How to Take Your Horse's Vital Signs

patient when assessing the horses pulseheart rate. You may not feelhear it at first as it is significantly slower than you might expect.
How to Measure a Horses Respiration Rate
Respiration is determined by counting the breaths the horse takes in one minute. It is best to look at the horses flank when evaluating this counting how many breaths the horse takes in and out over a thirtysecond period and multiplying it by two. It is not recommended to look at the nostrils to assess breathing rate because it is difficult to see and movement from smelling may easily be mistaken for breath.
Mucous Membranes and Capillary Refill Tests
Looking at a horses gums which are mucous membranes tissues lining an area that secretes mucus can help determine the horses hydration and tissue blood flow. To do this you can run your fingers across the horses gum to ensure they are wet and smooth rather than dry and tacky. Also look at the color of the gums which should be pink Figure 4. Pale or dark red gums are abnormal and a veterinarian should be contacted.
A capillary refill test should be done to evaluate tissue blood flow and hydration. To do this place your thumb on the horses gum applying slight pressure to make the color disappear from underneath the finger about three seconds. Release and count how quickly the pink color returns Figure 5. In a healthy horse this will occur within 12 seconds. Anything slower than this could indicate that blood circulation is delayed because of a health issue.
Figure 5. The circle that will form on the gums immediately after pressing down on the gum. In a healthy horse this circle should turn pink again in 12 seconds. Photo credit Mary SwoyerLarson
Safety is important when evaluating the horses gums. Be cautious that

the horse does not bite you while you are performing this evaluation. The horse may raise its head and move backwards to avoid having its mouth examined so select a safe location perhaps a stall or wash rack to maintain control of the horse.
Skin Pliability
You can also tent the horses skin to check for dehydrationthis is known as a skin pliability test. To do this pinch a fold of skin on the horses shoulder or neck up into a tent shape Figure 6. When you release the skin the skin should return back to normal flat against the body within
about 1 5 seconds. If the skin takes longer than four seconds to return to normal the horse is dehydrated and you should contact your veterinarian.
Conclusion
Assessing your horses vital signs is a relatively simple process and should be done regularly. You do not need many items to take these measurements and most can be evaluated within a minute. Be safe and cautious while taking measurements and keep record of these values for each horse.
The content of this presentation including text graphics and images is educational only and not intended to be a substitute for veterinary medical advice diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a licensed doctor of veterinary medicine or other licensed or certified veterinary medical professional with any questions you may have regarding a veterinary medical condition or symptom.