Monday Morning Feed from SmartPak: Taking Your Horse’s Vitals

Do you know how to take your horse’s temperature, pulse and respiration? Dr. Lydia Gray shows us how.

If you’re like me, you’ve got enough equine facts and figures crammed into your brain to give an “A” Pony Clubber a headache — so much so that sometimes bits overlap or get lost altogether.

A few weeks ago at the barn, for instance, a friend and I were having a discussion about what a horse’s respiration should be. It went something like this…

“I think it’s like 8 or 10 breaths per minute—no… wait… that seems too low. Doesn’t that seem too low?”

“Isn’t it like 28-42? Something is 28-42; I just can’t remember what.”

“This is important stuff. This is stuff we’re supposed to know.”

“Yeah.”

SmartPak to the rescue! In this video SmartPak veterinarian Dr. Lydia Gray breaks it down into an easy, step-by-step tutorial.

So, to clear up our confusion, typical ranges for normal are T = 99.5 – 100.5°, P = 28-42 beats per minute, and R = 8-12 breaths per minute, but you should figure out what is normal for YOUR horse.

Go SmartPak, and Go Riding!