How often do you take your horses temperature?

I was taking temps twice a day through the strangles saga to catch the rising temp as the first sign of illness and as a cue to then separate the affected horse. It was interesting to note that Max actually only ever had an elevated temp. No other signs or symptoms at all and had I not been checking temps I would never have known he had contracted strangles. That was a unique set of circumstances though. I don't routinely take temps and am very glad to be free of that particular responsibility!

As regards hypo/hyperthermia - I agree with @Jessey. There are lots of very sophisticated systems in place to regulate core temp as this is crucial for health, or even survival. By the time a horse is showing core temps outside normal ranges they are well beyond being uncomfortably warm or chilly to being dangerously hot or cold. Taking temps might be interesting as a research project or to reassure yourself - to assess whether a horse is being under or over rugged to the extent that they are at significant risk. But I would not use it as a guide to management as if they were really that hot or cold then something has gone drastically wrong.
 
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I don't own one...think if I was worried enough about them running a high or low temperature I would have already rang the vet to come out.
 
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KP nut said:
String is your friend......
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I have always been told that it isn't advisable to do this as the rectum can be damaged quite severely by attempts to retrieve a 'lost thermometer' by pulling on the string. The best advise I was ever given was do not push it too far in the first place!
 
The string was more for prevention of unexpected suction taking the damn thing in than for retrieval!! You wrap it riund your finger before insertion. But yes, basically, don't lose it!!
 
KP nut said:
As regards hypo/hyperthermia - I agree with @Jessey. There are lots of very sophisticated systems in place to regulate core temp as this is crucial for health, or even survival. By the time a horse is showing core temps outside normal ranges they are well beyond being uncomfortably warm or chilly to being dangerously hot or cold. Taking temps might be interesting as a research project or to reassure yourself - to assess whether a horse is being under or over rugged to the extent that they are at significant risk. But I would not use it as a guide to management as if they were really that hot or cold then something has gone drastically wrong.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure that I agree with this though. During and after exercise (particularly hard exercise such as a xc run) the core body temp will rise well above the 38.5 degrees. In some cases it can rise to 41 degrees. While I appreciate this is short term, the horse will sweat profusely to cool itself down. When a horse is significantly over rugged, it will sweat just as it does after hard exercise, but for a prolonged period of time. We have all seen horses sweat under rugs and I would bet that on most yards you will find at least one horse who is wet from sweat in the morning. I would hypothesise that the core temp of these horse does rise over 38.5 degrees while they are standing still in their stable.
 
Nope, I don't remember the last time I took Belle 's temp. I do have a thermometer in my first aid box, but would only take her temp if something was 'off' with her and I was worried.
 
Interestingly, I've just read an article which said that rugged horses can lose weight if they are too hot over winter, because one of the ways their bodies cool down is by eating less, the downside of that is that owners then put a thicker rug on because they assume they are losing weight because they are cold...
 
@Mary Poppins I would be interested to find out if that is really the case. Not sure how other than conducting a study - ie taking temps of horses rugged up on a warm day. And of horses out clipped and unrugged in winter. Core temps should not rise or fall significantly unless the horse is inappropriately rugged/unrugged though surface temps may change a lot. But my understanding is that if core temps go up or down and this is not rapidly corrected then people (and horses) are in trouble. Like those poor army recruits n the Brecon Beacons. However you may be right and it would be worth finding out! You could certainly see how Ben fares overnight as it gets colder. I suspect he will maintain his core temps just fine but it's an interesting question.
 
I don't take her temperature. There is one on the yard if I felt I needed to. Have I ever taken it yes, she had a virus, other than that no.
The hand under to check. Your palm is warmer than the back of your hand possibly by two degrees, mine is. I was taught to use the back of my hand for warmth check. I do that with hooves.

Her temperature probably goes up when in season, this I could join in with checking because I don't think it's generally documented. However it would still be within the norm because she would be sick.

I wouldn't really expect the core to fluctuate hugely, wouldn't that suggest a horse that couldn't regulate? If your horse is clipped then you rug to regulate, protect from wind and rain.
Out there now it is very wet and windy I wouldn't expect that to drop her actual core significantly, I would expect her to be bum to the wind, head down in a dip using her buddies/ hedge as wind break, maintaining it.
Yesterday it was windy and she looked like she had put her hoof in a socket, maintaining it. :D
 
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