Vetting In

We’ve gotten past the vetting!?:)

This video shows the full experience.? I first give the vet assistant my card – it has pre-determined space for vets to measure a host of different indicators of overall horse health.? They are focusing on signs of stress and dehydration and looking for any wounds (back, legs) that would compromise the horses’ ability to do the ride.

The vet first checks Bear’s heart rate – you can hear him call it as 44 bpm – and then he moves farther back to listen to gut sounds.? Gut motility is very important in horses as they have a one-way system with just one stomach.? After he’s gone through a series of other checks, we have a brief conversation about old calluses he feels on Bear’s back fetlocks.? I will put small neoprene interference boots on his back legs to protect that area because he has a tendency to kick himself.

Then the vet asks me to trot Bear out.? Here he’s defintely looking for lameness, but he also is measuring Bear’s attitude and impulsion (willingness to go).? We got all A’s!

What did you think of this article?

Thank you for your feedback!