Sickness

A sick horse carries its head low. Its eyes are not bright, it is not alert or attentive, and it may refuse to move or you may be able to see its ribs. Always call a vet, if you are not certain what the horse has. Here are some diseases and their symptoms:

Colic--If a horse has colic, they will kick at their stomach and frantically roll. Colic is often fatal, because it is a stomachache and a horse cannot vomit, so call a vet immediately.

Founder--Founder, or laminitis, is a disease of the hoof. A horse gets this when they eat too much. They will not want to walk, or at least will walk stiffly, and may appear rather large. A vet will prescribe what they need. Founder can sometimes be fatal.

Lime Disease--This comes from a tick. The horse will be sore and stiff. Call a vet immediately, as a horse can die from lime disease.

Mites--Ear mites are the most common mite. You can get medicine from your vet.

Ring Worm--Ring worm is a fungus. You should get medicine from a vet.

Worms--A horse needs to be wormed every two or three months. The pasture and stall need to be very clean. A horse with worms will show ribs, even if they eat normally or even eat more. Buy medicine from your local livestock store or from your vet.

This is certainly not all of the diseases a horse can get, but they are the most common. Use your good judgment in choosing whether or not a vet is needed.