What you'll have and how long it takes
When you finish you'll have a one-tap daily record for each horse that answers the questions a vet, prescriber or competition steward will ask: recent temperatures, treatment details and test attachments, plus a shareable year in review. Plan 10–20 minutes to set up horses and record types; after that it’s one quick tap a day with targeted attachments. Get Hoofprint from Hoofprint to follow this playbook.
- An iPhone with Hoofprint installed and horses created
- A digital thermometer, camera, and a way to store lab PDFs or photos
- Any recent treatment receipts or test results (photos are fine)
- Ten to twenty minutes to name horses and create the record types you’ll use
Prepare a record that proves what matters
Step 1: Add each horse and key identifiers
Create a profile for every horse with name, age and a recognisable photo. Include stable ID, microchip number or passport reference in a single field so a vet or steward can match records quickly. If you want a quick walkthrough of setup, follow the steps in our Set Up Hoofprint in 15 Minutes guide.
Step 2: Create record types that answer the questions
Make explicit record types for: temperature checks, vaccinations, deworming (include product, batch and prescription ID where relevant), dental exams, farrier visits and any FECRT results. Vets will want dates, who did the work, and attachments; set fields for each so every entry proves who, what and when. For vaccination intervals use the current AAEP chart as your reference: AAEP Adult Horse Vaccination Chart.
Log daily observations one tap at a time
Step 3: Make the daily entry habit immediate
Use the one-tap daily log for a short note plus a photo when useful — a quick temperature, a line about appetite or a short video of the gait. Daily, mundane details are the evidence that catches early problems: mild gait changes, poor appetite, or odd drooling before they become emergencies. Keep entries honest and brief; a single clear sentence and a photo often proves more than a long memory.
Step 4: Record temperatures on the schedule you'll need
For competitions and outbreaks, record temperature readings twice a day if required and note the time; in recent outbreaks event bodies asked for twice-daily temperature logs and immediate reports of readings over 101.5 °F — keep the exact values and times. If you travel to events, export the range of readings from the three days before travel to satisfy stewards quickly.
Keep test and treatment evidence tight
Step 5: Attach FECRT results and follow the sampling rules
When you test, attach the lab result, the collection date and the treatment given; FECRT must be resampled 14 days after treatment and the rule of thumb is >95% reduction to show efficacy. Handle samples fresh: keep under 12 hours before refrigeration, test within seven days, and never freeze — freezing damages eggs and lowers recovery rates. See the AAEP parasite guidelines for the mechanics and why fixed-interval deworming is no longer recommended: AAEP Internal Parasite Control Guidelines.
Step 6: Record prescriptions and prescription IDs when required
Where regulations oblige prescriptions (for example, in Ireland since December 2025), photograph the prescription code or note it in the treatment entry so you can prove lawful dispensing. Attach receipts or merchant confirmations where a partial dispense is used; the prescription must be traceable back to the vet and date. Animal Health Ireland summarises the new antiparasitic prescription rules and timelines for dispensing: New Antiparasitic Medicine Rules.
Step 7: Set reminders before the visit, not the day it’s due
Create reminders with a buffer — a week for farrier checks, two to four weeks for pre-event vaccination checks — so you can act before availability becomes an issue. For farrier timing, check a practical schedule and set the first reminder well ahead: our resource on farrier intervals explains common cadences and when to check earlier than planned: How Often Does a Horse Really Need the Farrier.
Common questions
How much detail does a vet actually want?
Start with who performed the service, the date, the product or procedure name, and an attachment (photo of receipt, lab PDF, or clear photo). For tests like FECRT, include sample dates and resample results; for dentistry note the exam findings. See the AAEP dentistry brief for the warning signs and recommended exam schedule: Introduction to Equine Dentistry.
Can I rely on old deworming schedules in a horse's record?
No. The AAEP no longer recommends fixed year-round intervals or rotational deworming; recent guidance emphasizes testing and seasonality. Use your records to show test results and targeted treatments rather than following an inherited calendar: AAEP Internal Parasite Control Guidelines.
What if I’m offline at the yard?
Log entries offline — Hoofprint stores records locally and syncs when you reconnect. Keep photos and PDFs attached to entries so lab results and prescriptions are available even without a network.
Where can I learn tips to keep daily tracking consistent?
Short daily habits win. Use a single sentence and a photo, set a gentle reminder, and review weekly. See our broader tracking tips for habit design in Smarter Horse Care Tracking.
When you need to show a year of care quickly, export or share the year-in-review from the app and include the FECRT attachments, temperature logs and prescription notes as a packet. If you prefer a quick checklist before a vet or event, our beginner guides and setup article can help you tune the app: Set Up Hoofprint in 15 Minutes and Smarter Horse Care Tracking.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by a human editor before publishing.