How to take your horse's pulse rate, respiration rate and temperature.

A horse's pulse and temperature are two barometers of health. As a horse owner, it's important that you know your horse's "normal" temperature and its normal resting pulse rate/respiration rate as then you have a baseline for recognizing possible illness or distress. Certainly one of the first things my vet asks me when I call to say my horse seems "off" is whether or not he has a temperature.

There are a range of "normal" readings so you should plan on checking your horse over a period of several days to determine his baseline readings.

Normal pulse range: 28 to 45 beats (count the double 'lub dub' as one full beat) per minute. You can check your horse's pulse rate by placing your finger lightly in front of the left jawbone (where you can feel a major artery), behind the left elbow, or at the fetlock. Watch the video below to see the techniques in more detail. Checking the digital pulse in the fetlock is an excellent way to determine if there is a problem such as laminitis. It's a good idea to know what your horse's digital pulse normally feels like so that you have a baseline.

Normal respiration range: 12 to 20 breaths per minute. A horse's respiration rate increases during hot weather or because of exercise, fever or pain. If your horse is breathing rapidly while at rest, you should call your vet. Keep in mind that respiration rate should never exceed pulse rate. You can measure your horse's respiration rate by placing your hand on his rib cage, watching his nostrils, or, if you have a stethascope, placing it over the windpipe.

Normal temperature range: 98.5F to 101F (36.9C to 38.3C). A horse has a 3-degree range in temperature which is influenced by warm weather, stress or excitement. However, a higher temperature than this can indicate an infection. If your horse has a temperature higher than 102F, you should call your vet. Horses' temperatures are taken rectally. To avoid losing the thermometer (yes, it happens), tie a string to the end. You can use digital thermometers but keep in mind that when using the newer ones, which show a temperature in 15-30 seconds, you will get a more accurate reading if you cycle the thermometer two or three times. When my horse was sick last fall I used a digital thermometer and incorrectly thought his temperature was lower than it actually was. Don't forget to clean the thermometer after use, especially if it could be used on several horses. This will prevent diseases from being spread.

Below are three excellent videos from The Horse and Horse & Rider that show how to check your horse's pulse rate, respiration rate and temperature.