May 26, 2015

How to Take Your Horse's Temperature

This one's pretty simple!  If you've never taken your horse's temperature before, have a friend hold them instead of crosstying them - like shots, some don't notice but some don't like it.

Step 1: Flip the cap of the lube up, and stick the thermometer into the bottle.  Squeeze the tube gently so that lube coats the end of the thermometer.

I would normally do this with two hands, but, you know, picture taking.

Step 2: While standing off to the side, move the tail out of the way with one hand, and insert the thermometer with the other.  Either hold onto the thermometer, or use an alligator clip and string to attach it to the tail - it's more of a concern with the old mercury thermometers than the larger digital plastic ones, but they CAN suck it inside them!

Old mercury thermometer showing the alligator clip and string used to attach it to the horse's tail...for "safekeeping."...

This is actually what I used in college.  They are so hard to read!

Step 3: Wait until it beeps, remove the thermometer, and wash it before storing it.


Step 4: Record the reading on your TPR sheet.

2 comments:

  1. ahhh fun times! hand sanitizer was also definitely my friend while repeating these steps for the whole barn

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  2. I feel like such an old person, but I actually still prefer the old mercury thermometers :)

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