By: Nanette Hughston
Do you check your horse’s general condition on a regular basis? Do you know what to look for to make sure your horses health is where it should be? This is something you should make a habit of doing on a daily basis. And once you know what you are doing it should not take you very long. This will prevent something minor turning into something major.
First, each day when you go out to visit your horse, whether at your home or if you board your horse at a farm, think about what your overall impression of her. Does she look well, does she have a healthy appearance? What are your first thoughts? Below are major areas to observe.
Mobility – Does your horse move with comfort, on or off the halter and lead. Is her coordination good, is she reluctant to move, stiff or seem to be in pain when she walks.
Posture – When you look at your horse at a stand still, is she standing squarely on all four legs or balancing on three legs with the fourth hind leg in an easy resting position? Alternating the resting hind leg is a sign of a sound horse; they should not always rest the same hind leg.
Expressiveness – A horse, like most animals, facial expressions show that they are not feeling normal, from a small ache to a large pain, there facial expressions will show you how they are feeling, sometimes they may even act out with anger if you accidentally touch the area that is hurting, the horse may try to lash out and bite or kick you. Keep an eye out for glassy stares or an anxious pre-occupied appearance.
Reaction to Your Visit – As your horse gets to know you, she will definitely respond to your presence, either with a whinny or other time of reaction. Learn how your horse reacts, if she does not react to your presence when she normally reacts this is a big red flag that something may be going on and that she does not feel well.
Hydration – If you are familiar with the skin pinch test, this will show you if you horse is hydrated. If you don’t know this procedure, just pinch a small amount of skin on the horses neck, it should return to its normal place, if the skin stays up the horse is dehydrating or already dehydrated. A very fit horses skin may be a bit thinner and take longer to return to its normal position, this does not mean they are dehydrated, so you may want to also perform the capillary refill test where you use your thumb to pressure blanch a spot on their gums just above the corner incisor, then remove your thumb quickly and count the seconds it takes for the color to return. The capillary refill time is a measure of blood pressure and volume.
You should also check and monitor your horse’s vital signs. This includes her pulse, respiratory rate, temperature and the capillary refill time. First, stand beside your horses rear end, on her left side if you are right handed and vice versa for left. Stand close to avoid getting kicked. Drape the arm closest to your horse over her rump and gently grasp her tail. Have a lubricated thermometer ready in your other hand. Lift her tail gently, if she clamps down, gently wiggle her tailbone to assist in relaxation. Gently insert the thermometer into her anus, taking care to hold the end of it gently with your thumb and index finger, keeping the thermometer in place for the recommended manufacturer’s time limit. Remove and read. It’s that simple, just be cautious the first few times you take her temperature.
Most importantly, if you are unsure or have any signs that something is not normal with your horse, check with your veterinarian or veterinary staff at your barn and have her checked out, a simple problem can be corrected quickly, but some things that are let go, may turn into a serious life threatening illness, so pay very close attention to your horse and her health.
