Central Equine Vets

13/10/2025

It’s always good to have a good general awareness for your horse’s overall health and one top tip is to check your horse’s Mucous Membrane colour and refill time.

This test is easily done and is used to show how well the blood is travelling around the body.

In a horse that is very anaemic or in shock, the mucous membranes will be very pale or even white and when you blanch them by pressing a finger on the gums and releasing it, the blood will take more than two seconds to come back.

Get to know your horse’s colour, as it can vary according to horse breed. Cold blooded horses (cob types) always look slightly paler than a hot blooded horse (Arabs or Thoroughbreds).

The refill time after you press on the gums should be the same in all breeds though and should be less than two seconds.

If you’re concerned about your horse, just give us a call at the Practice and chat to one of the vets: 0131 664 5606.

10/10/2025

Do you know what to look our for with your horse's Respiratory rate (RR)?
This parameter can be measured using just a watch or the timer on your phone.

👉Simply watch the flank area of your horse and watch for your horse breathing in and out. You can also watch your horse's nostrils (you may seem them flare and relax, which is them breathing in and out).

👉Time this for 15 seconds and count the number of breaths your horse takes. Then multiply this by 4. This gives you the number of breaths per minute.

A normal RR should be around 8-15 breaths per minute.

A horse’s respiratory rate will most commonly increase when it is:
- in pain
- out of breath after exercise
- because of lung disease such as equine asthma

If you are concerned that your horse's RR is higher than normal and you've re-checked it or your horse seems a little out of sorts, there are other vital signs you can also check to see if they are normal:

- Heart rate (this should be 36-44 beats per minute - remember this may be elevated if taken straight after exercise)
- Body Temperature (this should be 37.5-38deg.C)
- Mucous membrane colour and refill time (this should be pink with a refill time of less than 2 seconds)
- Hydration status (pinch the skin on your horse’s neck and it should immediately ‘ping back’ when you release it. If the pinch stays elevated that may indicate some level of dehydration. This is called a ‘skin tent’. Be careful when doing this after exercise because if the horse has sweated, there may be a ‘skin tent’ in a perfectly hydrated horse. So, best to do it at rest.

Remember: if in doubt, call your vet.

09/10/2025

A very exciting nomination for our Brand Ambassador Gemma Sellar - good luck tonight!

Good luck and congratulations to our regional nominees for the National Regional Awards celebration. We can't wait to see you all there tomorrow!

08/10/2025

More superb achievements from our Brand Ambassador Imogen Casely. As many horse owners and riders will know, every day is a learning day and we love that Imogen embraces every single experience and takes it positively forward.

06/10/2025

EQUINE COAT CHANGES 🍂🍁
5 things to remember at this time of year, as your horse's coat starts to change:
1. A full physical coat change can take as long as 6-8 weeks.
2. Your horse may become itchy during this period - keep an eye on the horse's skin health, because they may be prone to fungal or bacterial infections during this time.
3. Ensure you groom your horse or pony on a daily basis and that will remove any dead hair and scurfy skin.
4. Many people choose to clip their horses at this time of year to make them more comfortable. Ensure that your horse's coat is clean and in good health, which will make clipping easier. Remember: only take off their hair you need to.
5. Now is a good time to think back to last year and see if there are any changes to your horse's coat this year. Coat changes such as extra-long guard hairs may indicate underlying disease processes, such as Equine Cushing's Disease, now known as 'PPID'.

If you notice any worrying changes to your horse's coat or skin, do contact us at the Practice and speak to one of the vets. Tel: 0131 664 5606.

02/10/2025

We know that our clients are brilliant at appreciating our amazing receptionist team all year round but appreciation days like these are here to remind us all of the hard work and care they put in day in and day out.

Here are a few small things you can do in the following weeks (and all year round!) to say a big thank you to your local reception team.

01/10/2025

The vets have arranged Pizza for lunch for these amazing women who keep the cogs turning at the Practice!!

01/10/2025

Happy

By celebrating our receptionists today and every day, we're acknowledging the remarkable dedication of not only our team, but the hard work of receptionists across the nation.

From handling incoming calls to seamlessly coordinating appointments, diligently managing repeat prescriptions and providing compassionate care to our clients and their beloved pets, our reception team goes above and beyond.

Join us in celebrating our team today ❤

30/09/2025

Have you heard of ?

The awareness day was coined by the Veterinary Receptionist Association (BVRA), an organisation founded in October 2017 with the mission to support and raise the profile of .

The appreciation day was created back in 2019 and takes place every year on the 1st of October.

Be sure to offer your local vet receptionists a big thank you for all their hard work and care.

Discover our wonderful team here: https://www.centralequinevets.co.uk/staff.html

29/09/2025

Get ready for winter with your Equine First Aid kit!
We have a range of kits available - just give us a call at the Practice and we can let you know options.

08/09/2025

Read the Retraining of Racehorses updated horse-to-rider weight ratio rules that now apply to all RoR competitions and ridden events, including clinics, camps and parades, moving forward.

Key points:

Rider and tack weight should ideally not exceed 17% of the horse's bodyweight

The absolute maximum permitted is 20%

These new rules help protect horses from injury and discomfort, supporting their long-term health and wellbeing. For detailed guidance, read the full blog in the link.

Just like people, horses come in all shapes and sizes. Their ability to carry weight depends on several factors, including age, fitness and conformation.…