Knowing the normal behavior and disposition of individual horses is important for every horse owner. This knowledge enables a horse owner to recognize when something may be wrong.
Importance of checking your horse daily
Subtle early signs of ill health in horses are easily missed without a daily inspection, yet early detection is essential, and the more quickly appropriate remedial care is taken, or treatment applied, the better.
Subtle early signs of ill health are easily missed, yet early detection is essential, and the more quickly appropriate remedial care is taken, or treatment applied, the better.
According to a publication by Blue Cross for UK horse owners, every horse should be closely observed and checked daily for signs of injury and ill health. Physical signs and changes in behavior should be viewed in combination, and considered against what is normal for the individual horse concerned.
Know your horse's vital signs:
Heart or pulse rate, body temperature and respiration frequency (breathing) should be observed at rest, to determine normal levels for each individual horse. Heart and breathing rates vary depending on the age and fitness of the individual, being higher in foals and old horses, and in those that are unfit.
In addition, rates naturally increase significantly during exercise and gradually return to normal as the horse recovers – the fitter the horse, the quicker rates will return to normal.
Changes to the normal vital signs, observed at rest, are often key indicators of pain or illness. Normal ranges at rest are as follows.
Heart or pulse rate of 36 to 42 beats per minute (beats should be clear and regular in strength and frequency)
Temperature of approximately 38°C (slight variations are normal in response to environmental conditions and ambient temperature)
Respiration rate of eight to 12 breaths per minute (breaths should be quiet and regular in both depth and frequency)
What your horses ears, eyes and nose can tell you
A healthy horse is naturally inquisitive, alert and responsive to its environment. Ears should be either pricked up, flicking backwards and forwards, or when the horse is resting, held softly forward or to each side. Eyes should be bright and clear with a pale pink colour to the skin. The nose should be clean and the breathing steady and regular at rest.
Abnormal aggression, evasion, disinterest or lethargy may indicate that something is wrong. A head held low or pressed into a dark corner of the shelter or stable, with ears clenched back, may indicate more serious ill health or pain.
Thick nasal discharge from one or both nostrils and congested or weeping eyes are also indicators of ill health.
Routine care of your horse should include regular cleansing of the eyes and nostrils with fresh water, using separate (clean) sponges.
Skin and coat conditions
A horse’s skin should be supple and soft, with a natural elasticity. The coat should be smooth and shiny. Dry, flaky skin, a dull coat with hairs raised or excessive grease, can indicate an underlying health problem.
Regular grooming assists in maintaining good coat and skin condition, and can promote good circulation.
Your horse's bodily functions
A horse spends much time eating and, each day, drinks from 25 to 55 litres of water. It is normal for the horse to urinate a couple of times daily and pass dung every couple of hours. Dung should be of firm consistency (though its colour and consistency will alter according to the diet), and be covered with a mucus coating.
Loss of appetite, reluctance to eat or drink, excessive thirst, discoloured urine, difficulty passing either urine or droppings and extreme dung consistency (extremely loose or extremely hard), all indicate possible digestive or health problems.
Physical condition of your horse
A horse should be well covered with flesh, but not fat. Muscle development, tone and definition will vary according to the type of horse, level of fitness, and the intensity and nature of work.
The neck should be toned and slender, being slightly convex along the top line (but not with a thick and solid crest). The ribs should be able to be felt easily, but should not be overtly visible. The back and quarters should be smoothly covered and lightly rounded, however, the spine should not be prominent (neither should it be evident as a groove over the quarters).
Regular monitoring and maintenance of correct body weight, together with condition-scoring and assessment of fitness will help to identify subtle changes in physical condition.
Too little or too much condition (thin or fat) can cause health problems. Sudden changes in body condition may indicate an underlying medical disorder, but could also be a result of incorrect feeding and exercise for the animal’s needs.