Unable to express their discomfort clearly, horses tend to conceal their pain. However, knowing how to recognize them is essential to the equine’s health and well-being.
There are two types of pain in horses
Horses can suffer from two types of pain : acute pain and chronic pain.
Acute pain in horses
Sudden and often of short duration, this pain is due to an injury or lesion. Its intensity is often high. Examples include colic, foot abscesses, fractures, tendonitis… This pain is easier to recognize because its intensity causes the animal to cease all activity, thus avoiding aggravating the injury.
Chronic pain in horses
Unlike acute pain, chronic pain lasts over time, sometimes several months or even years.
Less intense, they are therefore harder to identify.
These pains require a great deal of vigilance, as they can reflect an imbalance in the body and lead to a number of disturbances, such as : gastric ulceration, loss of appetite, slower intestinal transit, disturbances to heart and respiratory rhythms, dental pain, osteoarthritis, arthritis, reduced immunity, chronic laminitis…
Recognizing the signs of pain in horses
The horse's body language
You can analyze the horse’s facial expression: grimaces, ears set low or back, head down, staring, nostrils dilated, jaw clenched…
His posture can also give you cause for alarm. If your horse seems stiff or reluctant to move, this may indicate joint or muscle pain.
Behavioral changes in horses
The suffering horse may modify its feeding behavior. A decrease in appetite or water consumption may be a sign of discomfort that needs to be addressed quickly.
In the event of pain, he may also modify his behavior with his and other horses. A horse that suddenly becomes aggressive or distant can signal that he’s feeling uncomfortable and painful.
Physiological changes in the horse
Remember to check your horse’s vitals regularly. In the event of discomfort, the horse may have a higher than normal respiratory and heart rate, a rising body temperature…
These parameters are very important and will help you analyze your equine’s state of health.
Understanding your horse's pain
To help you better understand your horse’s behavior, here are a few pointers to help you link symptoms to pathology.
Digestive pain
A horse suffering from stomach pain, in the case of an ulcer, may grind its teeth and yawn.
When it’s colic, the horse tends to look at his flanks, arch his back and hit his belly with his hindquarters. He may also scratch the ground and sweat more.
He may also have a downcast attitude.
Dental pain
In the event of dental discomfort, the horse will chew and salivate excessively, while shaking its head.
Pain in the limbs
When a horse suffers from an injury or orthopedic pathology, it will shift its weight onto the healthy limbs.
Very often, swelling or unusual warmth is felt in the injured area.
Please note: some pains can only be detected during labor with lameness or a change in gait.
Cervical pain
Cervical pain often provokes defensive reactions in the animal, such as bucking, refusal to tilt the head to one side or the other. It may even tend to rear up.
Diaphragm pain
Pain in the diaphragm can prevent the horse from breathe properly. It can also lead to back pain and engagement difficulties.
It’s not uncommon for a horse to sit like a dog when experiencing pain in this area.
Back pain
Back pain can be identified when girthing the horse. It may be stiff, react to grooming, no longer tolerate the saddle or the rider’s saddle, refuse to jump… Work can also become difficult for him.
It’s crucial to spot these unusual symptoms so that you can take action
as quickly as possible. When in doubt, contact your equine veterinarian and dentist, osteopath, equine masseur, farrier… Your veterinarian will be able to direct you to the right professional according to your horse’s pathology.
You can find out more about the benefits of equine massage in our previous article: “Equine massage: a treatment to introduce today in your horse’s lifestyle“.
Remember: each individual has his or her own resistance to pain. will develop more or fewer symptoms.
To go a step further in understanding a horse’s pain, knowing your horse’s morphology and anatomy can be a great help. Discover Julia Prevel’s book “Myologie du cheval : muscle par muscle“.