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come out?” pleads Bob. “Sure”, replies the vet.


“What’s wrong?” “I don’t know – he’s just


standing there.” “Did you take his tem-


before you can be here? Poor horse, poor Bob and


vital signs, the vet would have an idea of the seriousness of the sickness and the horse may get treated more quickly.


poor vet. If Bob knew how to check


perature? What’s his heart and respiration rate?” asks the vet. “I don’t know. How long


By Eleanor Blazer © 2011 “My horse is sick, can you


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plastic digital thermometers which work very well and usu- ally “beep” when they are done. The old mercury type thermom- eter also works well—if you remember to “shake down” the mercury before taking the horse’s temperature. The most accurate


way to establish the temperature is rectally.


will usually be ready to read


mometer with Vaseline, move the horse’s tail to one side and while you stand slightly off to the side, gently insert the thermometer into the rectum. Angle the thermometer slightly toward the ground. Attach the clothespin to the hair on the dock of the tail. A digital thermometer


one end of a 12-inch string and the thermometer to the other. Lubricate the ther-


Tie a clothespin to


ture can vary by as much as 3 degrees and should be evalu- ated in consideration to recent exercise, ambient temperature, and the condition of the horse, including whether or not he has been clipped or is wearing a blanket or sheet. Most tack stores today sell


101 degrees F. • Temperature can be a degree higher in the afternoon, after meals or while in a stress- ful environment. • In order to determine your horse’s average healthy tem- perature take a reading for three days in a row, at the same time each day. A healthy horse’s tempera-


lions: 101 – 102 degrees F. Average adult horse: 99 to


TEMPERATURE Foals, yearlings, and stal-


shake down the mercury ther- mometer. Clean the thermome- ter thoroughly before returning it to its case.


HEART RATE OR PULS Foals: 70-90 beats


per minute per minute 80 bpm


beats per minute 2 years: 40-50 beats


30-45 beats per minute Adult horse at a walk:


120-140 bpm


ter: 160-200 bpm Adult horse at a gal-


exercised horse’s heart rate should recover to about 70 beats per minute after a 10- minute rest. Anytime you see a


horse at rest with a pulse rate higher than the highest indi- cated for the age of the horse, you can consider the horse to be in distress. Consider medical attention.


exercised will have a higher pulse rate. The important thing to note then is the recovery time—how fast does the horse return to normal? A healthy, well-conditioned horse should after strenuous exercise return to near normal within 15 min-


A horse having just


average. Physically fit horses will have a lower heart rate at rest, more stamina, and a faster recovery rate after exercise. • A well-conditioned,


220-250 beats per minute • These rates are an


lop: 200 plus Maximum heart rate:


Adult horse at a trot: Adult horse at a can-


Adult horse at rest: 6 -12 months: 45-60


reading should fall within the normal range or slightly higher. A temperature of 105 or 106 is very high and demands imme- diate attention. If the reading is very high, you may want to try again as a “double check” for accuracy. Then call the vet. When you are done,


eter is easy to read, the mercury thermometer takes a bit more practice; you have to roll it with your fingers until you can see the strip of mercury. The thermometer


within a minute, but a mercury thermometer should be left for at least 3 minutes. The digital thermom-


utes, depending on the ambient temperature. If it is a very hot day, the horse may take longer to cool down, so his pulse will remain elevated for a longer period of time. Awareness and observation of conditions should help you make deci- sions.


www.horsecoursesonline.com/ videos/heart_rate_sounds.html to listen to a horse’s heart rate, as he recovers after ten minutes of loping.


stethoscope, place it on the horse’s girth area just behind the left elbow. You will hear the heart beat—it takes two sounds, lub then dub, to count as a single heart beat. If you don’t have a stethoscope, I rec- ommend you get one so you are very accurate. The stethoscope will also come in handy when listening to gut sounds. To find the horse’s


If you are using a


inhales and exhales each min- ute. (That’s two actions for one beat.)


minute is an average respiration rate.


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determine the rate is to place your hand on the side of the rib cage and count the number of breathes taken in one minute. The average watch with a second hand will do the timing very nicely. Another way to find the rate is to stand back from the horse and count the in and out motions of the rib cage, or the opening and closing of the nostrils. Count and time in the same manner; two actions for one count. The respiration rate


The best way to Sixteen cycles per


will climb with stress, excite- ment or exercise. And as with the pulse rate, the recovery time is an important factor in determining the horse’s actual condition.


pulse with your fingers, you can locate the artery just under the left inner side of the jawbone toward the front. Other conve- nient locations are at the back of the fetlock joint (digital pulse) or just below the elbow on the inside of the forearm. Use your index finger


locating the digital pulse. A bounding digital pulse can be a sign of laminitis or an ab- scess. Become familiar with what is normal. A bounding digital pulse will feel harder and firmer. Practice until you can locate it.


