Ridecamp: [RC] Saga of the Heart Monitor

Howard,

I dunno if I'd get all that worked up about the wild fluctuations. Isn't it
the recovery that is the indication of fitness? Maybe a vet would tell you
something different, that Dance Line's wild fluctuations are an indication
of injury or disease. If not, why not ride since you obviously enjoy him so
much? Does he enjoy the trail? If you both enjoy it, why not keep on riding?

I did pulses for a ride last weekend that had one or two ASB crosses and one
pure ASB and my mare is 1/8 ASB and I know my mare's dam and her full
brother (both 1/4 ASB). The one thing they all seem to have in common is
that they get a little more "jazzed" than some other breeds might. When I
put the heart monitor on the pure ASB, I doubted that the little bit high
pulse on her was due to a lack of fitness or pain. She was just so excited.
After she calmed down, the pulse dropped like a stone. She finished the 50
in elegant style and looked great, just as jazzed at the final trot out as
she was at every other vet check. (I should mention that the rider took
about 9 or 10 hours to finish.)

Deanna 





---------------------------
Howard wrote:
....It told me that Dance Line, my beloved 17 hand American Saddlebred, has
the most rapidly fluctuating heart beat of any other animal on the
planet?and has hit numbers like 168 just while warming his butt up, in the
trot, around the arena.??If I would have known this two years ago, I would
never have done those 50 mile endurance rides?on him.? Ever.? I'm afraid my
buddy's endurance days are over; I doubt if I'll?go back to doing even?a LD
ride on him.? Those numbers are thru the roof!
?
.... No wonder he was so erratic when I went thru a vet check, even the pre
ride check.? He sees a fly, his heart rate rises faster than Spider Man
climbing a tall building.??And the rate seems to come down just as fast as
it went up.
?


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