As you spend time with your horse you begin to learn his different quirks. You will be able to tell if he is feeling good and healthy and you’ll also be able to tell if he seems depressed or a little under the weather. Horses have good days and bad days just like people, but they can’t tell you if they are really sick. It is up to us to recognize the basic signs of a healthy horse so that we can recognize when they are sick.

A healthy horse will often stand on all four feet. If they are drowsy they will rest a hind foot and doze off. A horse will never rest a front foot unless they are in pain in the front hoof. The healthy horse also has a shiny coat that lies down nice and smooth. The horse’s eyes should be wide open and the inside of the eye should have a pink salmon color. The gums and nostrils should also be a salmon color as well. Limbs and joints should be free of heat and swelling. If you rub your hands down your horse’s legs on a daily basis, you will learn to detect heat and swelling easily. You will also be able to compare legs to each other.

A healthy horse will want to eat. Feeding time is a horse’s favorite time. They should be ready to eat and begin eating as soon as you drop it in the feeder. The skin of the horse should be moist, but not sweaty. They should breathe quietly when resting. The pulse should also be steady and even. You can feel for a horse’s pulse buy holding the tips of your fingers, not your thumb, over the horse’s large artery located under the lower jaw and in front of the heavy muscle of the cheek. A mare or gelding will have a pulse around thirty-three to forty beats per minute. Stallions will have a pulse of around twenty-eight to thirty two beats per minute. A young horse may have a faster pulse.

In contrast, a sick horse will show different symptoms. Usually they will have an abnormal attitude. He may lie down at odd times and even in odd positions. If you see a horse sitting back on his hind feet, the horse may be suffering from founder or laminitis. The membranes of the horse will be either pale or yellowish in color. If they are dark red, the horse may have a fever. If blue-red the horse may have a heart or circulation problem. A sick horse will also not be willing to eat. They may sweat and the skin will feel tight. The horse’s breathing will also be labored and noisy. These are important signs to watch for in all horses. As you walk down your barn aisle, be sure to notice if everyone seems to be themselves or not. Most sick horses are noticed around feeding times.