Good health !
To be able to realize that a horse is not doing well, you need to know how a healthy and fit horse behaves.A healthy horse should be cheerful, alert and attentive to its surroundings. Ear movements should be lively, eyes clear, conjunctivae moist and pink, as well as all visible mucous membranes. The skin must be supple, the coat shiny, the muscles clearly visible and the tendons without congestion.
The breathing of a healthy horse is called costo-abdominal: chest and stomach move in the same way. In case of abdominal pain breathing becomes ribal, in case of chest pain and pulmonary disorder abdominal breathing will be noted.
Observe your horse's reactions: if he often lies down or never, note how he gets up and how he moves. Notice if he distributes his weight equally over his four limbs or preferentially on one foot or if he carries his weight from one foot to the other. This may not only be a sign of locomotor problems but also of abdominal pain.
Another very important point to judge the state of health of your horse: his attitude towards food and water. To be able to eat well, you need good teeth; This is why it is important to have your horse's teeth checked at least once a year by a veterinary dentist.
When you place your ear against your horse's belly, you should hear rumbling sounds clearly. Any increase in speed and intensity of borborygmi or, on the contrary, a reduction in noises can reveal a disorder (colic, eardrum, etc.). If in doubt, do not do anything yourself but always consult the veterinarian.
Depending on the amount of water the horse ingests, the color of urine can vary from light yellow to dark yellow and can be cloudy or clear.
Droppings can vary from semi-solid light green, if the food is fresh spring grass, to small, hard droppings. You should immediately consult the veterinarian when you notice diarrhea or soft, foul-smelling feces as this is not normal.
For the rest, you need to know your horse's daily habits: sleep, food, defecation, movements, etc. to be able to note the changes and then take the necessary measures.
Horse : temperature 37.2° - 38°, heart rate 28 - 40/min., breathing 10 - 14/min.
Foal : temperature 37.5 - 38.6°, heart rate 55 - 75/min., breathing 15 - 30/min.
These constants are averages, small differences are possible, for example under the influence of fever, pain, etc.
Supplements
The horse no longer lives today in the same natural conditions as in the past.
At the time, the horse (herbivore par excellence) could itself find in nature what it needed. This is why it is very important to supplement your daily ration with plants and other essential elements that you can no longer find in nature.
Horses that are stabled often, that are trained regularly and that have to travel a lot are continually stressed.
These horses need more supplementation. Even horses that are outdoors a lot and can graze do not absorb (by far) all the necessary substances.
The quality of grasslands can vary enormously from one place to another while the diversity of grasslands is often limited.
To know exactly what substances your horse is lacking and what supplement he needs, it is advisable to have the quality of the soil checked. A tiny deficiency in one element can lead to disorders, e.g. loss of appetite, loss of taste for work, the horse becomes capricious, its hair is dull, its hooves are of poor quality...
Miracle products do not exist and no therapy will be able to compensate for malnutrition, overtraining, insufficient care, inappropriate behavior, just as a health problem can never be resolved optimally if the only response provided is medication. Above all, observe your horse carefully and listen to him .
Fortunately, nowadays, we can avoid many problems, keep the horse in good shape and ensure good physical resistance.
There is a very wide range of general and specific supplements. It is not always easy to determine what is most appropriate for your horse.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call for advice.