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Re: [RC] Heart rate Monitors - Elizabeth WalkerIn general, you can hear a change in the heart rate before it registers on the HRM. One of the techie's can correct me, but I'm pretty sure they use a running average, so they have to collect a certain number of pulses before they change the displayed rate. If a horse's pulse is going up and down, the monitor may not catch it. On the other hand, it might "catch" it and show the pulse down when in reality it isn't. So, for accuracy and for characterizing the heart rate - I agree the stethoscope beats the HRM. However, for monitoring the heart rate during work, the HRM beats out a stethoscope. Especially when working hills and long grades, it is a handy tool to have so that you can see when you need to drop to a walk and give your horse a breather. Some horses will tell you when they need a break - if they are relaxed. Caisson seems to want to drop to a walk when his HR exceeds 160 - but only when he is relaxed. Others won't give you a clue. If you are riding in a group, your horse probably isn't going to want to slow down or tell you that he needs a break. The HRM is great for helping you judge situations like that. I've also used it when doing trail rides with non-endurance folks. I was fairly sure that most of the horses were fairly soft, so I stuck the HRM on the one I thought was most likely to tire first (Quarter horse, mostly ring work). Monitoring her HRM let me know when she started to get tired, and call for longer periods of walking (the riders all wanted to trot the whole 8 miles). On Feb 10, 2010, at 11:16 AM, Alexa Olney wrote: Second is from the stand point of a pulse taker at rides. I have taken many pulses at rides I never mind jumping in to help. I have had more than one person get grumpy because I have to check the horses pulse and can't take the HRM word for it. And on more than one occasion the monitor has been wrong. At one ride we had a horse who wouldn't come down (there was a pen full of sheep on the property) so we had me on one side with stethoscope and someone on the other with one of the hand held HRM. I actually heard the change in the heart rate before the HRM registered it as being down. So I think HRMs are good for a reference point but nothing beats a good old fashioned stethoscope especially since you can also listen to their guts. Two birds one stone. No matter what you use I think you really have to take the time to get to know your horse. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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