Lameness is an abnormality of gait that is caused by pain and/or restriction of movement. It’s very upsetting when your special pony is lame, particularly if you don’t know exactly what is wrong. Over the next few days we’ll be looking at the most common causes of lameness in our ponies, and how they can […]
Understanding lameness: Intro Read More »
If you spend enough time with horsey people, you realise they seem to talk a different language. We’ve received a few questions about the meaning of horse-related words so thought we’d answer them here. If you have heard any horse-related words that you don’t understand, just send them through to lizzie@hqmagazine.co.za and we’ll put them
Upgrade your pony vocab, Part 1 Read More »
Hooves can be great indicators of your pony’s overall health. Poor quality horn (outer wall) in the feet of your pony suggests that better nutrition is needed, and rings in the hoof can be signs of previous episodes of laminitis. Any big sand cracks from the top of the hoof, or grass cracks from the
Pony health check #12: Hooves Read More »
Every owner should know their pony’s legs. Every day before and after you ride you should feel the legs from top to toe, to find any changes. Feel your pony’s legs for lumps, bumps, heat and swelling. If you find a new bump that you haven’t noticed before, then call your vet. Similarly, if you
Pony health check #11: Legs Read More »
Your pony’s manure can give you clues as to his overall condition. Droppings should be in firm, well-formed balls. Very loose droppings, very dry droppings or low amounts of droppings are a sign there is something wrong and that you need to call your vet. Ponies should pass droppings every 1-2 hours so if your
Pony health check #10: Manure Read More »
Looking at your pony’s condition can tell you a lot about his health. Assessing body condition score may seem like a bit of schlepp, but having an accurate assessment of your pony’s weight, condition, and fat distribution can be incredibly helpful if your pony becomes sick. Often we are the last to notice when our
Pony health check #9: Body condition score Read More »
You should be able to hear your pony’s gut sounds as he digests his food by putting your ear to his belly. You need to do this on both sides of your pony. In a pony these noises should be there nearly all of the time, as ponies are trickle feeders and therefore should be
Pony health check #8: Gut sounds Read More »
Your pony’s respiratory rate (number of breaths he takes per minute) should be between 10-24 breaths per minute. Just as with heart rate this rate will be affected by exercise or pain and illness. You can measure the respiratory rate of your pony by either watching the movement of his nostrils or the movement of
Pony health check #7: Respiratory rate Read More »
The normal heart rate AT REST for your pony is 28-44 beats per minute. Just as with the human heart, this rate will increase during exercise. A vet uses a stethoscope just behind the girth area to listen to the heart rate, and you can train yourself to do this. However, an easier option is
Pony health check #6: Heart rate Read More »
Your pony’s temperature should fall between 37.2 and 38.3 degrees Celsius. To check the temperature stand to the side of your horse’s hindquarter and insert the thermometer into his rectum. Hold it in place until it has a reading, or beeps to indicate that it is finished measuring the temperature. It is advisable to have
Pony health check #5: Temperature Read More »
