hosing his legs and the underside of his belly first and then offer him water. Make sure that wherever he's living, whether it's in pasture or in a stall, that he has access to plenty of fresh water. It's easy to see if a bucket is empty or the waterer isn't working, but also be watchful and make sure his stall neighbor or pasture buddies aren't interfering as well. If there's no obvious reason for him to be dehydrated, contact your vet immediately.

How to know when it's an emergency

Call your vet immediately if your horse exhibits any of these symptoms and tell him or her specifically what is going on:

When your horse's temperature is more than three degrees above his normal
When his resting pulse or respiration is more than twenty percent above normal
When the respiration is greater than the pulse
When his capillary refill time is more than three seconds
If an injury spurts blood, a wound near a joint oozes amber colored fluid (indicating the joint has been compromised) or if bones, tendons or ligaments are clearly exposed
When you can't hear any gut sounds
If your horse refuses to put weight on one leg or hops while trying to move