[RC] accuracy of hand helt heart rate monitors - LAWRENCEC BENNASCONI
Does any one else have a horse that has to be checked with a stethoscope?
When I was training, and riding with my HRM, I thought her pulse seemed a little
high, but she is not an Arab, and seemed to be fine otherwise. Now I am thinking
that it wasn't reading properly. At previous rides, the handheld monitors would
not read at all, this past weekend, it was about 60 degrees at the ride, I had
not clipped my horse, since I was going to take it easy, and she is a short
stocky Morgan from Maine who already has a longer coat than my Arabs. She was
sweating more than normal, so she was actually wet enough to get a "signal", but
it read in the 70s. I sponged her quickly, wetting the area behind the girth
where you put the monitors, and she was at 44. I have noticed that if the HRM is
not reading correctly, it will often show almost double the actual heart rate. I
don't think her heart rate would have actually dropped 30 bpm that fast, I think
the electronic monitor was not reading correctly. Her heart rate was confirmed
by the vet at the final check, it was 40.
My old HRM has finally died, are the new models with the thin
electrodes any more accurate?
Does any one else have a horse like this that just will not work with
the electronic monitors??
From now on, I will go straight to the person with the stethoscope, I
won't even try the handheld monitors.
