Page 101 - May 2022

don’t rely entirely on the monitor to tell if a horse is in pain. Still use intuition and “feel” about a horse’s performance. Each horse has a different pain tolerance, and adrenalin can subdue some pain recognition.
ELECTRODE PLACEMENT
Electrodes for a heart rate monitor are positioned beneath the saddle and girth
– check that they don’t cause swellings or raw spots. Excess pressure or irritation to underlying tissue creates discomfort and may cause a horse to alter his gait. Data is most reliable when electrodes make good contact with underlying skin – clip the fur or liberally apply electrode gel before placing the electrodes.
Electrodes that don’t make correct contact lead to erratic readings – heart rate may
be way lower than expected, it may jump around for no good reason, or it gets stuck on a number and doesn’t change no matter the exercise intensity. Check that electrode wires are securely snapped into the transmitter;
if so, reposition tack and electrodes, either adding water or electrode gel to the skin to increase electrode contact. Sometimes the
girth electrode wiggles loose to suspend in free air to give odd readings if it even reads at all. A piece of Velcro wrapped around the girth “sticks” the electrode in place.
There is often a lag time between what a horse is doing and the readout on the heart rate monitor because the meter averages electrical impulses from the heart every 6 beats or so. It is possible to run a gallop and slow the horse substantially, only to see the meter jump to a high rate that corresponded to the speed effort. The meter may take a few seconds or even a minute to catch up to the horse’s work output, particularly if the heart rate is constantly changing due to varying terrain or speed.
IN CONCLUSION
Electronic technology can be put to work for a training and competitive advantage starting with a conditioning program that
is based on a scientific approach rather than haphazard guesswork. Knowledge of a horse’s working heart rate allows logical pushes of the horse’s limits to stimulate a training response and to delay fatigue in the face of the exercise demands and climatic variables.
VETERINARY VIEWS
Since heart rate recovery is a legitimate measure of a horse’s fitness, recovery rate is another tool to estimate progressive fitness. Work a horse over a specified distance at a
set speed. Check the heart rate immediately when exercise stops, then at 1, 5, 10, and 15-minute intervals while walking quietly
on level ground. Plot these data points on a graph (heart rate vs. time) and connect them in a line. Compare the graphs at monthly intervals. Ideally, the slope of the line steepens because the heart rate drops more quickly
as fitness improves. Remember, weather conditions affect heart rate recovery, with heat and humidity delaying recovery, so employ this test under similar conditions each time.
USING THE HEART RATE MONITOR TO DETECT PAIN
A heart rate monitor is a relatively inexpensive tool ranging in cost between $200-$500. As a safety tool its cost becomes insignificant if you factor in how much it would cost to lay-up a horse for an injury, or to replace the horse.
The stress of exercise may create an accumulated toll on a horse’s structural soundness. Without some way to measure subtle indications of “wear-and-tear,” problems are often recognized too late. Hands and eyes find swellings, lameness, and unthrifty condition but often after the fact. A minor problem can rapidly turn into a misfortune, requiring aggressive and time- consuming treatment. A heart rate monitor helps to identify an impending problem
in its early stages so proactive steps can be taken with least hazard to the horse, less expense to one’s wallet, and a quicker return to work.
A slow recovery, an increased heart rate of 10-20 bpm for a given work effort, or a heart rate that bounces up and down are warning signs that something is amiss. Take this to heart, and don’t ignore the information. Look for a musculoskeletal problem or areas of soreness created by pinching saddles or bits. This warning flag might also tell of impending colic, tying-up, or an illness such as a viral respiratory infection. Dehydration and fatigue commonly cause such warning indicators.
A heart rate monitor enables appropriate decisions about riding strategies. However,
Fitness tests help measure a horse’s aerobic capacity during training. Weather conditions affect heart rate recovery, with heat and humidity delaying recovery, so employ this test under similar conditions each time.
Knowledge of a horse’s working heart rate allows logical pushes of the horse’s limits to stimulate a training response and to delay fatigue in the face of the exercise demands and climatic variables.
SPEEDHORSE May 2022 99
Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse