Before buying or choosing a new horse, it is important to check its health. Although it is impossible to be 100% certain that a horse is completely healthy, there are a number of tests which can identify most potential health risks. Following is a checklist.
The first indication is the overall appearance. The coat should be shinny and even. The body should be well proportioned with well toned muscle, neither over weight or under weight. It should stand evenly an all four feet, with the weight evenly distributed and the hooves pointing straight forward. Although it may rest a hind leg (but not a front one), it should not do so for long periods or always the same leg.
Slowly run your hands down the legs, from top to bottom, with careful attention to joints and the lower leg. There should be no bumps, swellings or hot spots. The hoof walls should be even, free of cracks and completely smooth.
Lift each foot in turn and carefully check the sole to ensure that it is correctly shaped and has no apparent injury. Both the angle and tilt of all hooves should be correct and uniform. If the horse resists lifting one or more feet, it may just be inadequate training but it could also be due to a reluctance to lift a good hoof and thereby put more weight on a bad one. Unless you are very familiar with hooves, you may wish to ask a professional farrier (blacksmith) to advise you on these various points.
The gums should be shinny, moist and pink. If one presses on the gums with a finger, they will turn white, but should return to pink within two seconds of removing your finger.
Check the teeth (you may want the advice of a horse dentist for this area) for wear, unevenness or spurs. If all looks fine, give the horse about 5kg (10lb) of hay (hay is a good test as it requires a lot of chewing) and watch how the horse eats. It should eat steadily, using both sides of its jaw equally, without dropping any food or leaving any hay incompletely chewed. Although this is not a conclusive test of dental health, it can identify some potential issues.
Examine the horse’s droppings. They should consist of firm balls, with a mild and inoffensive odor.
The horse should appear alert, interested in things around it, and happy. It should move its ears in response to noises and hold them in an upright position.
Have the horse taken to an exercise ring and exercised at all gaits (e.g. walk, trot, and gallop). It should take easy, smooth strides of equal length and with the weight evenly spread on all four legs. It should not favor any leg. Circle the horse in both directions (left inside and right inside) to make sure that it performs equally well in both directions.
It should not sweat (except during hot weather) until it has been worked for some time at speed. Its respiration should gradually increase as the gait picks up but it should not breathe hard except at a fast gait. As the gait is reduced, its respiration should quickly reduce. Once the horse stops, its breathing and pulse should quickly return to resting normal. Neither during nor after exercise should the horse shown any sign of discomfort, pain or limping.
Ask the current owner about the horse’s medical history. Ask if he will give you permission to talk with the horse’s regular vet. Ask to see the medical records and inoculations book for the horse. In particular, ask if the horse has ever had colic, laminitis or any other illness. Be wary of any incomplete or evasive responses. Ask what the horse’s normal diet is (horses fed a natural diet of grass, supplemented by hay, are less likely to have digestive problems than horses fed large on grains and feeds). Finally, ask the seller as to what written guarantee they provide in the event that a problem is found after sale, as this is an indication of the confidence they have in the horse’s health.
Dr. Doug Stewart is the owner of Horses for Sale and the author of Healthy Horse.
