Digital horse journal: how and why

A horse journal is the memory of everything that happens with the horse between vet visits. Health, training, mood, small irregularities and special experiences. Anyone who keeps it honestly saves themselves discussions later and recognises patterns that disappear in daily life. This article shows what belongs in it, why the digital form wins and how a horse share partner shares the journal with the owner.

Why a horse journal is valuable

Three situations make the value visible immediately.

• At the vet appointment. The vet asks: since when has the horse been lame? Did it show anything unusual beforehand? Anyone who can check the journal answers precisely. SVPM and GST emphasise the value of documented observations in diagnostics.
• When ownership or the horse share changes. A new horse share partner takes over a familiar riding routine much faster with a journal than without.
• Tracking training progress. Anyone who believes in November that their horse moves better than in August is often right. The journal proves it in black and white.

What belongs in a horse journal

Six categories cover the day to day.

• Activities. Date, type (riding, groundwork, walk, rest), duration, weather and footing, a short description of how it went.
• Health and observations. Mood, energy, irregularities on legs, hooves, eyes, coat. Even mild swelling or an unusual reaction to bridling belongs in.
• Appointments. Farrier, vet, vaccinations, deworming, saddler, dental check. With preparation and follow-up.
• Special costs. Vet bill, a one-off farrier case, buying a rug. Linked in the journal to the date when it happened.
• Training progress. Lessons mastered, new jumps, good canter transitions. What was shaky a few weeks ago is solid today. Or not yet.
• Photos and notes. A quick photo of the saddle fit, a screenshot of the grooming schedule, a voice memo after a hack.

Why the digital form wins

Paper is nice, but the day-to-day horse share routine demands more.

• Searchability. When was the last lameness in the right foreleg? In a digital journal you find it in 10 seconds.
• Multi-user access. Owner and horse share partner see the same state. No translations over WhatsApp.
• Photos directly from the stable. Smartphone in hand, photo into the journal entry. Essential for observations about the horse.
• Reminders. The app flags upcoming farrier or vet appointments before they get missed.
• Export. When the horse share changes or the horse is sold, the journal can be handed over or printed.

The paper riding journal keeps its place for personal training reflection. In daily life with several participants, the digital one dominates.

Owner and horse share partner share the journal

In Swiss horse share practice, the following split has become established.

• The owner enters: Vet appointments, vaccinations, deworming, larger illnesses, long-term training goals, insurance receipts, special costs outside the riding routine.
• The horse share partner enters: Riding sessions with observations, care irregularities noticed on their own riding day, smaller special costs, progress observations.
• Both check in: Whoever is with the horse next reads the most recent entries beforehand. That way the handover stays clean.

When several horse share partners share the same horse, the journal matters even more, because otherwise each one is blind to the others.

Swiss practice: what has caught on at the stable

• A daily note after the stable visit. Even if nothing special happened, one sentence is enough. That is how the routine grows.
• Photos for anything unusual. A suspicious crack, a swelling, a small injury. Photo into the entry.
• Voice memo after the hack. Anyone who hates typing can record the ride in 30 seconds.
• Backup. A solution with cloud sync and an export option prevents data loss when changing devices.

What the journal does not replace

A journal is documentation, not a substitute for direct observation of the horse. It also does not replace a conversation with the owner about acute irregularities. And it is not a vet diagnostic tool. In an emergency: call the vet immediately (see First aid), then enter it in the journal.

Frequently asked questions

What is a horse journal for? It documents health, training, care and observations across weeks and months. Valuable at the vet visit, when ownership changes and for your own training planning.

What belongs in? Date, activity, duration, weather, observations, health events, appointments, special costs, photos.

Why digital instead of paper? Searchability, multi-user access, photos, reminders, real-time sync.

Who maintains the journal? Both. The owner medically and administratively, the horse share partner riding sessions and observations.

How much effort per day? Two to five minutes with the right app.

Sources and further information

• Gesellschaft Schweizer Tierärztinnen und Tierärzte (GST)
• Schweizerische Vereinigung für Pferdemedizin (SVPM)
• Swiss Equestrian
• Pferdehaltung in der Schweiz (BLV)

Horse journal in HorseCompanion

HorseCompanion offers a digital horse journal with activities, health observations, special costs and photos per horse. Owner and horse share partner see the same state, with clear role permissions. Start for free

Updated: June 2026