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Discussion on Keeping track of important info
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Member:
maggienm
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 12, 2007 - 7:44 pm:
Since my friends horse had a bout of illness I have been reminded of the importqance of keeping track of worming, floating, etc, even establishing a base temperature.
I already keep a ride record that I can note any changes in performance in.
Other than the obvious, worming, trimming, vacinations, etc is there anything else you would want to keep track of?
If there is a title to remind you to think of it and a check box or small space to write in, it would be faster and easier to accomplish.
As a vet Dr. O, when you are examining a sick horse, what do you want to know?
Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you,
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Sep 13, 2007 - 9:08 am:
Hello Lori,
At it's simplest I want to know what deviates from normal. As a minimum starting database I am interested in the parameters described in the article Diseases of Horses » First Aid » Taking Temperature, Pulse, and Respiration which contains more information than the title implies.
DrO
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Member:
leslie1
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Posted on Thursday, Sep 13, 2007 - 1:38 pm:
The intervet site has some nice charts you can print off to keep track: deworming record, foal growth chart, farrier records, vaccination records etc. They are very handy. I keep one for each of my horses.
I made a gift basket for a friend who had a foal born this spring. It contains a binder I made that held all the charts and also a place to hold pictures and business cards, emergency contacts... The basket also contained a baby halter/lead, brush set and tiny fly mask. lol so cute.
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Member:
christel
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Posted on Thursday, Sep 13, 2007 - 6:27 pm:
Hi Lori.
I keep a small spiral notebook (little larger than pocket size) on each horse. In the past I kept these records in my personal daily journal, but have for the last 5 years made each horse his own little record book for all things. I keep the records on the front side of the page and use the back side (when spiral is open the backside will be to your left) to notate future events- for example- 3/05- 1st West Nile booster due.
While the daily journal keeping was better than nothing, the individual record books make it much easier to look things up, and I take them with me when I go to the vet- with a record book for each horse, every year is there not just the current year. When I sell a horse I give the record book to the new owner- that way they know everything I have done to the horse and when.
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Member:
christel
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Posted on Thursday, Sep 13, 2007 - 6:39 pm:
Leslie- love the gift basket! Wish you were my friend-
Chris
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Thursday, Sep 13, 2007 - 8:15 pm:
Every year I keep separate calendars in my feed room for each horse, noting any problems and treatments. This helps track situations that may be seasonal and makes a good health record. I record all treatments, farrier and Vet visits, hook breaks, skin problems, etc. It is amazing to see how some problems happen year after year with certain individual horses. And sometimes this helps solve mysteries that repeat, for example, skin problems associated with the falling of green acorns or coughing that is allergy-related.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Thursday, Sep 13, 2007 - 11:54 pm:
I keep track of stuff on the computer. There are some excellent programs like Visual Horse and others that are very easy to use and keep track of expenses, show records, feed, medical stuff, etc. You can also just adapt a spread sheet yourself to do the same thing. When breeding and foaling I also keep a notebook with a page for each mare that has charts copied from the Arabian Registry to keep teasing records, when bred, how, etc. And, I keep notes I make while waiting for a mare to foal starting several weeks out from her due date. I note down the way she looks, acts, what she's eating, etc. And, I note how the foaling went, how long each stage took, etc. That way when on foal watch it is a lot easier to know what to expect from each individual mare. They do vary from time to time, but the notes give a good "base."
In the barn I have one of those big write on/erase calendars where I note each month vet app'ts. shows, etc. copied from the computer program so my helpers as well as I know what's going on that month, if the farrier is coming, if I'm going to be away, etc. And I keep a shopping list on a board in the barn, too. By the time I get to the house I've forgotten what I needed!
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Member:
dr3ssag3
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Posted on Friday, Sep 14, 2007 - 1:10 am:
With this conundrum facing Contessa, my vet was impressed at my record keeping, and it seemed to give her a more complete picture as we try to piece together what ails my baby. And here I thought I was being obsessive-compulsive all these years. 
I keep worming, vaccination, farrier, and vet records in a 3-ring binder at the barn. In the front of the binder is a list of all of Contessa's supplements and medications, and all of the discharge papers provided from the vet are immediately added to the collection for handy reference if needed.
I also keep a riding diary, and if I notice anything odd, I document it, along with whatever course of action I took, so that if something turns into a vet call, I'm able to provide them with any necessary data.
While keeping records on the computer is helpful, it's nice to have a hard copy with the horse, lest the vet needs the information and I lack the presence of mind to create a printout first. It's also important that your barn manager knows where this binder is, in case you can't be there for an emergency call.
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Member:
imogen
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Posted on Friday, Sep 14, 2007 - 8:43 am:
I keep an old-fashioned falling-apart red hardback large notebook with lined pages where I just write the date and whatever it is - shoeing, show results, worming etc on a new line. I never have time for anything fancy but it means I can look back and see when did x last get wormed? Which leg was y lame in last time?
They are very interesting to read in retrospect especially when you first get a new horse and write in stuff you notice about them.
All the best
Imogen
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Member:
maggienm
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 15, 2007 - 10:41 am:
Thanks everyone for your great input.
I found a small size binder with zipper that I am going to use.
It is durable enough to live at the barn and the zipper will keep my pen from wandering.
I have used a reg scribbler type notebook but if I kept it at the barn the pages got wrecked nad if I kept it at home I usually fogot to use it.
In rereading some of the first comments in the scribbler I started when I first brought the mare home I can see we have made quite a bit of progress.
It is a good reminder as sometimes I get discouraged.
thanks again
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