Kathy Myers wrote:
>I have to wonder about heartrates at 200 or above. I have
>*never* gotten a correct reading anywhere near that high. I'd
>expect to see rates of 200 at the race track, but not on an
>endurance trail. What gives?
My horse's heart rate can run over 200 but I don't let it stay
that high for long. It usually happens if he is running up a
hill, although at the 1995 ROC his heart rate got up there when
walking up a hill. The elevation was 7000-10000 and it affected
him when climbing. His heart rate usually runs much higher at the
beginning of rides due to his wildness and excitement and settles
down later on. His heart typically runs about 20-30 BPM more than
any of the Arabs we ride with. Any kind of HRM numbers that are
given as "rules of thumb" seem to be more consistent with Arabian
horse heart rates than other breeds (or at least Appys!). The HRM
has been a valuable tool in getting to know my horse and what is a
normal heart rate for him.
I know the readings are incorrect if they jump all over the place
and my horse seems normal. My HRM has a small heart on the
display that beats rhythmically when its reading correctly and
gets very spastic when the contacts aren't right or wires are
loose.
Judy Long
Hayward, California