Stable Management
Lesson
Four
Awareness
and observation are the keys to the general good health and well being of the
horses under your care.
The
first order of business for a horse coming under your care should be the
creation of a permanent chart indicating the horse’s name, owner’s name,
address and phone numbers, persons to contact in an emergency and several
veterinarians approved by the owner. You
should also include the name and phone number of any horse-shoer designated by
the owner. The horse’s breed, age,
previous medical history, allergies, special feeding instructions and
medications should be included. Do not
forget to establish dates for annual vaccinations and deworming.
Finally,
make notes about any visible injuries, or any soundness problems the horse may
have had attended. It is important
scars, etc. be recorded for insurance purposes; you want to protect your
employer and the stable from liability.
This
chart is also a good place to keep a record of special charges or information
you want to pass on to the owner at the end of the month.
A
baseline of the horse’s vital signs (temperature, pulse and respiration) will
also be kept on this chart.
Being
aware of the horse’s normal behavior, your daily observation of the horse
should alert you to possible trouble. If
you suspect the horse is not feeling well, check his vital signs and compare
them to the baseline.
A
baseline can be established by taking the horse’s temperature, pulse and
respiration. When checking vital signs,
you should also note capillary refill time, gut sounds, dehydration and the
color of mucous membranes.
To
get a normal average reading check the horse’s vital signs three times each day
for at least three days. Make a morning
check, a noontime check and an early evening check. You will find the horse generally has a
slightly—one or two degrees—higher temperature in the early evening. Compare the various checks against the same
times for each day, and draw a general conclusion as to what is normal for this
particular horse. Note the “normals” on your chart.
TEMPERATURE
A
horse’s normal temperature ranges from 99 to 101 F (average 100.5 F/38 C). A healthy horse’s temperature can vary by as
much as 3 degrees and should be evaluated in consideration to recent exercise,
ambient temperature, and the condition of the horse, including whether or not
he has been clipped or is wearing a blanket or sheet. A foal’s temperature generally averages 101
degrees.
If
from your observation of the horse you suspect a problem, and you take his
temperature and it is 102 or above, there probably is a problem. Consider getting medical assistance.
Most
tack stores today sell plastic digital thermometers which work very well and
usually “beep” when they are done. The
old mercury type thermometer also works well—if you remember to “shake down”
the mercury before taking the horse’s temperature.
The
most accurate way to establish the temperature is rectally.
Tie
a clothespin to one end of a 12-inch string and the thermometer to the other.
Lubricate
the thermometer with Vaseline, move the horse’s tail to one side and while you
stand slightly off to the side, gently insert the thermometer into the
rectum. Angle the thermometer slightly
toward the ground. Attach the clothespin
to the hair on the dock of the tail.
Digital
thermometers are short. You should angle
the tip so it touches the inside of the rectum.
A digital
thermometer will usually be ready to read within a minute, but a mercury
thermometer should be left for at least 3 minutes.
The digital
thermometer is easy to read, the mercury thermometer takes a bit more practice;
you have to roll it with your fingers until you can see the strip of
mercury.
The
thermometer reading should fall within the normal range or slightly
higher. A temperature of 105 or 106 is
very high and demands immediate attention.
If the reading is very high, you may want to try again as a “double
check” for accuracy.
When
you are done, shake down the mercury thermometer. Clean the thermometer thoroughly before
returning it to its case.
PULSE
An
adult horse at rest will have a pulse rate ranging from 30 to 42 beats per minute. Foals will have a pulse rate ranging from 70
to 120, yearlings from 45 to 60 and two-year-olds from 40 to 50.
Anytime
you see a horse at rest with a pulse rate higher than the highest indicated for
the age of the horse, you can consider the horse to be in distress. Consider medical attention.
A
horse having just exercised will have a higher pulse rate. The important thing to note then is the
recovery time—how fast does the horse return to normal? A healthy, well-conditioned horse should after
strenuous exercise return to near normal within 15 minutes, depending on the
ambient temperature. If it is a very hot
day, the horse may take longer to cool down, so his pulse will remain elevated
for a longer period of time. Awareness
and observation of conditions should help you make decisions.
Click
here to listen to a horse's heart rate, as he recovers after ten minutes of
loping.
