Things You'll Need:
- Local Horse Magazines
- National Horse Magazines
- Horses
- Horse Comb/brush Set
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Step 1
Use both hands to part the horse's lips and expose the gums.
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Step 2
Press gently and briefly on the gum of the upper jaw with the index finger or thumb of one hand. This will force the blood from the capillaries, "blanching" the gum.
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Step 3
Watch and count how long it takes for the gum to return to its natural pink color after removing your finger. If the count is longer than 2 seconds, your horse may be dehydrated or have a circulatory problem.
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Step 4
Take this measurement regularly to get an idea of what's normal for your horse.
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Step 1
Learn what your horse's eyes and gums normally look like. They should appear moist and shiny, not dry.
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Step 2
Inspect your horse's gums and eyes frequently.
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Step 1
Pinch the skin on the horse's neck in front of the shoulder, using your thumb and forefinger.
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Step 2
Note whether the skin snaps back to its normal position quickly or responds slowly and remains "tented up." A slow response can indicate dehydration.
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Step 3
Check skin turgor regularly to get an idea of what's normal for your horse. Individuals can show variation in this test.
Comments
thehorsecoach said
on 11/12/2007 The Gatorade idea is a good one - we use that pretty frequently. We also put electrolytes in our horse's feed twice daily.
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 My farrier taught me this one and it works great. Put powdered Powerade or Gatorade in the water the day before trailer hauling a long distance. It is high in electrolytes and horses love it- and it's cheap and easier to use than the molasses and beet combo!
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 To quickly rehydrate a horse after a long ride - put into a 4 gallon bucket, with tight fitting lid, about 1/2 scoop of Speedi Beet (or other dried sugar beet) plus 1/2 cup of molasses syrup, 2 level tablespoons of ordinary table salt and 2 tablespoons of Lo-Salt. Offer this to the horse immediately after the ride, then, when he's cooled down and been through the vetting, give him a little of the beet in a feed bucket - this is especially useful if your horse is sometimes a bit reluctant to drink, as they'll usually accept a little food and the beet (being really wet and sloppy) is putting much needed water back into their system. On a long ride your crew can carry this bucket and offer the drink to the horse at crewpoints.