How to Read a Horse's Vital Signs: Temperature, Pulse, Respiration

Reviewed by Dr. Khurrum Shahzad Khosa, DVM

Knowing how to assess your horse's vital signs is one of the most valuable practical skills any horse owner can develop. In an emergency — suspected colic, a respiratory illness, an injury, or any sudden change in your horse's condition — the ability to measure and interpret heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, gut sounds, mucous membrane colour, and digital pulse allows you to assess severity, monitor changes over time, and communicate clearly and accurately with your veterinarian. These skills can directly influence the speed and appropriateness of veterinary response, and ultimately the outcome for your horse.

The key is to practise all of these assessments on your healthy horse regularly, so that you know their individual normal values. Horses vary somewhat within the published normal ranges, and knowing that your horse's resting heart rate is typically 32 bpm rather than 44 bpm makes a reading of 48 bpm more meaningful than it would be without that baseline knowledge. For a full overview of equine health monitoring, see our horse health guides.

Resting Heart Rate — Normal Range: 28–44 bpm

The normal resting heart rate in an adult horse is 28 to 44 beats per minute. Foals have considerably higher rates — newborn foals may be 80 to 100 bpm, declining toward adult values over the first year of life.

How to take it: The most accessible location without a stethoscope is the facial artery — run your fingers along the underside of the lower jaw bone near the cheek until you feel a cord-like vessel crossing over the bone. Press gently with two fingers and count the beats for 30 seconds, then multiply by two. If you have a stethoscope, place it low on the left side of the chest just behind the elbow to hear the heart directly. Count for 30 seconds and double the result.

What raises it: A consistently elevated resting heart rate above 60 bpm indicates pain, fever, cardiovascular compromise, or severe systemic illness. In a horse with colic, the resting heart rate is a key indicator of pain severity and prognosis: 40 to 60 bpm suggests mild to moderate pain; 60 to 80 bpm indicates significant pain requiring urgent veterinary care; above 80 bpm indicates severe pain and is a colic emergency. A rising heart rate measured repeatedly over 30 to 60 minutes indicates worsening pain and must prompt an immediate veterinary call.

Respiratory Rate — Normal Range: 8–16 Breaths Per Minute

The normal resting respiratory rate for an adult horse is 8 to 16 breaths per minute. Each complete breath — one inhalation and one exhalation — counts as one breath.

How to assess: Count by watching the movement of the nostrils or the rise and fall of the flank for a full minute. Do not disturb or excite the horse during measurement — rest the horse first if they have been exercised. Alternatively, hold your hand near the nostril and count the warm exhalations. Avoid measuring in cold weather using condensation, as this can be inaccurate.

Interpreting the result: A respiratory rate above 20 breaths per minute at rest requires investigation. Note the character of breathing alongside the rate: laboured breathing with visible abdominal effort on exhalation suggests obstructive lower airway disease such as equine asthma; extended neck, flared nostrils, and elbows turned outward indicate significant respiratory distress; open-mouthed breathing and visible panic are emergency signs. Shallow, rapid breathing in a horse with colic can indicate severe pain rather than primary respiratory disease — always assess both heart rate and respiratory rate together.

Rectal Temperature — Normal Range: 37.2–38.3°C (99–101°F)

Normal equine body temperature sits between 37.2 and 38.3 degrees Celsius (99 and 101 degrees Fahrenheit). Temperature is taken rectally — the only practical and reliable method for horses.

How to take it accurately: Use a digital veterinary thermometer with a clip or string attachment — this is important, as thermometers can occasionally be drawn fully into the rectum if dropped. Lubricate the tip with petroleum jelly or a water-based lubricant. Stand to the side of the horse at the hindquarters — never directly behind, where you are at risk of a kick. Hold the tail to one side and gently insert the thermometer into the rectum with a slight angle, ensuring it contacts the rectal wall rather than sitting in a faecal ball, which can give falsely low readings. Leave in place for 60 seconds for a standard digital thermometer, then read and record the result.

Interpreting the result: A temperature above 38.5°C (101.3°F) indicates a low-grade fever and warrants monitoring and veterinary contact. A temperature above 39.5°C (103.1°F) is a significant fever — call your vet. A temperature above 40°C (104°F) is an emergency. Subnormal temperature below 37°C (98.6°F) is also abnormal and may indicate shock or hypothermia, particularly in neonatal foals or very sick adults.

Gut Sounds (Borborygmi) — Should Be Present in All Four Quadrants

The equine digestive system should be continuously active. A horse's gut is always moving, fermenting, and propelling ingesta. Gut sounds — collectively termed borborygmi — are assessed with a stethoscope applied to all four quadrants of the abdomen: upper and lower on the left side, and upper and lower on the right side.

