Do you have a horse? If yes, it is your responsibility to check from time to time its general condition. There are a couple of things that you need to focus on to ensure that your horse is fit and healthy and daily. The moment you get familiar with this, it will not take much time. You should begin by visiting your horse every day to know whether she looks well and has a healthy appearance. Take a look at the quick checklist that you need to follow,
- Mobility- Check whether the horse moves comfortably, is the coordination good, is the horse reluctant to move or is experiencing pain and stiffness while walking. No matter it is a pet horse or will take part in horse racing it should have the right mobility. For more information on horse racing, visit TVG.
- Hydration- By using the popular skin pinch test you can check whether the horse is hydrated but if you do not have any clue about this process, then pinch on your horses back a small amount. If the skin continues to stay up, then your horse is dehydrated or is dehydrating, but if it returns to the normal, then it is hydrated. A fit horse indicates that its skin will be thinner so will take some time to go back to the normal position, but it is not a sign of dehydration. Here you need to conduct the test called the capillary refill where the thumb is used to make a spot on the gums above their corner incisor, remove the thumb and check the seconds that it takes to return to the normal color. This time will help to measure the volume and blood pressure.
- Expressiveness- Like most animals the facial expressions of a horse will show she is not feeling normal ranging from a large pain to a little ache, the facial expression that the horse makes will express their feeling. The horse may at times act in anger should you touch the part which is hurting accidentally. On such conditions, the horse is likely to kick or bite you. Check for the anxious pre-occupied or glassy stare the appearance.
- Posture- See whether the horse stands on all its four legs squarely or balance on its three legs. If your horse alternates its resting hind leg, then your horse is sound.
- Reaction- When your horse becomes familiar with you, she will answer to your presence for sure through a whinny or some other form of reaction. See how it reacts. Always remember if your horse does not respond well to your presence then definitely the horse is unwell or something is going on.
- Monitor the Vital Signs- The most important step is to check as well as monitor the vital signs of your horse. This includes capillary refill time, temperature, respiratory rate, and pulse.
The bottom line is, if you discover unusual signs on your horse and are unsure what it is, consult a veterinarian to get her checked thoroughly. If it is a simple issue it can right away be corrected, but some things which are left neglected can turn into a serious illness, hence monitor your horse closely to check her health.