🩺 Vet Guide: 6 Essential Veterinary Skills for Horse Owners | 2025 First-Aid Basics for Equine Monitoring & Safety 🐴

By Dr Duncan Houston, BVSc

As a horse owner, you don’t need to be a vet—but there are some key medical skills that can help you spot problems early, stabilize your horse in an emergency, and assist your veterinarian during care. 📋🐎

In this 2025 article, I’ll outline six foundational veterinary skills every horse owner should know—and how to learn them safely and correctly. 🧠💪

1️⃣ Taking a Rectal Temperature

One of the most important diagnostic tools you can master is **measuring your horse’s temperature**. A fever is often the first sign of infection or inflammation. 🌡️

Tools Needed:

• 📦 Human electronic **rectal thermometer** (digital)
• 🧴 Small amount of **lubricant** (e.g., KY Jelly or Vaseline)

Steps:

• 🧑‍⚕️ Stand to the **side of the horse’s hindquarters**, never directly behind
• 👂 Let the horse know you're behind them
• 📉 Gently insert the thermometer **2–3 inches** into the rectum, angled slightly downward
• ⏱️ Wait for the beep (usually 30–60 seconds)
• ✅ Normal equine temperature: **99.5–101.5°F (37.5–38.6°C)**

Your vet can show you exactly where to stand and how to practice safely. 🧠

2️⃣ Measuring Heart Rate or Pulse

Knowing how to measure your horse’s **heart rate** can help you detect pain, shock, or stress. 📈

Option 1: With a Stethoscope

• 🩺 Place stethoscope just behind the **left elbow**, low on the chest wall
• ⏱️ Count beats for 15 seconds and multiply by 4

Option 2: Feeling the Facial Artery

• 🖐️ Use your fingers (never thumb) to feel just below the jaw, halfway between the throat and cheekbone
• ⏱️ Count the pulse for 15 seconds, multiply by 4

✅ Normal resting heart rate: **28–44 beats per minute**

3️⃣ Watching Respiratory Rate

Respiratory issues can escalate quickly. Learn to count your horse’s **breathing rate** at rest. 🌬️

How:

• 👁️ Watch the **flank rise and fall** or place a hand on the chest
• ⏱️ Count breaths for 15 seconds, multiply by 4

✅ Normal resting respiratory rate: **8–16 breaths per minute**

4️⃣ Checking Mucous Membranes & Capillary Refill Time

The gums (mucous membranes) reveal a lot about **circulation and hydration**. Here’s how to check: 👄

What to Look For:

• 👅 **Color:** Healthy gums should be **pink and moist**
• ⏱️ **Capillary Refill Time (CRT):** Press a finger on the gums until white, then release
• 🔁 Time how long it takes to return to pink—should be **under 2.5 seconds**

🚨 Pale, blue, yellow, or dry gums are signs of a serious problem—call your vet immediately. 🧠

5️⃣ Applying Eye Medications Safely

Horse eyes are **incredibly sensitive**—and infections can turn serious fast. Knowing how to apply medication safely is vital. 👁️

Important Precautions:

• ⚠️ Never use a bare finger—**always use a clean glove** or clean applicator
• 🧴 Avoid touching the eye with the tip of the tube
• 📋 Ask your vet to demonstrate proper positioning and handling

Some owners accidentally introduce **bacteria or fungi** with their finger, causing severe infection. Always wash hands or wear gloves. 🧪

6️⃣ When to Call the Vet 🚨

These skills don’t replace veterinary care—they help you monitor the situation **while waiting for your vet** or identifying an emergency. 📞

Call Immediately If You Notice:

• 🌡️ Temperature above **103°F**
• 💥 Elevated heart or respiratory rate at rest
• 🩸 Abnormal gum color or prolonged CRT
• 😓 Profuse sweating, trembling, or collapse
• 👁️ Swollen, teary, or cloudy eyes

📲 Use Ask A Vet for 24/7 Monitoring Support

The Ask A Vet app helps you use these vet skills with confidence and clarity:

• 📱 Track TPR (temperature, pulse, respiration) daily
• 📸 Send photos of gums, eyes, or wounds to a vet for review
• 📋 Ask for help interpreting readings or abnormal findings
• 🧠 Log trends to aid diagnosis and emergency triage

It’s like having a vet in your pocket—ready when you need us. 🐴📲

✅ Essential Horse Owner Vet Skills for 2025

• 🌡️ Take your horse’s **temperature**
• 💓 Measure **pulse and heart rate**
• 🌬️ Count **respiratory rate**
• 👄 Check **gums and capillary refill time**
• 👁️ Apply **eye meds safely**—with clean technique
• 📞 Know when to **call the vet immediately**

📲 Final Thoughts from Dr Duncan Houston

You don’t have to be a vet—but every horse owner should be able to take a temperature, count breaths, assess the gums, and safely support their horse until the vet arrives. Learn these basic skills, practice regularly, and use them with care and confidence. 🧠💙

Download the Ask A Vet app to learn, track, and apply essential horse health skills with veterinary support—any time, anywhere—in 2025. 🐎📱