If you are using a stethoscope, place
it on the horse’s girth area just behind the left elbow. You will hear the heart beat—it takes two
sounds, lub then dub, to count as a single heart
beat. If you don’t have a stethoscope,
I recommend you get one so you are very accurate. The stethoscope will also come in handy when
listening to gut and other sounds.
To
find the horse’s pulse with your fingers, you can locate the artery just under
the left inner side of the jawbone toward the front. Other convenient locations are at the back of
the fetlock joint (digital pulse) or just below the elbow on the inside of the
forearm.
Use
your index finger and press firmly against the artery. Count each surge of blood through the artery
for 15 seconds, and then you can multiply by 4 to determine the number of beats
per minute.
You
should practice locating the digital pulse.
A bounding digital pulse can be a sign of laminitis or an abscess. Become familiar with what is normal. A bounding digital pulse will feel harder and
firmer. Practice until you can locate
it.
RESPIRATION
The American Association of Equine
Practitioners states the normal respiration rate of a horse at rest is 12 to 20
breaths per minute. The British Horse
Society Manual of Horse & Stable Management gives an average of 8 to 12
breaths per minute. You can see why
it’s important to record what is normal for each horse.
The
respiration rate is the number of times a horse inhales and exhales each
minute. (That’s two actions for one
beat.)
Sixteen
cycles per minute is an average respiration rate.
The
best way to determine the rate is to place your hand on the side of the rib
cage and count the number of breathes taken in one minute. The average watch with a second hand will do
the timing very nicely. Another way to
find the rate is to stand back from the horse and count the in and out motions
of the rib cage, or the opening and closing of the nostrils. Count and time in the same
manner; two actions for one count.
The
respiration rate will climb with stress, excitement or exercise. And as with the pulse rate, the recovery time
is an important factor in determining the horse’s actual condition.
If
you have a stethoscope, place it on the horse’s windpipe to listen to his
breathing. If you hear strange
sounds—something which sounds restricted, rough or raspy—the windpipe may be
blocked by mucous or the horse may have allergies or heaves. Have the horse examined by a veterinarian.
DEHYDRATION
Healthy
horses, 15 to 16 hands, stabled, eating dry food and not doing much work will
need about 12 gallons of water per day during fairly cool weather. If the weather gets hot and the horse is
working hard, you can figure on doubling that amount.
An automatic waterer won’t allow you
to determine the amount of water the horse is drinking, so installing flow
meters is a good idea. If you don’t do
that, at least hang a 5-gallon bucket in the stall so you’ll have some idea of
the amount the horse is drinking.
To
determine hydration, use the pinch test.
Pinch the skin on your horse’s neck.
If the skin flattens into its normal position in less than 1 second
after you let go, the horse is okay. If
the skin doesn’t flatten that fast, the horse is dehydrated. The longer the skin stays up, the more
dehydrated the horse.
Older
horses may have lost the elasticity of the skin, allowing the skin to stay
“tented” longer than normal.
In
addition to the “pinch test” check capillary refill time, inspect the color of
the gums, check for moisture in the mouth, observe if the eyes have a sunken
appearance and notice if the manure is drier/harder than normal.
Dehydration
is a serious matter.
Horses
stop eating and often stop drinking. Try
to get the horse to drink by offering cool water, or water with ice in it. If that doesn’t work, try adding
flavor—Jell-O flavoring or apple juice.
To
prevent dehydration, check a horse’s water supply at least twice daily—during
the morning and evening observation walks is ideal. During periods of extreme heat and humidity
check the water three times a day.
It
is a poor idea to water a horse just before working him. The horse’s stomach does not lie on the belly
wall, but is suspended within the body of the horse. It lies against the diaphragm, which
separates it from the lungs. If the
stomach is filled with water or food, the capacity of the lungs to take in
oxygen is reduced.
Contrary
to popular belief, a horse may be given a drink while he is being worked, even
if he is sweating. A horse that is hot
from work can be allowed to drink, even cold water, providing the handler keeps
the horse moving until he has cooled down.
The mistake is not in letting the horse drink, but in not cooling him
down properly.
CAPILLARY REFILL TIME
Capillary
refill time is the time it takes for blood to return to blanched tissues in the
gums; it is an indicator of blood circulation.
Normal
refill time is 1 to 2 seconds.
Lift
the horse’s upper lip and firmly press your finger against the horse’s
gum. Keep the pressure on the gum for up
to 2 full seconds—or 
long
enough to create a white mark.
