Do you know the normal temperature of your horse so you can recognize a fever (pyrexia)? There is a range of normal temperatures for horses. Sometimes the horse’s temperature depends on whether it just got finished exercising, was lying in the hot summer sun or is ill.

It’s important to know the range of temperatures that is considered normal based on your horse’s sex and age, as well as the animal’s own individual normal temperature.

For example, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual, the range of normal temperatures for an adult mare is 99.1-100.8°F or 37.3-38.2°C. For a stallion the normal range of body temperature is 99.0-100.6°F or 37.2-40.1°C.

Foals have a normal body temperature of 99.5-102.1°F or 37.5-38.9°C.

When Is It Fever?

Fever in a horse is a first indicator that there is something wrong. The horse could have a virus or other illness. If your horse’s temperature rises above 103°F or 38.9°C, you should call your veterinarian.

Heat stroke can occur if your horse’s body temperature reaches 107°F or 4.15°C. At this temperature, your horse could suffer from circulatory shock or death.

Fevers in horses can occur because of exercise, environmental temperatures, illness, “overdressing” or a reaction to medication.

Combatting Fever

Getting your horse’s fever to drop depends on the cause of the fever. For illnesses, your veterinarian might prescribe bute or banamine (NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

Zimeta (dipyrone injection) is a new NSAID drug on the market that is approved by the FDA to control fever in horses.

If your horse is hot because of exercise or environmental conditions, move it to a shady, cool place and use cool water to sponge or pour on the horse, removing the excess with a sweat scraper. Repeat this to help the horse’s body temperature drop.

Fans either alone or in conjunction with the cool water can also help the horse to dissipate heat. The new misting fans blow moisture along with the breeze to help cool horses. These have become popular at high-intensity equine competitions, especially when it is hot and humid. Those conditions make it hard for a horse to cool down naturally.

Hot horses might need to drink water and have the electrolytes lost in sweat replaced. Always make sure to offer a bucket of plain water along with electrolytes so the horse can choose. Free-choice salt is recommended for any horse and is especially important for horses in hot climates or exercising.

Final Words

Talk to your veterinarian about the steps you should take if your horse has a fever. He/she will probably know whether there is some virus or other illness that is occurring in your region and the best steps to take.

Also keep in mind that since fever is an initial indicator of illness, you should check your horse’s temperature regularly (and at the same time each day) to be alert for fever.

Any horse with a fever should be considered contagious and should be isolated until the cause is discovered. Good biosecurity for the horse, the humans caring for the horse and the environment can prevent the spread of disease.

Further Reading

  • Kimberly S. Brown
    Kimberly S. Brown is an award-winning writer and publisher. She is the Editorial Director for My Senior Horse. Brown spent 10 years at Equine Network, parent company of My Senior Horse. Prior to that she worked for three years in equine nutrition after she retired from nearly 30 years working at The Blood-Horse. Brown spent the last 15 years of her time at that organization creating and developing The Horse and TheHorse.com.
    View all posts