The Excellent Record Book Checklist

This checklist is guaranteed to make your record book spectacular. A record book fills the need for keeping track of just about everything related to your horse. If you ever need to track a past lameness history, figure out what your horse may be allergic to, go on vacation, or transfer ownership, a record book provides an excellent way to do it. For USPC ratings, it is not required to use the USPC Health & Maintenance Record Book. As long as the information below is included, you can use whatever format you choose. It is especially nice to keep the records on your computer and then just print it out when testing time comes.

Examiners like to see your costs totaled when brought to a test. Total the veterinary costs, farrier costs, feed/board costs, and any others on their respective pages. At the end of the record book include a page where all of these can be added together for your total cost of keeping your horse. When totaling up for a rating, write the totals in pencil. At the end of the year, when you're ready to start a new record book, write them in pen, or print it from your computer.

General information about the horse

___ On the cover, include the start and finish days for each record book.

NOTE: Organize your record books so that they are divided by years. You may choose to start the year on January 1 or the date that you purchased the horse. A D3 must have at least 3 months worth of records, a C1 must have at least 6 months worth of records, a C2 must have at least 9 months worth of records, and C3's and up must have at least a year's worth of records. If you have multiple years or multiple horses just choose one horse and bring the most current 12 months of records to a rating. If you are a very neat record keeper, it doesn't hurt to bring the past years as well. Organize them so that the most current year is on top. If you haven't had your horse for a year, or are borrowing a horse, just explain the situation to the examiner, and bring some sort of record keeping paperwork either for the borrowed horse or another one you take care of.

___ Horse's name/registered name

___ Breed/registration number and papers if applicable

___ Current conformation photographs that show the horse's front, sides and hind without tack

___ Detailed description of the horse's markings, including blemishes and tattoos

___ Resting temperature/pulse/respiration

___ Horse's sex (please don't list "M," that could mean mare, or male; just write it out)

___ Horse's height (in hands)

___ Approximate weight (remember to list units, pounds or kilograms)

___ Known vices (for example, cribbing, kicking, girthy etc.)

___ Any known medical conditions or allergies

___ Foaling date (or approximation)

___ Owner's name/address/phone

___ Rider's name/address/phone

___ Boarding stable's name/address/phone (if not kept at home)

___ Veterinarian's name/address/phone

___ Farrier's name/address/phone

___ Other names/address/phone numbers of people who have worked with your horse (for example, equine dentist, chiropractor, etc...)

___ Insurance company's name/address/emergency phone and insurance papers (if uninsured, be sure to note that too so someone doesn't go hunting for an insurance policy that isn't there)

*remember to include area codes with all phone numbers!*

Veterinary records

Ideally you would like to organize this into routine and non-routine care sections. Vaccinations, sheath cleaning, and teeth floating would be routine, and any other sickness or wound care visits fall under non-routine unless your horse is being treated for a chronic illness such as Cushings disease.

___ Pre-purchase exam papers (if any)

___ Veterinary bills and other veterinary paperwork and costs

___ Vaccination dates and which vaccines given

___ List the date the next vaccination is due

___ Any medications your horse is on (if applicable) dosage and reasons

___ For each medical visit, list the person who did the work

NOTE: It's not enough to just record a vaccine as "4-way," please list which vaccines were included in the 4-way vaccination, for example it might include: influenza, tetanus, eastern equine encephalomyelitis, and western equine encephalomyelitis. This way you will not only become more familiar with the specific vaccinations, it's also a good way to ensure you know exactly what is being given in case of any reactions. Also note what company made the vaccine, lot number, and where the injection was given (for example, left side of neck). A horse may be allergic to a carrier in one company's vaccine, but not another company's (this is very important with strangles and West Nile vaccines). If you buy the vaccine yourself, include the tag and receipt in your record book.

Deworming

___ Include dates, brand names, and drug names of all dewormers used

___ Cost of dewormer

___ List the next scheduled deworming date and dewormer to use

NOTE: It's very important to list the dewormers by both drug and brand names. This way you will be sure you are rotating dewormers. For example, did you know that Zimectrin, Equimectrin, Equvalan, and

Rotectin I, all contain the exact same dosage of the active drug Ivermectin? You will also be able to track any allergies your horse may develop to certain drugs or carriers. It is not always necessary to rotate dewormers, but it's generally a good idea and a way to save some money in the long run.

Shoeing records

___ Dates, cost, and any changes made

___ List the next scheduled appointment as well

___ Include enough information at the beginning so that a new shoer could shoe or trim your horse in accordance with what you have found works and why

___ How your horse reacts while being shod

NOTE: Take the time to ask your shoer how to describe what he or she is trying to achieve or maintain with your horse's feet. An example might be: "size 0 front , and 00 hind Natural Balance brand iron shoes, square the hind toes and set back hind shoe to prevent forging, may need leather pads and quarter clips in front during the summer months, horse has a tendency to toe out in front." After you have this detailed description, then just note if and when your shoer makes any changes. Along with all shoeing dates and prices, be sure to record if and when your horse pulls a shoe (and which foot), or if your horse develops a foot abscess (which foot, approximate location, and any possible causes).

