Equine Anatomy & Physiology Outline the general signs of health & soundness of the horse including practical evidence ContentsPageIntroduction 3Temperature 4Pulse 5Respiration Rate 6Condition 7Coat 8Mucus Membrane 9Capillary RefillFeed & Water 10DroppingsRules of Feeding 11Feet/Legs 12Soundness 13Health Record over 6 weeks 14Bibliography 20 IntroductionIn this piece of work I aim to explain and discuss the main outward signs of health in a horse, including soundness. I will explain how a healthy horse should look and act, and I will also explain what an unhealthy horse might look like, or what signs a horse might show if its not feeling one hundred percent. I will explain how lameness can be recognised and I will be doing practical work, which will include temperature, respiration and pulse. I will be recording these signs of health over a six week period.TemperatureThe average temperature for a horse when it is in good health is 38 degrees Celsius or 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit. A temperature higher than that may indicate an infection. You can take your horses rectal temperature by using a digital thermometer. The horse should be tied or held still by someone. Lubricate the tip of the thermometer with vaseline or saliva. Move the horses tail to the side and out of the way and insert the thermometer into the horses rectum. Do not stand directly behind the horse, because some horses dont like this.A horses temperature can vary by 3 degrees depending. Horses tend to have a higher temperature in warm weather and during/after exercise. A high temperature doesnt always indicate that the horse might be ill, but it is a good idea to take your horses temperature often and if his temperature is over 38 degrees Celsius, you should call your vet.PulseA horses average heart beats per minute should be between 36-42. You can take the pulse underneath the head, or underneath the tail. I first took a horses pulse recently and I found it hard to find as it was weak and the horses head kept moving. My tutor said she finds it clearer to feel in the tail but that you are better off learning how to find it in the head as it is a lot safer, especially if you are working with young horses. After I got the hang of taking the pulse, I found that whenever the horse heard or saw something from the corner of its eye the heart rate would rise. I knew that a horses heart rate would rise when alert but it is a lot different from saying it to feeling it. A horses heart rate would rise due to a fright, exercise or if its in pain.Respiration RateA horses respiration rate at rest should be between 8 to 12 breaths per minute. A horses respiration rate increases with exercise, temperature or pain. Watch or feel your horses belly for one minute. Each breath is fairly slow. If you are having difficulty seeing the ribcage move, try watching the horses nostrils.ConditionCondition scoring your horse is a visual assessment of his current body condition. The level of fat cover is visually assessed using a number scoring system. There are different factors to consider when condition scoring a horse, for example;? Feed in-take? Fitness? Age? Pregnancy? General healthCondition scoring needs to be hands-on in order to feel the relevant areas of the horse. The areas where horses store fat are;? Neck? Shoulders? Ribs? Backbone? Pelvis area? Top of the tailThe best way to condition score your horse is to divide it into three sections, condition score each area (0-5) and then divide your score by three to give an average score.Condition ScorePelvisBack & RibsNeck0 EmaciatedAngular, skin tight. Deep cavity under tailSkin tight over ribs. Sharp backboneMarked ewe neck. Narrow and slack at base1 PoorProminent pelvis. Sunken rumpRibs easily visibleEwe neck, narrow and slack base2 ModerateCroup well defined, slight cavity under tailRibs just visible, backbone covered but spine can be feltNarrow but firm3 GoodCovered by fat and rounded gutRibs just covered. Backbone well coveredNo crest (except for stallions) firm neck4 FatPelvis covered by fatRibs well covered need pressure to feelWide and firm5 ObesePelvis buried, cannot be feltRibs buried. Back broad and flatMarked crest very wide and firm. Fold of fatCoatA healthy horse will have a shiny coat with the degree of shine depending on the time of year and grooming practices. During colder months, the coat will appear fluffier and less shiny than during warmer months. Older horses will maintain longer, less shiny coats even during the warm months. Younger, well-nourished, active horses usually have naturally shiny coats. Draught-type horses will have coarser, less glossy coats at any age.Exposure to sun will cause the colour of the horses coat to fade. Salt from sweat will dull the hair coat and may irritate the skin of the horse if not groomed properly over a period of time. Keeping the hair clipped makes the horse less susceptible to becoming chilled and possibly ill, and makes grooming easier and more effective.Mucus MembraneThe mucus membranes are the lining of a horses eyelids, his gums and the inside of his nostrils. Your horses eyes should