Re: question about "CRI"

[Horsestwo <Horsestwo@aol.com>]

I'm sure Heidi can answer this in better detail than I but here goes.  The CRI
is a cardiac recovery index that seeks to find out if your horse is having
difficulty (usually metabolic) even though it has reached criteria at a vet
check.  If your horse is not having any difficulties or there aren't any
problems brewing i.e. colic or tying up, then it will pass the CRI.
The vet takes your horse's heart rate and has you trot the horse out 125 feet
and back.  He/she starts timing 1 minute after finishing taking the heart rate
(you might finish trotting back before the min. is up).  The vet then takes
the heart rate again.  There shouldn't be any difference in the before and
after readings although a difference of 4 beats is sometimes allowed.  This is
a great tool developed by an endurance vet (Ridgeway) and is sometimes called
the Ridgeway trot.  It can prevent the "crashes" from occurring because it
spots something wrong BEFORE it happens.  You don't want to wait until the
horse is in major distress before removing it from competition.
BTW you can do this at home if you measure out 125 level feet and use a
stethoscope or heart rate monitor and do the timing.  I don't think it is
useful at the beginning of a ride so wait until cool down time of conditioning
ride.
Melanie in AZ