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Most horse owners spend more time with their horses than anyone else. They feed them, groom them, watch them move through the field, notice when something feels “off.” And yet, when it comes to recognizing pain or decline, many still doubt their own instincts.
According to Dr. Erin Trawick-Smith, that doubt is often misplaced. Owners are capable of reading their horses extremely well. But only if they know what to pay attention to, and if they’re willing to question what has quietly become “normal.”
Normal Isn’t a Fixed Point
One of the biggest obstacles to recognizing pain is that it rarely announces itself dramatically. Horses adapt. Owners adapt. And over time, small changes stop registering as changes at all.
A horse that always stands with one foot pointed out. A horse that shifts weight constantly. A horse that rests a hind leg and never quite stands square. None of those behaviors look like emergencies. But together, they can indicate discomfort.
“People will say, ‘He’s always stood like that,’” Dr. Trawick-Smith explains. “And maybe that’s true… but the question is why.”
Pain doesn’t always escalate in obvious steps. More often, it becomes part of a horse’s daily way of moving and standing. That’s when owners stop comparing their horse to what used to be normal, and start comparing them only to what they’ve grown accustomed to seeing.
Posture Matters—Even at Rest
Owners are often taught to evaluate soundness in motion like watching a horse trot, tracking head nods, counting strides. Dr. Trawick-Smith places equal importance on how a horse looks when it’s standing quietly.
“How does the horse stand at rest?” she asks. “Are they comfortable just standing there?”
A horse that struggles to stand square, that frequently shifts weight, or that braces through its body may be experiencing ongoing discomfort. These signs can be especially important in older horses or those with chronic issues, where pain isn’t acute but persistent.
These horses may not look dramatically lame, but they’re still telling you something.
Touch Reveals What Watching Can’t
Observation matters, but so does contact. One of the most practical recommendations Trawick-Smith makes is simple: put your hands on your horse every day.
“Touch your horse,” she says.
Daily grooming, picking feet, and running hands along the neck, back, and legs provide information that visual observation alone can’t. Horses that flinch where they didn’t before, resist routine handling, or feel uneven side to side may be signaling discomfort.
Owners who handle their horses consistently develop a baseline over time. That baseline is what makes subtle changes noticeable.
“You don’t need to be a vet to notice when something feels different,” Dr. Trawick-Smith says.
Stoic Horses Require Closer Attention
Not all horses show discomfort the same way. Some are expressive. Others are extremely quiet.
“There are horses that will show you everything,” Trawick-Smith notes. “And there are horses that will show you nothing.”
Stoic horses are often described as easy or uncomplicated, but that stoicism can delay intervention. When discomfort isn’t paired with obvious behavioral changes, owners may assume everything is fine.
For these horses, routine observation becomes even more important. Appetite, posture, tolerance for handling, and general demeanor may be the only indicators available.
“The quiet ones are the ones you really have to watch,” she says.
Small Changes Over Short Periods Matter
One of the most practical tools owners have is time—specifically, short windows of time.
“Horses can change a lot in 24 hours,” Dr. Trawick-Smith explains.
That doesn’t mean reacting urgently to every small shift. It means paying attention to trends. Is stiffness resolving or lingering? Is appetite steady or slowly declining? Is a horse improving, plateauing, or deteriorating?
Owners who check in consistently are better able to describe what they’re seeing and communicate that information clearly to their veterinarian. “You don’t have to have all the answers,” she says. “But good information helps.”
Quality of Life Is More Than Soundness
Dr. Trawick-Smith also emphasizes that quality of life isn’t defined by soundness alone. Emotional engagement matters.
Is the horse interested in its surroundings? Does it interact with pasture mates? Does it respond to routine? Or has it become withdrawn or disengaged?
These changes can be harder to quantify than lameness, but they’re still meaningful.
“Quality of life is more than just whether they’re limping,” she says.
Many owners hesitate to speak up because they worry about being dramatic or alarmist. Dr. Trawick-Smith encourages a different approach: noticing without rushing to conclusions.
Paying attention doesn’t mean making a decision that day. It means creating a clearer picture over time. Early observation allows for earlier conversations, less urgency, and better-informed choices—whatever those choices end up being.
“You’re with your horse every day,” she says. “That matters.”
Want more insight from Dr. Erin Trawick-Smith? Listen to this episode of The Plaidcast and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform for conversations with the most influential voices in the equestrian world.