be clear, bright and free from discharge and there shouldnt be anything coming out of the nostrils.7.1 Capillary RefillCapillary Refill Time (CRT) is the time it takes for blood to return to tissues in the gums. This is an indicator of blood circulation. Normal refill time is 1 to 2 seconds. Lift your horses upper lip up and firmly press your thumb against his gums for 2 seconds to create a white mark. This white mark should return to the normal pink colour within 1-2 seconds after releasing the pressure. A healthy horses gums are salmon in colour. If a horses gums are very pale, bright red, greyish blue or bright yellow, call a vet immediately.? Moist Pink: Healthy normal circulation.? Very Pale Pink: Capillaries contracted, indicates temperature, blood loss or anaemia.? Bright Red: Capillaries enlarged, indicates mild shock.? Grey or Blue: Severe shock or illness.? Bright Yellow: Associated with liver problems.Feed & WaterTo be able to judge if theres something wrong with the way your horse is eating you would have to be around it a lot to see the difference. Every horse is different with the amount they eat, it all depends on individual metabolism, current condition, size, work load, age, temperament and the ability of the rider.Larger horses need more food than small ones. A horses appetite is always 2.5% of the body weight, to find the appetite in kg you need to divide the body weight by 100 and multiply it by two point 5. Body weight can be determined in several ways;? A weigh bridge? Weigh tape? Table of weightsWorkConcentrates %Roughage %Maintenance0100Light work2080Medium work3070Hard work3565Hard fast work4060For example;? A 13.2hh pony doing hard work? It would weigh about 290kg? 290 divide by 100 multiply by 2.5 = 7.25kg total ration? 7.25 divide by 100 multiply by 35 = 2.53kg total concentrate? 7.25 2.53 = 4.72kg total roughage8.1 DroppingsDroppings may be an indication of his health. They should be well-formed balls without any massive chunks of undigested feed, have a subtle odour, a fairly uniform colour and no mucus covering.8.2 The rules of feeding are as follows;Feed little and often? The horse is a trickle feeder? Little and often complements the horses digestive process? The stomach is relatively smallDo not work fast immediately after feeding? Leave 2 hours after feeding before doing any fast work? Blood needed for digestion will be diverted to muscles? A full stomach will restrict lung expansionFeed plenty of roughage? Fibre is essential for a healthy gut? Fibre should be the largest part of the ration? Too little fibre and too much concentrates can lead to diet related disordersMake changes in the diet gradually? A sudden change in diet will lead to a change in Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs)? If bacteria are not present in enough quantity to convert lactic acid to VFAs then serious metabolic problems can resultAlways feed good quality feeds? Poor feed causes poor performance? Dusty or mouldy feed can cause respiratory disorders? Tainted feed may be rejectedKeep all feeding utensils and feed stored clean? Warmth and moisture allow stale feed to be contaminated with microorganisms? Cross contamination of medicines or supplements in sporting animalsFeed succulent daily? Grazing or fresh cut grass is a succulent? Carrots, apples or sugar beatWater before feeding? Horses should have clean fresh water available, if acces is limited then water every 2 hours? A horse that has been deprived of water and allows to eat a hard feed first is likely to wash undigested food out of the stomachKeep to same feeding routine daily? Horses are creatures of habit? Stress has an adverse effect on the horse? Feeds should be spread out as evenly as possibleFeet/legsIn your horses hooves make sure they arent cracked or dry. Healthy hooves may look different depending on the terrain or environment. To keep your horses hooves healthy you should clean them out between 2-4 times daily. Before riding out, before you untack and when you bring him in from the field.If you dont clean out your horses hooves daily they could end up getting Thrush. This is a bacterial condition, it has a horrible smell and usually there would be some sort of ooze coming out of the hoof. You would usually find Thrush around the frog area of the hoof. If your horse gets this you should call your farrier and get him to pare down the frog to take away any damaged tissue. You can treat Thrush by scrubbing out the foot regularly and apply one of several substances suitable for treatment of Thrush, these include; honey, eucalyptus oil, peroxide and copper sulphate.You should also look out for bruised or punctured soles. These could be caused from work on hard ground, poor shoeing or some sort of puncture wound. To ease bruising you should poultice it or use the method of tubbing. For a punctured sole to relieve the pain you should call your farrier to cut out the infected area. This should be followed up by poulticing and tubbing to draw out any remaining infection.If your horses foot feels warmer than usual he could possibly have an abscess inside the hoof from a badly placed