Release
the pressure and the white mark should return to a normal pink color within 2
seconds.
A
horse’s mucous membranes are his gums, the lining of his eyelids and the inside
of his nostrils. The normal color is
pink—slightly paler than a human’s gums--and is a sign of good blood
circulation.
Anytime
you see very pale, bright red, grayish blue or bright yellow membranes call a
veterinary immediately.
If
the horse’s gums are very pale, the capillaries are contracted, which indicates
fever or anemia.
If
the gums are bright red the capillaries are enlarged, indicating mild shock or
toxicity.
If
the gums are blue or grayish the horse is in severe shock and is suffering
depression and illness.
Bright
yellow gums are associated with liver problems.
GUT SOUNDS
Gut
sounds should always be present. Gut sounds provide very important information
used in the diagnosis of an illness.
The
absence of gut sounds is more indicative of a problem than excessive sounds.
When
there are few gut sounds, think of colic first.
If there are no gut sounds, think of calling a veterinarian.
Using a stethoscope is the best way to hear gut
sounds. Put the stethoscope up against
the horse’s barrel just behind his last rib.
If you hear lots of sounds, the horse is probably all right. Be sure to check from both sides.
If
you don’t have a stethoscope, put your ear up against the horse just behind the
last rib. You will have to push against
his side firmly to hear the gurgling sounds.
Click here
to listen to normal gut sounds.
With
few or no gut sounds, the horse is suffering from colic, the name given to any
undiagnosed abdominal pain.
The
most common causes of colic are a sudden change in feed or lack of water. Often the colic is mild, then over and
unnoticed.
Overeating,
just as with humans, causes gas, which in turn results in colic.
Every
stable should have on hand over-the-counter gas relief remedies used for
humans. They are inexpensive and they
work rapidly. Infant’s gas relief drops
work great, and so do any of the adult liquid gas relief formulas if they contain
simethicone. Don’t hesitate to give
simethicone at the first signs of colic; if it is not gas colic no harm will be
done.
Give
four or five droppers of the infant gas reliever or 20 to 40 ccs or one to two
ounces of the adult liquid gas relief. Be
sure the horse swallows the medication.
The
horse can be walked or jogged after being medicated with the gas relief
formula. If there is no improvement
within the next 30 minutes, call the veterinarian, then call the owner.
START THE
Awareness
and observation should start the day of the stable manager.
Walk
to every horse, take a good look at him, feel his legs and feet for heat, check
his water and his feed.
If
he is wearing a blanket or a sheet, this is the time to take it off. Horses like the temperature about 55
degrees, and blankets don’t keep the horse’s hair short; the amount of light in
a day determines the length of the hair coat.
(See the course on Preparation
for Competition to determine the best use of “lights” on a show
horse.) This is also the time to remove
hoods and neck wraps. Tail bags will be
left on most show horses most of the time.
If
the horse has standing bandages, or bandages to protect an injury, this is the
time to remove them. Redress a wound or
injury. Leave standing bandages off the
horse until evening.
You
should make a personal, face to face check of every horse twice each day. On the morning round you will make notations
on the horse’s condition; and then advise the trainer or owner.
Any
repairs or improvements to the horse’s stall or pen can be noted, and made
during the day.
Being
aware of conditions and observing the horse can beg the question—do I want to
check his vital signs?
If
the answer is, “yes,” you know what to do.
OWNERS NAME______________________
PHONE #______________________
ADDRESS ___________________________
___________________________ OFFICE # ____________________
EMERGENCY CONTACT ALTERNATIVE _______________________________
VETERINARIAN _______________________________________________________
HORSE’S NAME_____________________________________
BREED __________________________ SCARS ____________________________
ALLERGIES___________________________________________________________
FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS:
MORNING _____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
AFTERNOON __________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
EVENING _____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
VITAL SIGNS BASE
PULSE __________________
_______________________________
TEMPERATURE__________ _______________________________
RESPIRATION___________ _______________________________
ASSIGNMENT:
1.
Send a video of you checking the
vital signs and capillary refill time of a horse.
Load
the video to YouTube. Send the links to: elblazer@horsecoursesonline.com
2. Make a stall chart, and fill it out for a horse. You
can use the one in the lesson, make your own or use a commercially produced
chart.
Submit
the chart by scanning or take a picture of it, then send to:
Email: elblazer@horsecoursesonline.com