Other procedures

___ Use this space to include any other treatment dates, descriptions, and costs such as work by an equine dentist, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, etc.... Also record if you noticed any differences after the work.

Feed records

___ Approximate feeding times (may change according to the season)

___ Feed store's name, address, and phone number

___ Amount fed in pounds for roughage and quarts or ounces for concentrates (in addition you may also convert weights to a volume measure, for example flakes or scoops but be sure you have pounds and quarts as well)

___ Type/brands of feed

___ Feed tags or labels for all feeds that have them (you may need to copy the information off of plastic tubs that have them printed on the side)

___ Salt type and how fed

___ Samples of all concentrates and roughages (get creative here, small amounts in Ziploc bags work well, just keep checking them for mold)

___ Any receipts or bills from the feed store (if feed is included with the horse's board, include in board section below)

___ Dates of any changes in diet, including reasons and any reactions the horse may show

Equipment used

___ List what equipment you use on your horse for flatwork, jumping, longeing, and turn-out. Be sure to include saddle(s), bridle(s), pads, boots, etc.

___ Where the items are located in the stable or tack area. If you’re visual, draw a little map of the stables and tack room

Conditioning records

(Definitely include these at the C3 level and up)

___ Conditioning goals and objectives appropriate to the horse (For example, what is the current riding program?) List conditioning activities for an average week, this will include:

___ Activity (dressage, show jumping, gallops, trail ride, trot sets, etc.)

___ Specifications (This is what you are actually working on. For example, in dressage you may be working on training or first level movements, for show jumping you may be working on 3'3" courses, and for trot sets you could be doing 3, 10 minute trots with 3 minute rests between.)

___ Average minutes you spend on each activity

___ Times per week you work on each activity

___ Horse's resting temperature/pulse/respiration

___ Horse's temperature/pulse/respiration immediately after strenuous work

___ Temperature/pulse/respiration rates at 5 or 10 minute intervals after strenuous work to determine what his or her recovery rate is (how long it takes to return to the resting t/p/r.)

List any changes in conditioning schedule to include:

___ Dates of changes

___ What you're changing from and to, for example: 3, 10 minute trots with 3 minute rests between to 3, 12 minute trots with 3 minute rests between.

___ Record new t/p/r rates for each work increase

NOTE: Pay attention to how feeding schedule changes may correlate to conditioning.

Activity records

Daily log of rides, lessons, and if applicable, competitions. All entries should include:

___ Date of activity

___ Description of activity

___ Specific comments about how you did or what you worked on

___ Length of ride

___ Cost (if any)

NOTE: You may want to keep track of your actual riding schedule in a calendar format. Please plan to transfer the information to a computer program to print out, or find some other method of keeping it neat. An examiner hates to get piles of dog-eared calendars with the candidates saying, "It's all in there!"

Boarding records (if applicable)

___ If you board your horse, list costs paid to the boarding facility by month, remember to total them before your rating and at the end of the year!

Other expenses

___ List any other horse-related expenses here. Include date, description, and cost. Examples are: tack purchases, equine insurance costs, and trailer servicing. Income

This section will not necessarily include information directly related to your horse. It is where you, the Pony Clubber, can keep track of how much money you earn. It can be anything from baby-sitting and mowing lawns, to exercising horses, birthday money or winning the lottery!

___ Include date, description, and amount of income

Breeding records

(If applicable)

This section is useful to record a mare's heat cycles, breeding dates, anticipated foaling date, and any other related activities. Most Pony Club mounts will not need this section.

Sale records

___ Bill of sale or purchase/lease agreement paperwork

Expense summary

___ Include a page where all your yearly, or year-to-date expenses and income are compared. This is a great way to start learning how equine businesses are run and to make you appreciate what your parents are putting into your horse habit!

Do not include

_ Anything unrelated to the horse, for example, past ratings certificates, or Pony Club study material. Income records are excepted.

_ Any loose papers. All should be snug in a 3 ring binder or similar system. Plastic page protectors work well for keeping loose items secure, and Ziploc bags work for feed samples.

_ Records for more than 1 horse (keep each horse's records separately for Pony Club purposes.)

_ Excessive pictures. A few for identification purposes are fine, or conformation photographs from each year could be useful. Photographs of injuries could be especially useful.

_ Anything breakable. At a recent test someone included a glass test tube with a sliver of the horse's splint bone that had been removed in it. Yes, it was interesting but it was dangerous to have in the record book. A picture would have been more than enough.