What to check
- Watch each horse eat and move before chores become automatic.
- Check manure, water supply, fences, gates and footing.
- Learn and record your horse’s usual temperature, pulse and breathing with your veterinarian.
Why it matters
A change from that horse’s normal can matter more than a single number. Record when a change began, whether other horses are affected and what feed or management changed.
Keep the regular and after-hours veterinarian numbers, trailer plan and horse identification where another caretaker can find them.
When to look closer
Sudden loss of appetite, severe pain, collapse, difficulty breathing, eye pain or new neurologic signs warrant prompt veterinary advice.