When deciding on a new horse, a key factor is its health. Although one cannot be 100% certain that a horse is absolutely healthy, there are some basic checks.
One begins with the general external appearance. The coat should be even, shinny and lie flat. The body should be well filled out, with well toned muscle. It should not be overweight or underweight. It should stand evenly on all four legs, with all four hooves pointing straight ahead. It is normal to rest a hind leg (but not a front leg), provided that it is not always the same leg which is rested.
Run your hands slowly down each leg, feeling for any swellings, bumps or hot spots. Give special attention to joints and the bottom of the leg. Check that each hoof is smooth, even and crack free.
Lift a hoof and check the sole for correct shape and any indications of previous injury; then repeat with the other three hooves. The angle and tilt of all four hooves should be correct and identical. If the horse is reluctant to lift a foot, it could just be lack of training, but may well be that it does not want to put more weight on another hoof, which would indicate an injury (to hoof, leg or spine). If you are unsure on any of these points, ask a professional farrier or blacksmith to perform the examination.
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 to use the services of a horse dentist) for spurs, unevenness or excessive wear. Try feeding the horse hay and watch how it eats. It should use both sides of its jaw equally and eat steadily. Dropping hay or leaving hay partly chewed indicates a problem either with the teeth or the jaw joints.
Examine the horse's droppings. They should be firm, with a mild and inoffensive odor.
The horse should appear alert, interested in things around it, and happy. It should move its ears in response to noises and hold them in an upright position.
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. - 29953
One begins with the general external appearance. The coat should be even, shinny and lie flat. The body should be well filled out, with well toned muscle. It should not be overweight or underweight. It should stand evenly on all four legs, with all four hooves pointing straight ahead. It is normal to rest a hind leg (but not a front leg), provided that it is not always the same leg which is rested.
Run your hands slowly down each leg, feeling for any swellings, bumps or hot spots. Give special attention to joints and the bottom of the leg. Check that each hoof is smooth, even and crack free.
Lift a hoof and check the sole for correct shape and any indications of previous injury; then repeat with the other three hooves. The angle and tilt of all four hooves should be correct and identical. If the horse is reluctant to lift a foot, it could just be lack of training, but may well be that it does not want to put more weight on another hoof, which would indicate an injury (to hoof, leg or spine). If you are unsure on any of these points, ask a professional farrier or blacksmith to perform the examination.
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 to use the services of a horse dentist) for spurs, unevenness or excessive wear. Try feeding the horse hay and watch how it eats. It should use both sides of its jaw equally and eat steadily. Dropping hay or leaving hay partly chewed indicates a problem either with the teeth or the jaw joints.
Examine the horse's droppings. They should be firm, with a mild and inoffensive odor.
The horse should appear alert, interested in things around it, and happy. It should move its ears in response to noises and hold them in an upright position.
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. - 29953
About the Author:
Dr. Doug Stewart is the author of Healthy Horse Checklist and other Horses Care articles.
