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Horse Health - Factsheet 1

Notes that may help anyone going for their BHS Stage 1 exam or doing their NVQ level 1 or 2 in Horse Care and Riding
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Horse Health - Factsheet 1

Post by TracingEquines »

Indications Of Health & Ill Health

It is important to know your horse so that any signs of illness are obvious

Eyes should be bright and alert looking. If not ie dull or half closed it could indicate pain or injury to the horse's eye

Ears should be pricked and should flip forwards and backwards as if paying attention to any action. If the horses ears disappear back into his head as you approach this may show that there is something wrong

The horse's skin should move loosely over the under-lying bones. If this does not happen when the skin is pinched and released it means that the horse is dehydrated. Check the horse's skin for splinters, bruises and obvious wounds

The nostrils and other membranes should be salmon pink in colour. If the mucus membranes are pale the horse could be anaemic or dehydrated

When brought out of the stable, the horse should be sound in walk and trot
(down -> ground -> sound)

The horse should not be resting a front leg - it should have normal/even weight distribution. It is normal to rest a hind leg. If resting a foreleg try to find out if any heat/swelling. Call vet

Also a dull and staring coat could indicate a cold or unwell horse.

Isolation Procedure

Prepare the box, hay, water, bedding etc

Make sure it is well away from other horses

There has to be one person dealing with that horse and looking after it. The equipment that is used for that box must not be moved or used anywhere else

The muck from the stable has to be burnt. The brushes that are used on the horse must be washed with disinfectant and equipment ie forks and brushes

The person that deals with the horse must wear rubber gloves and over-alls. When returning out of the stable, the handlers boots must be washed with disinfectant

Records of horse's feed, shoeing etc must be written down clealy because it could be necessary if the person is at all ill

It is usually a new horse that is put into isolation for approximately 3 weeks

Locating The Source Of Lameness

Take the horse onto some hard level ground, walk him up and down, and then trot him on a loose rein. If the lameness is severe it will show at the walk.

If he is lame in front he will nod as his sound leg comes to the ground, raising his head again to take the weight off the painful leg. If lame in both forelegs he will tend to keep his head raised and to shuffle rather than strike out.

If you suspect lameness in one of his forelegs but can't find the cause for it, it may be that the trouble is in the hind leg diagonal to the suspect leg.

If he is lame behind, he will similarly try to take the weight onto the sound leg and relieve the painful one. Viewed from the behind, he will drop his hip as the sound leg reaches the ground and raise the hip and hock of the injured leg higher than normal as it meets the ground. As the horse is led past, you will clearly see a shorter length of stride from the lame leg.

Observing the horse at rest in the stable sometimes gives a clue to obscure lameness. Although he is standing square, the pastern of the lame leg may be slightly straighter or may be plaiting the lame foreleg in front of the other.

Nursing A Sick Horse

The horse should be checked frequently to make sure there is no deterioration in its condition, but visits should cause minimum disturbance to the horse

Regular checks of T.P.R. should be wrote down as well as other general points to do with its condition e.g. how much it is eating, if he is lying down more etc

Remove droppings frequently, keep bed level. If the horse has limited movement, use the deep litter system instead of mucking him out

Keep the stable free from draughts and well ventilated

Keep the horse warm, using light quilted rugs and leg bandages

Pick out feet, sponge eyes, nose and dock area daily. Lightly groom the horse, but keeping him as warm as possible

Bandages should be removed daily and the legs massaged to improve circulation

Monitor the horse's water intake and keep the supply very fresh

Give light, tempting, laxative feeds. Remove stale feed frequently as this will discourage the horse from eating and possibly delay its recovery

Follow veterinary instructions carefully

If it is an eye injury, keep the stable darkened and avoid bright lights

Unless the vets advises not to, give an ad lib supply of hay
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