Daily Health Checks Every Horse Owner Should Know

Why a daily once-over is your best safety net

On a smallholding, you learn to read your animals. A ewe with a droopy ear, a hen off her feed, a goat hanging back from the trough. Horses, though, are experts at hiding trouble. A prey animal that looks sorry for itself in the field is often already quite unwell. That is why a simple daily health check matters so much. It takes five minutes, needs no special equipment beyond a thermometer and your hands, and gives you a baseline you can trust. Temperature, pulse, respiration and hydration — often shortened to TPR plus hydration — are the four pillars. Do them at the same time each day, ideally before feeding or exercise, and you will notice the small changes that precede big problems. Catching something early usually means a simpler treatment, a lower bill, and a better outcome for your horse.

Temperature: the number that speaks volumes

A healthy adult horse’s resting temperature sits between 37.5°C and 38.5°C. Foals run slightly warmer. You will need a digital thermometer with a flexible tip, some water-based lubricant, and a quiet moment. Tie your horse up safely, stand to the side — never directly behind — and insert the thermometer gently into the rectum, angled slightly upwards. Hold it there until it beeps. Most horses accept this well if you are calm and consistent. A single high reading is not always alarming: exercise, a hot day, excitement or a recent feed can push it up. But a temperature above 38.5°C that persists, or any reading over 39°C, deserves a phone call to your vet. Equally, a temperature below 37°C can signal shock or serious illness. Knowing your horse’s normal is half the battle.

• Take the temperature at the same time daily — first thing in the morning is ideal.
• Use a digital thermometer and keep a spare in your first-aid kit.
• Lubricate the tip with water-based gel, not an oil-based product.
• Record every reading in a notebook or phone so you can spot trends.

Pulse and respiration: listening to the quiet signals

Your horse’s pulse at rest should be between 28 and 44 beats per minute. You can feel it easily at the facial artery, which runs under the jawbone. Press your fingers gently along the inner edge until you feel a rolling pulse, then count for 30 seconds and double it. A digital pulse at the back of the fetlock should be barely detectable; if it feels strong and bounding, that can indicate pain or inflammation in the foot — a warning sign for laminitis. Respiration is just as simple. Watch the ribcage or nostrils from a distance and count the breaths for 30 seconds. A healthy horse takes 8 to 16 breaths per minute. Pain, fever, stress or a dusty stable will increase that rate. You are not looking for perfection every day, but for a pattern. A horse whose pulse or breathing is consistently higher than usual is telling you something.

• Facial pulse: run your fingers along the inside of the jaw until you feel a cord-like artery.
• Digital pulse: feel the back of the fetlock — it should be faint, not throbbing.
• Respiration: count flank movements, not nostril flares alone, for accuracy.
• Always check when the horse is calm, not immediately after hay or hard feed.

Hydration: the simple pinch test and gum check

Dehydration is a common and dangerous problem, especially in summer or for older horses. The skin pinch test is your first tool. Pinch a fold of skin on the shoulder or neck, twist it gently, and release. It should snap back immediately. If it stays tented for more than two seconds, your horse is likely dehydrated. Next, lift the upper lip to check the gums. They should be salmon pink and slippery with saliva. Press a finger firmly on the gum, release, and count how long it takes for the colour to return. Under two seconds is normal; longer suggests poor circulation. A 500kg horse drinks around 25 to 40 litres of water a day, more in hot weather or after work. Know how much your horse drinks overnight. A sudden drop in intake, combined with a slow skin tent, means you should call the vet without delay.

• Skin tent: pinch and release on the shoulder — slow return means dehydration.
• Gums: lift the lip gently; they should be pink, moist and not sticky.
• Capillary refill: press the gum, release, count seconds until colour returns.
• Water intake: check buckets morning and evening; a drop is an early red flag.

Building your daily routine — and knowing when to call the vet

Put it all together in the same order every day. First, stand back and observe: is your horse bright, eating, moving comfortably, and standing evenly? Then take the temperature, check the pulse, count respiration, and finish with the hydration checks. Write everything down. After a fortnight you will have a baseline as unique as your horse. That baseline is your early warning system. A single abnormal reading is not a crisis, but two or more together — a raised temperature, a bounding digital pulse, a slow skin tent — mean you should phone your vet immediately. Do not wait to see if it passes. Equine veterinary surgeons would far rather hear from you at the first sign of trouble than be called out to a horse that has been unwell for days. On a smallholding, you are often the first responder. Trust your observations, trust your gut, and keep that thermometer handy.