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From all I have been able to find out - including input from some very 
experienced vets one difference between humans and horses is 
conditioning doesn't significantly impact the resting heart rate in 
horses while it does in humans. The resting heart rate is closely 
associated with "stroke volume" the higher the stroke volume the lower 
the resting rate. It seems the stroke volume is genetically programmed 
and fixed in horses.

I have ridden primarily two horses for my miles. I am also fairly 
familiar with my wife's horse. My mare has a resting rate of 26. She is 
a walking horse. The Jbird - an Arab - has a resting rate of 34. The 
mare in her prime would eaisly out recover the Jbird in his prime. Same 
conditioning. She would drop like a rock to 52. His first plateau is 
about 60 - which interestingly enough is the difference in their resting 
rates.

My wife's horse - an Arab - has a resting rate of about 30. He easily 
out recovers the Jbird - even with the Jbird being in a lot better shape.

These are two rat results and a lot of people claim resting rates don't 
matter - however, all other things being equal I'd pick a horse with a 
lower resting rate than a higher resting rate as an endurance prospect.

Interesting enough the mare's two offspring that we still have both have 
resting rates of about 26. One broke his leg at 5 weeks old so he's not 
an endurance horse but a nice trail horse. The other one we are just 
starting to ride.

Truman

Cheryl Dzida wrote:
> How much does a horse's heart rate change with conditioning? Is the 
> resting HR of an unconditioned 3 year old the same as what it will be 
> as it ages and is conditioned for endurance?


--

“He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a 
monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also 
into you.” Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil


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