It’s your foremost responsibility to take care of your equine friend and keep a close eye to detect any signs of illness. Your jumper horses will only be as good as healthy they are. A reliable horse jumping barn checks up on your horse every day to identify any behavioral or otherwise changes. Yes, if your horse is sick, they would tell you through their behaviors and bodily functions. Here are 5 warning signs you must look out for,
1. Changes In Behaviors Of a Sick Horse
Horses are generally cheerful and active creatures, especially jumper horses. But, when they are sick, the first thing you would notice is the drop in their energy. They would become less active than usual, and seek solitude. They may get irritated or gloomy. Notice their ears. Your equine friend usually moves back and forth its ears while sleeping but you will notice the ears are pushed back when they are sick. They would breathe heavily, have respiratory problems, or may also develop changes in their bowel habits.
2. Sudden Weight Loss May Indicate That Your Horse is Sick
Horses generally have a big appetite, especially the jumper horses as they get enough exercise and training daily. A sick horse often will lose its appetite and you can notice its lack of interest in eating right away. It is also possible that it loses weight even though it eats well. If the horse is eating well and still losing weight suddenly, it might be the malicious worms in its stomach causing a digestive problem. Get expert advice from a veterinarian if you notice it looks weak immediately.
3. Do Your Horse Have A Fever?
If your horse has a fever, it’s not as easy to detect as for humans. You cant tell it by just looking at them or touching their forehead. Instead, you would need to look out for patchy sweating or faster-than-usual breathing. However, these signs may not always occur or be too subtle to detect. So, keep a digital thermometer handy, and learn how to perform a rectal temperature check. The environment, time of the day, etc. would also affect its body temperature. 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit should be the optimum temperature to match for an adult horse.
4. Change in Coat Quality
This is a relatively apparent sign anyone can notice. An unhealthy horse will exhibit a dull coat. When sick, your horse’s usually lustrous shiny fur coat will turn dull with dry, flaky skin underneath. Notice the skin underneath while washing it properly. You may also notice an excessively greasy coat if your horse is sick.
5. Back Issues
There are many other warning signs like coughing, itching, oral hygiene, etc. but you need to take good care of your horse’s back. Any kind of back issue will cause a major problem in your horse training and obviously is very dangerous for your equine companion. Bruising, muscle tension, soreness, etc. can occur due to a misfit saddle, or a mismatched rider. Pick the right fit for you when browsing through jumper horses for sale and consult with an expert horse jumping barn. You may also notice that your horse is showing resistance or aggression when saddled, strained movement, and dropping to one side. Such an issue can also result in injury for the rider later on. So, be very cautious.