The opening of the report establishes a structured approach to examining sick horses, emphasizing the importance of a systematic examination to ensure accurate diagnosis. It outlines the significance of understanding a horse's medical history, including diet, exercise, and prior treatments, in identifying the cause of illness. Additionally, it describes the various physical signs to observe in a horse's posture and skin condition, which can indicate underlying health issues. This foundational knowledge is crucial for anyone in the field of veterinary medicine, as it sets the stage for a thorough exploration of diseases and treatment methodologies that follows in the rest of the report. (This is an automatically generated summary.)