WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU THINK YOUR PONY MIGHT BE ILL

Text | Shelley Wolhuter

Sometimes you get a feeling in your gut that tells you something about your pony is off. There may be nothing obviously wrong, but your instincts whisper to look closer. Horses and ponies are excellent at hiding their pain or discomfort, for good reason. It is what keeps them alive in the presence of a predator. The weakest link is the softest target, so the last thing your pony wants to do is look weak or in pain!

So, when your pony is feeling a little under the weather, it can be tricky to detect. This makes it difficult to decide when to call the vet. This is especially the case if you can’t see anything ‘obviously’ wrong but just have a feeling that something isn’t quite right. This article is a guide to help you in that moment of doubt to assess your pony so that you can give your vet all of the information before you call them.

Getting started - TPR

The holy grail of health checks is called ‘TPR’. It stands for Temperature, Pulse and Respiration. It is a great place to start. It is important that you know your pony’s normal values for each of these items when they’re in good health so that you have something to compare to when they’re not looking so great.

Temperature

Temperature may seem like an obvious one, but it is important to know what your pony’s normal temperature is on any given day. Individuals can be different and outside factors can also have an effect, such as the weather. A normal range of healthy temperatures for an average adult pony is between 37.2 and 38.3 degrees Celsius.

Pulse

Pulse, or Heart Rate, is possibly the most difficult vital sign to check and may take some practice. Place two fingers in the groove between your pony’s bones at the chin, and then move your fingers up along the nearest side of the jawbone until you feel a soft cord. Press gently until you feel a pulse. Count for 30 seconds and multiply by two. A healthy adult pony’s average heart rate is between 28 – 40 Beats Per Minute (BPM), with the average being 36 Beats Per Minute.

Respiration

The Respiration Rate is how many breaths your pony takes per minute. You can count the breaths by either placing your palm in front of the nostrils or watch the ribcage moving. Again, you don’t have to count for a full minute, but rather count for 30 seconds and multiply by two! A healthy adult pony’s respiration rate is between 6 – 16 (average of 12) Breaths Per Minute.

Mucous membranes

A pony’s mucous membranes can be checked by looking at their gums and the pink flesh inside the inner corner of their eyelids. These membranes should be bright pink and moist. You can perform a Capillary Refill Time on the gums, which basically shows how quickly blood returns to that area. This is done by pressing your finger onto a flat part of the gums for two seconds, removing your finger and checking that the blood returns to the pressed spot within a second or two.

Hydration

To look for signs of dehydration, you can gently pinch a little of some skin on your pony’s shoulder, pick it up slightly. Then release the skin and observe how it returns. If it immediately goes back to its original place, it suggests your pony is hydrated enough. However, if the skin stays up for a few seconds and slowly returns to the should der, it is a sign that your pony may be dehydrated.

NOTE: You can also touch your pony’s gums to assess hydration. If their gums are sticky and dry, then it is likely they are dehydrated.

Eating, drinking, pooping

On a general note, it is always good to monitor that your pony is eating, drinking and pooping as per usual. Always take note of the quantity and frequency of these things to spot when something changes. Pay close attention to the colour and texture of your pony’s poop and urine, as these can give good clues as to how healthy things are on the inside.

Context

It is very important to consider the possible outside factors that could affect your pony’s vital signs. Things like age, fitness, exercise, the weather, excitement, user error and size of the pony are all worth considering. The information gathered above is not to be used alone, but rather it should form part of a big picture. One should apply some common sense and context to the situation. Finally, if there is clearly something wrong with your pony, do not hesitate to call your vet! It is always better to be ‘safe, than sorry’.

Shelley Wolhuter

Libratum Equus - Balanced Horse

www.libratumequus.com

@libratum_equus

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