Interactive Horse Health Check

Assess your horse’s health

With a little practice, you can examine your horse in less than 5 minutes using a systematic method of examination. Try out Equine Guelph’s Interactive Horse Health Check below! The complete examination involves two parts: an examination of the horse at rest and in motion. There are 16 checkpoints in the Horse Health Check examination:

  1. Eyes/Ears
  2. Mucous Membranes
  3. Capillary Refill
  4. Jugular Refill
  5. Skin Pinch
  6. Heart Rate/Pulse
  7. Respiratory Rate
  8. Gut Sounds
  1. Wounds/Saddle/Girth
  2. Muscles/Back
  3. Anal Tone
  4. Rectal Temperature
  5. Joints/Legs
  6. Impulsion
  7. Gait
  8. Attitude

Start the Interactive Horse Health Check!

To do the Horse Health Check, click each number on the horse below starting at 1 and ending with 16. You will be provided with helpful videos and pictures at each checkpoint. Next, click on the green, orange or red buttons for each. You can return to a previous category at any time.

When all the parameters are in the GREEN zone, then you have a healthy horse with no signs of a problem. If any of the parameters are in the YELLOW zone, then you need to slow down and/or stop your horse so that it can be further assessed or to give it appropriate recovery time. 

If any of the parameters are in the RED zone, you need to contact a veterinarian as soon as possible so the horse can be medically assessed, as there could be a serious condition present and medical assistance is required. Have the complete results of the Horse Health Check written down and available so you can report this information to the veterinarian.