Horse Wellness Check list
“How to tell if your horse is well or ill”
There are signs that tell you whether your horse is feeling well or ill.
By being familiar with these signs you will be able to identify when your horse is sick and know when to call your vet.
Often owners don’t see the signs of illness as they are so subtle and develop so gradually that they go unnoticed until the problem becomes serious. Even if there are no signs of illness it doesn’t necessarily mean they are healthy, it just may be that they are not showing symptoms of illness.
Horse Wellness Checklist
Determine your horse level of Wellness & Illness
Knowing the signs of wellness can help you catch health problems early.
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Wellness
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Illness
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Good Energy Even in Old Horses
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Lethargy
(poor energy or lack of energy)
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Healthy Skin and Shiny Coat
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Dry & Scaly Skin, Bald Patches Mane or
Tail Loss, Dull Coat
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Bright Clear Eyes
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Dull, Cloudy or Sunken Eyes
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Correct Weight
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Overweight or Underweight
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No Digestive Problems
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Recurring Colic, Chronic Diarrhea, Foul Odor of Manure, Difficulty Maintaining Weight
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Increased Fertility and Live Births
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Decreased Fertility, Hard Breeders, Aborted or
Immature Foals
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Improved Feed Efficiency
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Decreased Feed Efficiency
(Undigested Waste Output Increased
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Greater Disease Resistance
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Increased Diseases and Infections Affecting the Usefulness of the Horse
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Improved Stamina & Greater Tolerance to
Weather Extremes
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Less Stamina & Can’t Take the Heat or Cold
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Improved Hemoglobin Synthesis
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Decreased Stamina, Increased Burnout,
Less Stamina
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Increased Acid Neutralization
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More Incedents of Colic, Ulcers, Tying Up, ext
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Wounds Heal Quickly
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Wounds Remain Open, Infected & Scarring
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Reduced Fly Population
No Bot Fly Eggs in Fall
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Horse Covered in Bot Fly Eggs
(orange eggs on body of horse in fall)
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Illness can be traced back to a deficiency of nutrients that causes the body to malfunction and eventually break down. It can start with one part of the body and then involve another part of the body.
If we do not give our horses the proper nutrients we can impair the body’s normal functions and cause great harm.
Our horses need the four basic nutrients - water, carbohydrates, protein and fats - as well as vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other micro nutrients. The first four are the basis for a good diet, by getting the other nutrients - which are essential for life - the body can utilize the first four for maximum performance and functioning.
We hope this checklist will help when deciding if your horse needs to see a vet, improve their diet and/or add supplements to improve their health and condition.
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