As horse owners, it is our job to ensure our horse’s well being and health. By performing a daily health check on our horse, we can keep our horses healthy and safe. So whether you’ve done this on your horses for years or you never have before, it is important to be refreshed on how to do a routine health check on your horse.
If you keep your horse in a stable or paddock you don’t have a long way to go to perform a health check. But if you keep your horse in the pasture, it just isn’t always practical to lead every horse in from the field for a daily check up. So why not bring the check up to them! This might not work for every horse owner, but it has worked very well for me. I simply walk up to the horse in the field, drape the lead rope over his neck, and then perform my health check and apply fly spray when necessary, while he grazes.
Routine Check Up Box
Routine health checks can be performed with just your eyes and hands, however; if I find a problem that I can fix I want to be ready. That’s why I bring a tack box of supplies with me to the field. Here is a list of things I keep in my pasture check up box.
- Wound care spray
To apply to the little scrapes my injured prone horses get so often.
- Scissors
Are simply a necessity, you never know when you need to cut bail twine, packaged tack or medicine, ect…
- Basic grooming tools & some detanguler
While you’re there you might want to brush your horse, or detangle his tangles before they get any worse.
- Hoof pick
If a horse appears to have foot problems the first thing I do is make sure there isn’t a rock or sharp stick embedded in their hoof.
- Fly spray
If you’re checking your horse in the summer, now is the perfect time to apply some fly spray!!
Put anything you think you might need into your pasture health check up box. You might even want to add horse first aid products in case you need to dress a wound or take your horse’s temperature. It is always nice to be prepared and ready for whatever comes your way.
More horsey posts: Keeping Horses on Full Time Pasture- the Pros & Cons
What to Check
Well, now that you’re with your horse and ready to go, there is a basic list of what you can check on.
First Impression
As you walk up to greet your horse, is he acting like his normal self? Is he as alert as normal? Does he do what he normally does when you greet him? A horse’s expression can show if he isn’t feeling well. Horse’s with colic normally have droopy ears and a busy look in their eyes.
Standing Posture
This is another thing you should pay attention to as you approach your horse. How is he standing? When a horse is resting, their neck is often low and the weight is taken off one of their hind legs, so that’s normal. But if your horse is standing so that the pressure is taken off one of his front legs you might want to be concerned and investigate the matter.
Coat & Skin
A horse’s coat should be shiny and smooth. You know what your horse’s coat should look like so take note of that as you examine him. Also run your hand along your horse’s body, looking for any bumps or scrapes. Take note of any hair loss in a certain area as well.
Eyes, Ears, & Nose
Make sure that your horse’s ears are clean and that his eyes look normal with no swelling or excessive tearing. Look at your horse’s nostrils, keeping an eye out for bloody or cloudy mucus.
Breathing
Observe your horse’s breathing by looking at his rib cage. His breathing should be steady and effortless, approximately 8 to 20 beats per minute. If the weather is hot he might breath faster, around 40 beats per minute, but that’s nothing to worry about.
Legs
Run your hand down your horse’s legs, checking for swelling, bumps, heat, or scrapes. If you feel something off, you might want to halter your horse and trot him around for a second to make sure his gait is normal and limp free.
Appetite
Your horse’s appetite and water intake is harder to monitor when you keep your horse in the pasture. If you’re giving your horse a routine check in the pasture, take note before you approach him if he is eating or he might help himself to some grass as you look him over. By looking over your horse’s skin, nose, and eyes you can tell if your horse is dehydrated. If you keep your horse in the pasture and he seems off consider dehydration as a possibility.
Check the Pasture Too
Be sure to not just look at your horse, but at the pasture, paddock, or stall your keeping him in. Check his water & minerals, and make sure his pasture has enough grass. Keep an eye out for fallen trees or broken fences in your horse’s pasture. Knowing your horse’s surroundings are safe, that he has enough grass, and his water bucket is full makes for a happy horse owner!
We know our horse’s normal behavior & appearance and by checking him every day we can confidently notice when something seems amiss. By bringing the check up to the horse and having the necessary supplies with you, you can efficiently and thoroughly perform a routine health check on every or the only horse in the pasture!! *Hopefully you have been reminded or learned what is necessary in preforming a routine health check on your horse! Anything I didn’t include that you normally do when you preform a check up? Let me know in the comments!*
Tails & trails,
Reese
I do much the same thing, Reese! I walk out with a grooming bucket and groom/check the horses over in the pasture/paddock. I agree that knowing that your horse is safe, fed and set up for the day/evening makes for a happy owner!