How to assess: Place the flat of the stethoscope firmly against the horse's flank in each position. In each quadrant, listen for a minimum of 30 to 60 seconds before moving on. Normal sounds range from quiet gurgles and rumblings to louder fluid and gas movement sounds. There is natural variation — sounds increase after feeding and decrease after prolonged fasting. Loud, high-pitched tinkling sounds may indicate increased fluid in the bowel. A characteristic "waterfall" sound in the right upper quadrant can indicate right dorsal displacement of the large colon.

What silence means: Complete silence in any quadrant — particularly sustained absence of sound over a full minute of careful listening — is a significant emergency finding. It suggests intestinal motility has stopped in that segment, which is associated with impaction, displacement, or ileus. Report to your vet immediately.

Capillary Refill Time and Mucous Membrane Colour

The mucous membranes — most easily assessed at the gums — provide a rapid window into cardiovascular status, perfusion, and systemic health. Normal gum colour in a horse is salmon pink: a warm, moist, uniformly pink colour.

How to assess colour: Gently lift the upper lip and examine the gum above the front teeth in good lighting. Note the colour and the moisture of the surface — healthy gums are moist; very dry or tacky gums indicate dehydration or reduced perfusion.

Colour interpretation: Pale pink or white gums indicate poor peripheral circulation, shock, pain, or anaemia — call your vet immediately. Bright red or brick-red gums, particularly with a darker red toxic line along the gum margin, indicate endotoxaemia — a serious, life-threatening emergency requiring immediate veterinary response. Blue or purple gums indicate severe cardiovascular failure with inadequate tissue oxygenation — a critical emergency. Yellow-tinged gums indicate jaundice caused by liver disease or haemolytic conditions.

Capillary refill time (CRT): Press one finger firmly against the gum for exactly 2 seconds, creating a pale blanched spot. Remove the finger and count the seconds until normal pink colour returns. A normal CRT is less than 2 seconds. A CRT of 2 to 3 seconds suggests reduced perfusion. More than 3 seconds indicates significant circulatory compromise and is an emergency finding.

Digital Pulse — Should Be Faint or Undetectable

The digital pulse is assessed on either side of the pastern, where the digital arteries run along the sides of the leg toward the foot. In a healthy horse, the pulse is present but extremely faint — so subtle that it requires practice to detect consistently.

How to assess: With your index and middle fingers, apply gentle pressure to the groove on either side of the back of the pastern, just above the coronary band. Once you can feel the digital arteries — they feel like small cords — assess the strength of the pulse. A normal pulse is barely perceptible. A bounding pulse that you can detect easily as a regular, forceful throbbing is abnormal.

What a bounding pulse means: A bounding digital pulse indicates increased blood flow to the foot and is strongly associated with laminitis, a foot abscess, or other inflammatory foot conditions. Always check all four feet. A unilateral bounding pulse in one foot is more suggestive of a localised problem such as an abscess; bilateral bounding pulses in both front feet are very characteristic of active laminitis. Combined with any signs of foot discomfort, a bounding digital pulse requires urgent veterinary assessment.

Creating a Baseline Record for Your Horse

The greatest value of vital sign knowledge comes from having an accurate baseline for your individual horse. Spend five minutes when your horse is healthy, rested, and calm to measure and record their resting heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature on multiple occasions. Note the results alongside the time, recent feed, and conditions. Over several readings, you will establish your horse's individual normal range, which will make any future abnormal readings far more interpretable.

Keep a card with your horse's baseline vitals attached to their stable — or stored in your phone — so that it is immediately available in an emergency. When you call your vet, having current measurements and a known baseline allows you to give a genuinely informative clinical report rather than simply reporting that "something seems wrong." See our broader range of horse health guides for further practical emergency preparation advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a normal resting heart rate for a horse?

Normal resting heart rate for an adult horse is 28 to 44 beats per minute. Consistently above 60 bpm at rest indicates pain or cardiovascular compromise; above 80 bpm in a colicking horse is a serious emergency.

How do I take my horse's temperature accurately?

Rectally with a digital thermometer — lubricate, stand to the side, insert gently, leave for 60 seconds. Always attach a clip or string. Normal is 37.2–38.3°C (99–101°F). Above 39.5°C warrants an immediate veterinary call.

What does a bounding digital pulse in a horse mean?

A bounding, clearly palpable digital pulse indicates increased blood flow to the foot and is strongly associated with laminitis or a foot abscess. It requires urgent veterinary assessment, particularly if combined with foot pain or discomfort.

What do different gum colours mean in horses?

Pale pink or white gums indicate shock or poor circulation; bright red or brick-red gums indicate endotoxaemia; blue or purple gums indicate critical cardiovascular failure. All are emergencies. Normal colour is salmon pink with a capillary refill time under 2 seconds.

When should I call the vet based on my horse's vital signs?

Call immediately for: temperature above 39.5°C, heart rate consistently above 60 bpm at rest, complete absence of gut sounds in any quadrant, abnormal gum colour, CRT above 3 seconds, or bounding digital pulse with foot pain. When in doubt, always call.

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Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute veterinary advice. Always consult a licensed equine veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.