<< From: ISLNDGRL@aol.com
>>>
A couple of years ago I was taking PRs at our clubs' annual CTR. One very
serious rider had just gotten his heart monitor a few months prior. This
rider came to my PR check. I took the pulse and got 68 (parameters 64).
His
heart monitor showed a steady 56. >>>>>
>>> I am concerned that riders who are new to heart monitors, might
think that they are absolute, which they are not. Not even the thousands of
dollars monitors in my ER are absolute. Could Roger please comment ?
Thanks Kathy Jupiter, Fl
>>
Yes You are correct. Under SOME conditions, I mentioned those in a prior post
about errattic heart beats. The horses heart..We do know that MOST 98% will
be correct when taken with a scope for ONE FULL MINUTE. MOST of the time the
monitor is dead on with a 15 sec or 30 second count. HOWEVER. the pulse taker
MUST insure the count starts at the FIRST beat AFTER the clock says 00 or 12.
THEN insure the last beat is counted at the 15 Sec point not the beat that
occures AFTER. You can will be off 4 beats IF the count is not started and
ended correctly. timing...
The times when I had readings taken and they were in error a re-take at 30
secs matched the HRM.
The monitor when connected correctly and the horse has a nomral HR is
accurate. NO ONE has yet proven otherwise. Our test on treadmills with lab eq
shows a direct match The margin of error is +/- 1bpm. The mfgr of the
electronics publishes this accurarecy.
Errors are commonly induced due to motion artifact, ie loose saddle girth.
The horse standing and breathing deep and fast-- over 20 rpm-- and with a
loose saddle can cause reading errors as the horse breathes,.. the saddle and
girth move.
RR