Re: RC: RE: Trot/Canter

[Truman Prevatt <tprevatt@mindspring.com>]

If that's the case then the heart rate would not change independent of
cantering up hill, down hill, in deep sand or on firm footing. My horse's
heart rate at a canter is different in all these conditions and in fact
it goes up when I canter up hill, goes down when I canter down hill, goes
up when I hit deep sand and goes down when I hit good firm clay footing
it goes down.

T

Bob Morris wrote:

>  Please
> investigate the reason that the heart rate is lower at a canter than at
> a trot. At some gaits such as the canter the heart is synchronized with
> the stride. The gut moves slightly forward on the exhale and back on the
> inhale and the heart syncs with this motion. The cause is the gut pressing
> against the diaphragm and then moving away relieving the pressure. When
> the motion ceases such as at a walk then the heart normalizes.Get
> a good text on equine biomechanics for a full explanation.Bob
> Morris