Horse Vital Signs Checker
& Triage Assessment
Enter your horse's heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, gut sounds, and mucous membrane colour for an instant triage assessment — Call vet now / Monitor / Normal.
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Age and condition affect normal vital sign ranges.
Enter your horse's vital signs
Take each measurement carefully. Normal ranges are shown for reference.
❤️ Heart Rate (beats per minute)
Place a stethoscope on the left side of the chest, just behind the elbow. Count beats for 30 seconds and multiply by 2. Or feel the pulse under the jaw (facial artery) or inside the fetlock.
🌡️ Rectal Temperature (°C)
Use a digital thermometer lubricated with petroleum jelly. Insert gently into the rectum and hold against the rectal wall for 60 seconds or until it beeps.
💨 Respiratory Rate (breaths per minute)
Watch the flank or nostrils. Count one inhale + one exhale as one breath. Count for 30 seconds and multiply by 2.
🔊 Gut Sounds
Using a stethoscope or your ear, listen in all four quadrants of the abdomen for 1 minute each. Normal sounds are gurgling and rumbling.
👄 Mucous Membrane Colour & CRT
Lift the upper lip and look at the gum colour. Press firmly on the gum for 2 seconds, release, and count how long it takes to return to pink (capillary refill time / CRT).
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Normal Horse Vital Signs — A Complete Reference Guide
Knowing your horse's normal vital signs is one of the most valuable skills a horse owner can develop. By regularly checking and recording your horse's vital signs when they are healthy, you create a personal baseline that makes it far easier to detect abnormalities early — when intervention is most effective.
❤️ Heart Rate
28–44 bpmAdult horses at rest. Foals: 80–120 bpm (newborn), 60–80 bpm (1 month), 44–60 bpm (weanling).
🌡️ Temperature
37.5–38.5°CAdult rectal temperature. Foals up to 38.9°C. Measure rectally with a digital thermometer.
💨 Respiratory Rate
8–16 breaths/minAdult horses at rest. Foals: 20–40 breaths/min. Count inhale + exhale as one breath.
👄 Mucous Membranes
Pink, moist, CRT <2sGums should be salmon-pink, moist, and capillary refill time under 2 seconds.
When to Call the Vet Immediately
Heart rate above 60 bpm at rest · Temperature above 39.5°C or below 37°C · Respiratory rate above 20 bpm at rest with laboured breathing · Absent gut sounds in any quadrant · Blue, purple, grey, or bright red gums · CRT above 3 seconds · Signs of colic that don't resolve within 30 minutes · Sweating without exercise · Inability to stand · Collapse or seizure
How to Take Your Horse's Vital Signs
Practise taking vital signs when your horse is healthy so you are confident and accurate in an emergency. The five key vital signs every horse owner should know how to measure are: heart rate, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, gut sounds, and mucous membrane colour and capillary refill time (CRT).
| Vital Sign | Normal Adult Range | Equipment Needed | Warning Signs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart Rate | 28–44 bpm | Stethoscope or finger on facial artery | >60 bpm at rest = call vet |
| Temperature | 37.5–38.5°C | Digital rectal thermometer + lubricant | >39.5°C or <37°C = call vet |
| Respiratory Rate | 8–16 breaths/min | Visual observation | >20 bpm at rest with effort = call vet |
| Gut Sounds | Gurgling in all 4 quadrants | Stethoscope | Absent sounds = call vet |
| Mucous Membranes | Pink, moist, CRT <2s | Visual + finger pressure | Any colour change or CRT >3s = call vet |
Frequently Asked Questions About Horse Vital Signs
Answers to the most common questions horse owners ask about equine vital signs and triage.
Want to be ready for any horse emergency?
The DIY Horse Vet course by Dr. Louise covers colic, wounds, foaling emergencies, eye injuries and more — giving you the knowledge to act confidently before the vet arrives.
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