Oooh,
it’s much more fun to use a heart rate monitor, so you can check the rate
while you’re trotting down the trail, climbing up the hill, or pausing
for a little break. Now, I know you shouldn’t totally rely on them, as
there are circumstances under which you’d think your horse was dying if
you did, like when the HRM counts both the lubs &
dubs (it’s so high surely the heart is going to explode!), or when they
drop to 00 (he’s dead already & just hasn’t dropped over yet!).
And it’s no substitute for being able to “read” you horse, however,
under most situations they can be very helpful in seeing where you horse is
without having to stop, which after you’ve used one for awhile, you’ll
know that their heart rate after you’ve stopped & gotten off to
check, is no indication of what is was 15 seconds prior. So, if you’re buying
that cup of expensive coffee every morning, give it up for a couple of months
and buy a HRM!
If
you have to put it off, stethoscopes are very inexpensive, $5 in Jeffers Equine, $25 in Valley
Vet catalogues or even Longs drugstore.
Kathy
It
sounds like I need a stethoscope so that I can take my horses
heart rate more accurately. Till now I've just been doing it by hand and...well...I'm not quite sure how accurate I've been! At least
I've been in the general ball park. Anyways, where can I find a stethoscope and
how much are they on average?
