Page 92 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse
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Figure 3.3 The site for taking a horse’s pulse
• Run your fingers along the lower border of the mandible. The artery can be felt as a
tubular structure.
• Apply light pressure with the flat of your first three fingers.
• Feel the pulse under your fingers.
• Count the number of beats in a 15-second period.
• Multiply this by 4 to obtain the horse’s pulse rate.
Tip Practise this immediately after exercise when the pulse is faster and more easily felt.
TAKING THE DIGITAL PULSE
If the horse is standing quietly, another place to take the pulse is where the digital artery runs
over the sesamoid bones, just above the fetlock joint (Figure 3.4). This can be more difficult
to locate unless the horse has a foot problem such as an abscess or laminitis. A strong or
‘bounding’ digital pulse in both front feet is common in horses and ponies with laminitis.
