20 Top Tips to Get to Know Your Horse Better

One of the most valuable things I've learned working with horses and Horses Inside Out is that assessment isn't something that should only happen when something goes wrong.

The better you know your horse when he's happy, comfortable and performing well, the easier it is to spot those subtle changes that tell you something might not be quite right.

You don't need complicated and expensive equipment. Your eyes, hands and knowledge are some of the best assessment tools you have. The more you understand about anatomy, posture and movement, the more useful your observations become. That's one of the main reasons I started Horses Inside Out, to make learning about this fun and easy to understand.

In this article I will share with you 20 simple things every horse owner can do to get to know their horse better.

Measuring Normal: Record Keeping

Tip 1: Keep a diary

Record what work you do, days off, behaviour, changes in performance and anything unusual. Patterns that are impossible to remember can become surprisingly obvious when looking back over written records. Details that may not seem important at the time may become invaluable information in the future.

Tip 2: Know his normal temperature

Don't wait until your horse is ill to learn what's normal for him. Take his resting temperature several times when he's well and record it - this will tell you what's their normal. Keep a record of it in your diary.

Tip 3: Know his normal resting pulse

Practise finding and counting your horse's pulse. Again, the important thing is establishing his normal. It's worth doing this every other month or more often if you are interested in seeing how his pulse rate alters with changes in fitness and health.

Tip 4: Know his normal resting respiration rate

Watch the movement of the flank when he's relaxed. Understanding normal resting respiration also makes monitoring recovery after exercise much more meaningful.

To learn more about your horse's temperature, pulse and respiration (TPR) and how it relates to riding, training, health and performance. Check out Horse Anatomy for Performance.

What is the Normal Resting TPR with Horses?

• Temperature: 37.5°C to 38.5°C (99°F to 101.5°F)

• Pulse (Heart Rate): 28 to 44 beats per minute (bpm)

• Respiration Rate: 8 to 16 breaths per minute

  
  

Tip 5: Monitor body condition

Body condition can creep up or down at a surprising rate. Photograph and condition score your horse regularly so you can spot changes and alter their diet and exercise accordingly.

Knowing Normal: Routine Observations

Everyday routines give us plenty of chances to observe our horses and learn more about them. We just need to look beyond the obvious. Here are a few simple ways to make the most of those everyday moments.

Tip 6: Groom with your hands

Don't simply brush dirt away. Get hands on and feel the muscles, skin and contours of your horse. Do this regularly and you'll get a feel for what is normal. Only then will you be able to notice subtle changes in muscle tone, heat, sensitivity and texture helping to spot issues early on, react and before they become problems.

Tip 7: Feel your horse's legs on a regular basis

Even young Pony Club members are encouraged to feel their ponies’ legs every day, and it’s a useful habit at any age. Regularly handling your horse’s legs helps you learn what is normal for them.

Notice the temperature, shape and feel of each leg, and compare one with another. Knowing your horse’s normal can make it easier to spot a change. Make this part of your routine, especially after strenuous exercise or competition.

Tip 8: Feel your horse's back regularly

The horse's back connects the fore and hindlimbs, is influenced by head and neck position, the saddle and rider as well as many other factors. A compromised back can affect comfort, performance and behaviour. Therefore feeling your horse's back to assess health and comfort on a regular basis is really useful to recognise changes and problems early. How to do it? Slowly run the flat of your hand from the withers towards the pelvis. Learn how your horse normally responds so that a change in sensitivity becomes meaningful. This is something I've long encouraged horse owners to incorporate into everyday care. I go into a lot more detail on this in the free tutorial video:

Tip 9: Watch him in the stable

Sometimes just stand and observe. What does he do when he's relaxed? Where does he look? Does he rest one leg? Does he perform repetitive behaviours? Spending quiet time together also gives you an opportunity to learn more about his personality as well as having the added benefit of bonding time.

Tip 10: Have a picnic in his field

Sit somewhere safe and watch your horse graze. Notice how much he moves, which companions he chooses to be with, how often he changes grazing stance and whether he consistently puts the same foreleg forwards. Habitual grazing patterns can contribute to asymmetry. Asymmetry is a complex subject, but you can learn more about in our online article Understanding Asymmetry in Your Horse.

Tip 11: Do a monthly posture check

Stand your horse on level ground and take photographs from the side, front and behind. Look at head and neck position, thorax, abdominal tone, limb placement and muscle development. Compare with previous months rather than simply deciding whether his posture is "good" or "bad".

