Re: Arrhythmia??

[guest@endurance.net]

Judy Long julong@cisco.com

Whether it is a problem depends on what
kind of arrhythmia the horse has.

My horse had an arrhythmia at the last Castle Rock
ride (2000?).  It was a very warm and humid spring
day and at the halfway point he had an arrhythmia.
We had never heard his heart do that before and
no one was really sure if it was a problem or not
so we pulled.

We thought it may have been the weather and the
exertion but it happened on some pleasure rides
after that.  I took him to UC Davis for an EKG
and it was diagnosed as Premature Atrial contractions.
In his case his atrial contractions fire off before
they should.  He still has the same number of heartbeats,
just not always with an even rhythm.  We re-checked him
a month later and they told me that he should be
fine.  One doctor suggested supplementing with 3,000 IUs of
Vit E although I don't recall how that was supposed to help.

I don't remember exactly what it all cost but I
think it was under $300.  They did an ultrasound of his
heart and an EKG.  It was all very interesting.

Since then I haven't really noticed him doing it anymore.
I think he just wanted to take the summer off...


Judy Long and Nachi Sunshine (Warpaint)