> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
Did you see the post from Easyrate (Garret)
> It is interesting. Yes, the wires are a pain in the neck. They
> break. The velcro comes off theback of the electrodes. You may
> be looking at replacing the wires and electrodes once a year, to
> the tune of $25. It makes the replacement of the transmitter
> to the belt ($50) about a comparable price. The belt system
> is MUCH simplier, and does have the advantage of staying on the
> horse with the saddle is off. >
> Karen
>
>
Karen,
I just replaced my original set of leads, They are 4 year old now.
I had problems with accurate readings, decided to check everything over
and found the leads had bare spots. I replaced them and now everything is
just like new!
I've never tried the "wireless" belt model but just from minor
problems I've had with electrode placement I don't see how they could
possible give accurate readings.
For instance, if the electrode is not making constant contacnt with
the wet skin the readings become unreliable. My use of the wire models
shows that every time the electrode (rubber pads) get an air gap between
the electrode and the wet skin you get an extra pulse. This leads me to
believe that the belt model would have to be very tight around the horse
in order to get good readings. How can it be tight against the skin when
the horse moves as much as it does? Every step the horse takes creates a
ripple in the muscle, bones, skin, etc. that would interfere with
contact! I just don't see them being reliable.
Ray Santana
UC Davis Medical Center
Network Operations
raymond.santana@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
---Have you seen the belt? It is a very stretchy elastic with a
neoprene backing.
My friend and I did one ride where we tried to test her belt system
against my wire one. I was concerned that my mare seemed to be
running so much higher than hers, the the terrain was difficult.
We stopped and put her belt on my mare, then "activated each
receiver separately. The readings were within a point of each
other. My mare WAS running high.
We also did a ride where 3 of us all cantered uphill for about 5
miles. Two had belts, I had the wire model. All 3 horses were
in about the same condition. They were within 3 points of each
other the whole way. This was also a shock, becuase none of the
horses went over 119.
My boarder, riding my mare, was having trouble even getting a
reading at all, with the belt model, the entire ride, except for
the section we cantered. My other friend, as far as I have heard,
seems to have no problems with hers.
Anyway this is all annecdotal.
Karen
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