Misty is a big horse (almost 16 hands) and is black so she is a panter -
not bad but on a hot day when her heart rate dropes to 42 she will probably
be "inverted". That is normal. If she pants on a cold day then I would be
a little concerned, however.
Yea, I think I know my horse. I spend more waking hours with her during
the season than I do my wife. I think everyone knows their horse, they
just need to listen.
This is one of the reasons I believe in bring along a horse very slowly.
Not only do the structures of the body need slow development, you need to
get to know the subtle signs so that you know that either the tank is
getting empty so you can slow down or that that you have been sandbagged
and there is a lot left in the tank.
Okay, Okay, I'll get off the soap box now. Sorry...
----------------- Original-------------
>Jim, I guess since I am a neophyte (relatively) I don't understand how a
>horse in THAT bad a shape could be deemed FIT TO CONTINUE! Obviously it
>wasn't. Was there something strange on the horse's parameters? I am pretty
>curious. At the OD last year or two years ago, a horse had a pulse only 2
>BEATS higher than it should have been, and the rider pulled it (being a vet)
>and 20 minutes later the horse sort of collapsed due to a tie up. Granted
>that isn't much of a clue to a problem, but I suppose if you are riding a
>horse that much, you would know when your horse didn't feel right. But then
>that also assumes everyone dealing with the horse is scrupulous (ie the
>rider). Don't know, that's why I am asking.
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The race is not always to the swift, but to those that keep running.
Truman and Mystic "The Horse from HELL" Storm
prevatt@lds.loral.com - Sarasota, Florida
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