Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Truman Prevatt wrote:
> A panting horse is a hot horse and that is the main concern. You lower 
> it by taking away the source - you cool her off.
Well, not always.  Many horses pant even when they are neither hot nor 
truly breathing hard.  As you are aware, every ride has volunteers that 
take P&R's.  P&R stands for Pulse & Respiration yet rarely do you see a 
volunteer timing a horse's respiration.  That practice has been largely 
abandoned because so many horses who panted were in no particular distress
yet couldn't make criteria AND it had become apparent that the best 
criteria for respiration was that it be appropriate for the horse's pulse,
a decision better made by a veterinarian than a relatively unskilled lay 
person.  Nevertheless, when you are conditioning you can learn to interpret 
YOUR horse's panting.  Normal when slightly exerted? An attempt to reduce 
internal body heat?  Pathological and a symptom of fatigue and/or an 
impending crash?  This last will be accompanied by far more distressing 
symptoms than mere panting - dullness, lack of concern regarding 
environment, disinterest in food and/or water, lethargy.  As to heat 
exchange, if this is a method your horse normally employs (many horses do 
not), treat it with the same degree of concern you would sweating except 
that you can also use it as a clue that the heat index is rising, a factor 
that might indicate the horses need some extra help cooling.

> Kathy Ramspott wrote:
>
> > So, what are the respiration rates that are ok during a good workout?
> > Does heat/humidity effect it?
> > How do you all lower it during rides?
> > What do I need to be concerned about when she seems to be panting?


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