Ridecamp: [RC] Protecting Horses! (Malibu Ride)

HI Truman:
I never saw a horse with this low a heart rate (44 - 48) except at the pre ride vet check when we were doing baselines.  The lowest heartrate I saw on ride day was 56 and that woman hand walked her horse into vet check#1.
When I'm referring to the panters (inversions) that the vets asked us to watch for--these horses almost looked like they're tummies were fibrillating --the panting was that fast and they had correspondingly high heart rates, though not as high as their resp.  These horses also had a hard time coming down to 60 whereupon we'd check their temps.
Once any horse came down to 60, I never checked it again.  Did riders stick around at your ride until their pulses were this low, Truman?  Were you checking horses that were this rested??  Lucky you!!! I only wish I saw one horse as rested as the ones you describe.  Not so on the Malibu Ride.  It seems the combination of the heat and the hills  was very hard on these horses.  Yes, it slowed them down (it took Suzy Kelley just over 9 hours to complete the 50), but it was very hard on most horses.  Suzy's horse looked great coming in to camp, tho.  
So as far as what I was seeing, on this ride anyway, the inverted horses that warranted our concern (according to our vets) had both high heart and resp rates.
I can understand that a heart rate of 44 and a resp or 48 wouldn't be a problem at all.
Maybe in my confusion we're talking about different scenarios here??

Angie asked if I was doing prelimenary P & R's.  
Hi Angie:
Whenever anyone yelled P & R, I ran over and did it.  Riders without heart monitors couldn't really tell ( I guess) how their horses were doing as most of them were pulsing around 80 when the request was made.

Also I have to add about the rider with the juniors.  As far as I could see, this woman was  courteous, polite and patient at vet check #1. >shrug<  
Also her juniors seem to adore her.  They hang all over her,  touching her, hugging  her.  She's not much taller than they are.  They seemed like a very nice, very together bunch.  They were in no apparent hurry to leave vet check #1 that I could see.  Just my observations....for whatever that's worth.

Truman wrote:

Last Oct I worked the P&R for a FL ride. It was hot and humid on that ride. Just about every horse that came in was panting. It didn't seem to impact there recoveries much. I had horses come through at 44 and 48 by the time the riders got their selves together and cooled off. 

So I don't believe this to be a valid observation. But one thing to remember on a panting horse is they need more electrolytes. 


> 20020618.171149.-195527.12.Rides2far@xxxxxxxx"> 
> > The 'panters' seemed to have higher heart rates as a general rule