RESPIRATION Average rate, at rest:


exercise, recovery to the normal rate should be within 15 – 20 minutes.


is the number of times a horse


at rest will have a respiration rate just a bit lower than half his pulse rate. A horse with a pulse rate of 32 should have a respiration rate of about16 beats per minute. The respiration rate


A healthy adult horse


8-15 breaths per minute • Depending on the


and press firmly against the artery. Count each surge of blood through the artery for 15 seconds, and then you can multiply by 4 to determine the number of beats per minute. You should practice


scope, place it on the horse’s windpipe to listen to his breathing. If you hear strange sounds—something which sounds restricted, rough or raspy—the windpipe may be blocked by mucous or the horse may have allergies or heaves. Have the horse examined by a veterinarian. Vital signs reflect the


If you have a stetho-


general health of the horse and can indicate whether he is dis- tressed in any way. Recording the vitals signs and comparing the readings to his normal rates can be helpful in monitoring his condition.


horse, found nothing wrong (all normal vital signs) and charged Bob for a farm call and added an “emergency charge.” Bob decided to learn


about caring for horses take the online courses “Stable Management” and “Nutrition for Maximum Performance” taught by Eleanor Blazer. Earn certification or work toward a Bachelor of Science de- gree in equine studies. Go to www.horsecoursesonline.com for more information. Visit Eleanor’s web site at www.the- wayofhorses.com.


adoption results released Demand was high on April 16 to adopt Mustangs eligible for the $200,000 Supreme Extreme, which will have new divisions, more prize money and extra bonuses as compared to 2010.


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cess of the 2010 Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover, Mustangs adopted on April 16 are eligible to compete for more than $200,000 in cash and prizes at the 2011 Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover to be held September 15-17 at the Will Rogers Equestrian Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Lot 2, a 6-year-old


dun gelding gathered from the Twin Peaks herd management area in California, was adopted for the highest price. The bid- ding was intense but when the gavel fell, Lorrie Grover of Corpus Christi, Texas, who


Building on the suc- Georgetown, Texas,


is a former Extreme Mustang Makeover Champion, was the winning bidder at $5,000. In all, 191 Mustangs


especially high this year due to exciting changes that will be implemented at the September competition. In addition to the $100,000 Legends division, two new divisions will be added – the $50,000 Idols division and the $20,000 Stars divi- sion. Mustangs competing in the Legends and Idols division will participate in three classes – trail, pattern and a trainer’s choice. Mustangs competing in the Star division will be shown in-hand and will not be ridden in the competition. Adopters will have until August 1 to declare in which division their Mustangs will compete. With the larger purse


available, the Supreme event follows a different format than other Extreme Mustang Make- overs, and Mustangs are adopt- ed prior to the competition. Also new this year, Mustangs can be trained and shown by someone other than their adopter. The Supreme Ex-


treme Mustangs will be picked


were adopted with the adop- tions averaging $630 for un- touched, wild Mustangs, who are full of potential. Complete adoption results can be accessed at www.extrememustangmake- over.com/forms/2011/supreme- extreme_adoptions.pdf. The demand was


up by adopters on May 13-14 at one of four BLM facilities, and the adopters and Mustangs will begin the training process. Tickets are on sale now to see the results of the partnerships formed between trainers and horses at the competition in Fort Worth, Texas, September 15-17. All events are free to the pub- lic, except the Saturday Finals performance, which costs only $15 for general admission. Visit www.extrememustangmake- over.com/supremeextreme.php, for the latest Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover information and to purchase tickets. “We are extremely


or older at time of entry; and Young Guns, trainers that are 18-21 years of age at time of entry.


event will also have a voice as a Fan Favorite Award will be given during the Legends Finals.


proud to see the demand for these American treasures,” said Mustang Heritage Foundation executive director Patti Colbert. “These horses continue to cap- ture the hearts and imagination of our talented trainers, and we are constantly amazed at what can be accomplished in such a short amount of time. Our new divisions give everyone who wants to experience the ultimate Mustang training challenge a place to compete.”


money available for each divi- sion, $25,000 in bonuses will be paid out at the event. Each divi- sion will have bonuses paid for Rookies, anyone that has never entered an Extreme Mustang Makeover event; Silver Bullets, trainers that are 50 years old


In addition to prize


preme Extreme Mustang Makeover event where hors- es will be adopted prior to competing, Mustangs will be available for adoption at all Extreme Mustang Makeover events. Trainers interested in competing in Extreme Mus- tang Makeover events must complete and submit an ap- plication, which are avail- able at the Extreme Mustang Makeover website. Visit www. extrememustangmakeover.com for the latest information on the Extreme Mustang Make- over events.


30,000 American Mustangs waiting to be adopted in BLM facilities, the Mustang Heritage Foundation is stepping up its efforts to help these American legends find adoptive homes. In 2011, the Mustang Heri- tage Foundation’s Extreme Mustang Makeover events will continue to showcase the talents of the American Mus- tang and will up the ante by offering the largest purse ever in Mustang competition. Excluding the Su-


Wi th more than Fans attending the 2011 supreme extreme mustang makeover


to take “vital signs.” * For information


The vet saw Bob’s


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Of A Different Color?


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