Mary Allen
Is the horse just a little limp or are these already signs of a serious illness? Some horse owners would be happy if their four-legged friend could talk. But there are also silent warning signs that reveal that the horse is not doing well.
Those who weaken are left behind and fall prey to the wolves. Even if the modern leisure and sport horse is safe in the home stable, it carries this primal fear. As herd animals and prey for predators, horses avoid clear expressions of pain. While the dog is howling, horses have no sound to indicate pain: they suffer silently. This does not mean that horses are less sensitive, but they often only show pain in very subtle ways.
Recognizing signs of illness and pain in horses is therefore not an easy matter. Even experienced horse people become insecure when their horse is tired and listless or shows unusual behavior and the question arises: “Is my horse okay?”
Doubts and concerns about the health of the horse can lead to the vet being summoned without reason – possibly late in the evening or at the weekend. On the other hand, if the veterinarian is not called in, there is a risk of delaying a serious illness in an emergency. Most veterinarians would therefore prefer to be called once too often than once too little. The veterinarian can often decide on the phone whether an immediate visit is necessary. However, this presupposes that the caller can provide the necessary information.
Sweating, Scratching, Rolling
Every owner, keeper, and rider should be able to carry out a small health assessment of their horse and check the most important parameters as part of a daily minimum check. You pay attention to deviations from the normal state and can react to changes.
The first clues come from the horse’s environment and behavior. If the manager has been eaten clean as a whistle, the drinking trough has been used, the litter has not been tangled up, and the horse greets its owner as usual and seems content and relaxed, everything should be fine. Warning signals, on the other hand, are a change in eating, defecation and urination behavior, obvious discomfort, tense facial expressions, rapid breathing, sweating, scratching or frequent lying down and rolling around, which can indicate colic.
This pain in the abdomen or pelvis can affect organs such as the kidneys or bladder, but particularly often the highly sensitive digestive tract. This is susceptible to a variety of disorders, which can range from an upset stomach to cramp, gas, or constipation colic to a life-threatening intestinal obstruction. Colic is therefore always an emergency and must be evaluated and treated by a veterinarian. The same applies to all large, bleeding injuries and severe lameness.
A daily check, for example during grooming before and after riding, also gives conclusions about minor changes in the external appearance. A healthy horse’s coat is smooth, shiny, and free from injuries and swelling. Facial expressions should be relaxed, eyes calm and clear, nostrils clean and dry. The horse should breathe calmly and quietly. A rattling breath, an increased respiratory rate, shortness of breath, visibly bloated nostrils, or coughing over several days must be clarified. Problems with teeth can be present when the horse smells bad, eats poorly, or has food falling out of its mouth and is reluctant to put the bridle on.
Swellings, Scrapes, Wounds
Healthy horse’s legs are cool to the touch, they should be “clear” with no obvious injuries, swellings. The latter is particularly dangerous when they are in the area of the tendons – even if the horse is not (yet) lame. Minor wounds and scrapes must be disinfected immediately upon discovery and observed over the next few days. If the area swells, an infection could be present. The hooves should be intact on the outside – also from below. Like the legs, they should feel evenly cool.
Heat indicates inflammation, for example of the corium of the hoof. A look at the horseshoes reveals whether they are worn regularly. If this is not the case, there could be a problem with the musculoskeletal system. If lameness is suspected, have the horse shown first at a walk and then at a trot. If the horse is extremely lame, i.e. it no longer puts weight on one leg when standing and limps at the walk, it should not be moved until the vet arrives.
Changes in the so-called PAT values provide the veterinarian with further important information: pulse (in the normal range of 28 to 40 beats), respiration (8 to 16 breaths per minute), and temperature (between 37 and 38 degrees). To perceive the quieter warning signals of the horse’s body, it sometimes takes a very fine sense. But this grows the longer and the better a rider knows his horse. Anyone who has looked after their four-legged friend for years usually notices at a very early stage that something is wrong and can react accordingly.