shoeing nail, bruise or puncture.Your horses legs shouldnt feel warm to touch. A rise in your horses leg temperature could be from wearing boots or from an injury. Make sure you never tie your boots too tight and always warm up your horse properly before workout and when finished always make sure to hose down the legs with cool water. SoundnessA sound horse is one that has no lameness or illness. When purchasing a horse it is a good idea to have a vet check the animals soundness.HeadLook for right-left symmetry. For example, the flat muscles at the cheeks should be equally developed, a bulge might indicate a dental problem.Check the jaws grinding motion. It should slide easily before your horse opens its mouth. Resistance might be a sign of discomfort from a dental issue or problem with the jaw itself.Neck & BackUse the flats of your fingers to press lightly along the neck, withers and muscles along the back. Look for asymmetrical muscle development or signs of soreness.Test the range of movement in the neck. For example; get a piece of apple, put it below your horses nose and slowly lower it towards to floor. This will get the horse to stretch its neck. Difficulty doing this could indicate neck stiffness.Legs & feetAssess each leg from knee/hock to hoof. Look for swelling or other signs of asymmetry between left and right legs. Always note your horses reactions as you apply pressure to the areas.Pick up each leg and gently move the joints of the lower limb.Stand back and look at your horses feet. They should be symmetrical and balanced. Ideally, each coronary band is parallel to the ground when viewed from the front.Look for cracks in the hoof wall and sole. Feel around the coronary bands and heels for sensitivity or swelling. Health Record over 6 weeks Health RecordWeek 1Temperature37.8 degrees CelsiusPulse33 beats per min while at restRespiration Rate6 breaths per min while at restCondition Score3.5-4, he has a round belly but his quarters dont look as round as that thats why I put 3.5-4Skin/Coat/FeetGood shiny coat, nails looked higher up than usual in hoof but this might be normal for this horse, small cut on shoulderMucus MembraneGood capillary refill, salmon colour in both eyes and gumsStanceNormal, weight bearing evenly on all four legsLimbsNormal, no heat, pain or swellingBehaviourGood, alert look about him when I entered the stable and whenever he heard a noiseDroppingsThey looked a little too moist for my liking, also a bit greenish in colour which is a sign that he must be on a mostly grass dietFeed & WaterHis hay was eaten, so I assume he his feeding goodCoughing & BreathingNormal, no coughEarsHe had growths in his ears so it has left a lot of scar tissue, due to this Buddy doesnt like anyone at his ears. When applying the bridle you have to take it fully apart. He has 2 sores in his left ear and 6 in the rightHealth RecordWeek 2Temperature 37.9 degrees CelsiusPulse 30 beats per min while at restRespiration Rate7 breaths per min while at restCondition Score4Skin/Coat/FeetShiny coat, in my opinion his hooves are a bit long. Cut on shoulder is healingMucus MembraneNormalStanceEven stanceLimbsNormal, no heatBehaviourGood, reacting to sounds in the yardDroppingsA bit dark and moist, slight greenish colourFeed & WaterNo hay leftoverCoughing & BreathingNormal, no coughHealth RecordWeek 3Temperature 37.8 degrees CelsiusPulse 30 beats per min while at restRespiration Rate8 breaths per min while at rest Condition Score4Skin/Coat/FeetNormal, cut on shoulder healedMucus MembraneNormalStanceGoodLimbsNormalBehaviourGood, alert and eatingDroppingsLighter in colour, liquid running down legsFeed & WaterChange to haylage (reason for liquid)Coughing & BreathingNormalHealth RecordWeek 4 Temperature 37.7 degrees CelsiusPulse32 beats per min while at restRespiration Rate9 breaths per min while at restCondition Score4Skin/Coat/FeetSweat from a few days ago not brushed offMucus MembraneCan see nose was runningStanceNormalLimbsNo heat or painBehaviourNormal for this horse, small bit more alert todayDroppingsBetter than last week, no runsFeed & WaterEating and drinking normallyCoughing & BreathingNo coughing, breathing normalHealth RecordWeek 5Temperature 37.9 degrees CelsiusPulse32 beats per min while at restRespiration Rate8 breaths per min while at restCondition Score4Skin/Coat/FeetCut underneath right eyeMucus MembraneNormal, 2 sec capillary refillStanceGoodLimbsNormalBehaviourGood, reacting normally to everything going on around himDroppingsNormalFeed & WaterGood, all hay eatenCoughing & BreathingNormalHealth Record Week 6Temperature 37.8 degrees CelsiusPulse 31 beats per min while at restRespiration Rate8 breaths per min while at restCondition Score4Skin/Coat/FeetGood, cut under eye healedMucus MembraneNormalStanceGoodLimbsGood, no heatBehaviourNormal, reacting to everything going on around himDroppingsNormalFeed & WaterGoodCoughing & BreathingNormalBibliographyAll photos are from Google ImagesI got some of this information from my class notes. Jessica Soley BHS reg. NdipHM, Equestrian CoachPage 13: https://practicalhorsemanmag.com/health-archive/how-sound-is-your-horse-27840