Tip 12. Notice how he chooses to stand

When you tie your horse up, for example for grooming or before tacking up, take a moment to observe how your horse stands. Does he consistently rest the same hindleg or stand with one limb further forward? Is this always the same or is there a change? It is worthwhile teaching him to stand square too. It's useful both as an exercise and as an assessment, but don't force a position that he repeatedly finds uncomfortable.

Tip 13. Walk and trot him up regularly

Once a week, watch or video your horse walking and trotting away from and towards you on a good, level surface. This isn't to diagnose any lameness, it's about building a picture of what your horse's normal looks like so you can more easily recognise if there are subtle changes. Keeping a diary record with any observations can help you recognise patterns. If you are concerned about how your horse is moving, give your vet a call to come out and check him.

Tip 14. Watch him on the lunge

If you lunge your horse, it's a great way watch and observe them moving on both reins. Look at rhythm, bend, stride length, head carriage and transitions. Are there any patterns emerging. It can be worth noting them down. If you want to learn more about how to assess your horse's movement check out the on-demand webinar series: Understanding and Assessing Movement.

Tip 15: Look at his face

Ears, eyes, nostrils, jaw tension and general expression are all part of the picture. It's important not to assess movement in isolation from behaviour. Recent research reveals a surprising gap in owner awareness and ability to know if their horse is lame. The results of this study presented at our 2026 conference found that most horse owners struggle to identify hindlimb and bilateral lameness. Read more about this research in our online article; Can you Tell When Your Horse is Lame? 

Your Horse's Care Team - Getting it Right

Having the right people in your horse's care and management team is vital for success. Choosing the right professionals is personal however we want to take care to choose professionals with good qualifications, knowledge and experience.

Tip 16: Have your saddle checked regularly

Don't wait until you have a problem. Your horse's shape changes with age, fitness, workload and season, so saddle fit needs reviewing too. For many horses, checking every four to six months is a useful guide, with additional checks following significant changes.

Tip 17: Keep on top of dental health

Dental discomfort can influence eating, behaviour, acceptance of the bit and performance. Work with your vet or suitably qualified dental professional to decide the most appropriate interval for your horse. Take a look at our online article  Can Dental Paint Affect My Horse's Performance, written by Dr Chris Pearce to learn more on this topic.

Tip 18: Don't forget general veterinary health

Horses are very complex and amazing animals. It's not just their musculoskeletal system that needs regular care. Internal health, respiratory health, nutrition, teeth, feet and their general well-being can all influence the way he moves and performs. Take advantage of your vet's annual vaccination visit to ask for a whole horse health check.

Tip 19: Include a massage therapist in your horse's team

Regular sessions with an appropriately qualified professional can help you understand where your horse tends to carry tension and how this changes with work.

Tip 20: Use physiotherapy proactively

Physiotherapy isn't something that you only need as part of rehabilitation. Where appropriate, regular assessment can help monitor movement, strength, flexibility and symmetry.

Look, feel, compare

The aim of this list isn't to become obsessed with finding problems. It's to become exceptionally good at recognising your horse.

Look for patterns rather than one-off observations. Ask yourself, Is this normal for him? Has something changed? Why might it have changed?

That's where understanding anatomy and biomechanics becomes so powerful. Once you understand what lies underneath the skin and how the structures should work together, you start seeing horses completely differently.

I hope you have found this article useful. If you'd like to learn more, there's are lots of resources available to help you from Horses Inside Out. Here's what I'd recommend:

Posture and Performance is a beautifully illustrated book that looks at how to deliver a safe, varied, fun, effective and achievable training programme. It provides all the ingredients for riders to make informed decisions to maximise their own and their horse’s potential, gain more enjoyment, satisfaction and improve their skills

Understanding and Assessing Posture webinar gives a clear and structured postural assessment system and looks at how we can determine what is good or bad posture and how through good management practices, in hand exercises and correct riding, we can improve our horses musculoskeletal comfort, longevity, flexibility and efficiency. 

Recognising Pain Related Poor Performance, an on-demand seminar with Dr Sue Dyson, who has developed a straightforward system for assessing horse movement and comfort. In this online seminar, she will explain how to use this system, sharing tips, techniques and giving you the confidence to recognise pain related poor performance.