Before buying or choosing a new horse, it is important to check its health. Although it is impossible to be 100% certain that a horse is completely healthy, there are a number of tests which can identify most potential health risks. Following is a checklist.
The first indication is the general appearance. It should have a shinny, even and flat coat. The body should be well muscled, neither fat nor skinny. When standing, it should spread its weight evenly on all four legs, with each hoof pointing straight ahead. While normal to rest a leg from time to time, it should not be for long periods or always the same leg, as this would indicate an injury or weakness.
The legs should be free from swellings, bumps or hot spots. Slowly run your hands over the entire length of the legs, with special attention to the lower parts. The outside of the hooves should be smooth, even and free of cracks.
Lift each foot in turn and carefully check the sole to ensure that it is correctly shaped and has no apparent injury. Both the angle and tilt of all hooves should be correct and uniform. If the horse resists lifting one or more feet, it may just be inadequate training but it could also be due to a reluctance to lift a good hoof and thereby put more weight on a bad one. Unless you are very familiar with hooves, you may wish to ask a professional farrier (blacksmith) to advise you on these various points.
Check the gums. They should be pink, shiny and moist. If they are dry, tacky, pale or any color other than salmon pink, there is a health issue. If one presses gently on the gums (careful with your fingers!), at the point where you are pressing they will turn white but as soon as you remove your finger the color should completely return to pink within two seconds.
Check the teeth (you may want the advice of a horse dentist for this area) for wear, unevenness or spurs. If all looks fine, give the horse about 5kg (10lb) of hay (hay is a good test as it requires a lot of chewing) and watch how the horse eats. It should eat steadily, using both sides of its jaw equally, without dropping any food or leaving any hay incompletely chewed. Although this is not a conclusive test of dental health, it can identify some potential issues.
Examine the horse's droppings. They should be firm, with a mild and inoffensive odor.
The horse should appear alert, interested in its surroundings and happy. The ears should be perked up and should move in response to sounds. It should appear relaxed rather than nervous.
Have someone ride the horse in an exercise ring while you watch. They should gradually take it through a walk, trot and gallop; going first in one direction and then in the other. At all times the horse should display an easy, smooth movement with strides of consistent length, carrying its weight evenly on all four legs.
It should not start to sweat (unless the weather is hot) until it has been worked for some time as a fast gait. Likewise, its respiration should not be fast unless worked hard, although a gradual increase in respiration as the gait speeds up is normal. After working the horse fast for a while, gradually slow down, spending some time in each gait. As the gait reduces, the respiration should quickly reduce as well. Once the horse stops exercising, its respiration and pulse should rapidly return to normal. Any sign of pain, limping or discomfort during or after exercise should be carefully investigated. Failure to meet any of these criteria may indicate a health issue. Alternatively, they may simply mean that the horse has not received regular conditioning exercise.
Discuss the horse's medical history with the owner and seller. Ask to see its inoculation book and medical records. Check if you can discuss these with the horse's regular veterinarian. In particular, check if the horse has ever had any illness, especially colic or laminitis. Any incomplete or evasive answers should be a concern. Ask what the horse's diet is, since horses fed a natural diet (grass, supplemented by hay) are less likely to develop digestive problems than horses fed mainly on grains or feeds. Finally, check if the seller will provide a written guarantee for any existing health issues which you discover following the purchase.
More Information:
Categories
