What is Normal? (in horses)

Some people may think that if a horse looks fine and healthy, they think that the horse is sound. But there`s a lot more to it than that, and by the end of this post you`ll be able to see what normal really is.

The resting heart rate is however many heart beats a resting horse make in one minute. A normal adult horse makes about 28-44 beats per minute. The heart rate of a resting foal is 70-80 beats per minute. REMEMBER to NOT take your horse`s heart rate after he has had exercise, but wait a good 15 minutes before you take his heart rate.

The next normal indicator is the temperature of the horse. The normal temperature of an adult is 99.5-101.4 degrees Fahrenheit. A foal`s temperature is the same.

Third, the resting respiration rate of an adult horse is 8-16 breaths per minute. A foal`s rate can range up to 24 breaths per minute Again remember to wait 15 minutes before you take your horse`s respiration rate after he has been exercising.

Things To Look For Daily

Every day you want to make sure your horse`s eyes are clear, if he is hydrated, and if he has eaten his food (if he has has gotten it yet). To check if he is hydrated, pull (not hard) a fold of skin away from his neck and let it go. If the skin fold goes down slowly, that means that he is hydrated. If it goes down quickly, make sure that he drinks his water.

Other Stuff To Know

An average horse drinks up to 5-10 gallons of water per day, and sometimes more. Also, the minimum of roughage consumption of an average horse is about 1% of its body weight which is about 10-12 pounds of good quality hay. Horses sleep standing up or laying flat on their sides. They make pawing and led wringing movements while eating. They rest their hind legs alternately. Foals will also make mouthing motions.

 

And that is how you judge if a horse is normal. Be sure to check your horse`s normal status about once a month!