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[RC] HRM's and Increasing Intensity - k s swigart

Mike Sofen said:


In all cases, in my opinion, it is foolish to attempt to increase
the workout intensity of a horse without a heart rate monitor
being used every time the horse is ridden.  The notion that
"I know my horse so I don't need a heart rate monitor" only
works for casual, slow riding.


I am curious as to what makes you say this.  What information do you
think a HRM provides you that is so essential for increasing intensity
of a workout....speaking as somebody who takes my horses out for gallops
up hills on a regular basis and has never found the information from a
HRM valuable for anything much more than its entertainment value
(especially since the information coming out of it becomes extremely
unreliable--to the extent that when it gives out a number different than
expected, I consider it safe to assume that the HRM is just plain wrong,
frequently because the electrode on the girth is not getting consistent
contact).

When galloping up a hill it is EASY to tell when your horse is getting
tired (even the most unfeeling rider can tell when a horse starts
lagging during such an effort), and when you gallop up the next one, it
is easy to tell whether the horse has recovered from the last effort, or
has a harder time with it.

And since high intensity workouts have a tendency to be shorter in
duration, you are back at the barn with the tack off before a HRM might
tell you if it is taking your horse an excessively long time to recover
(cardiovascularly) completely.

As I said at first, what information does an HRM provide you that you
find essential? Since, if it is so, I am obviously missing something
important and don't even know it. :)

kat
Orange County, Calif.






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