Re: Heartrate Threshold

[Susan Evans Garlinghouse <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

Not that Tom needs any help from me, but for most horses, I would agree
somewhere around 220 or so is an average max HR.  There are always
exceptions to every rule, and 240 isn't totally beyond the bounds of
reason, so I wouldn't bet the farm that 240 was inaccurate---but before
I DID assume 240 was right, I'd go checking the equipment first just to
be sure.

OK, I just found a few references around here that checked average peak
HR in racing TBs, which pretty much agree with Tom's figures---average
max HRs were 223 bpm, but the range was between 204 and 241.  Average
max HR in trotting horses was listed as 221 bpms, with a range of
210-238.  It ALSO listed average peak HRs in yearling TBs at 240 bpms,
with a range of 215 - 251 bpm) while average peak HRs in 3 and 4 year
olds at 220-230 bpms, so apparently age is a factor as well to some
extent.

And to answer your question about anaerobic threshold, the level of
conditioning, muscle fiber types, etc is probably going to have alot
more influence on AT then is the animal's max HR, so regardless of
whether that 240 reading was accurate or not, I wouldn't get TOO hung up
on it. :-)

Hope this answers your question?

Susan Garlinghouse

fmechelh@c-s-k.de wrote:
> 
> > A heartrate of 240 is generally considered to be approaching fibrillation in
> > the horse. I think you're getting a bad reading. Thoroughbreds race in record
> > time with heartrates in the 216 to 222 range.
> >
> > ti
> 
> Are you sure, Tom ?
> 
> With my horse Ligeira, a partbred arab, I read a 235-238 max. on hills over the
> years, when she gives 100% (a screaming fast horse and has a heart and fights like
> a lion).
> My younger horse, Natasha, I stopped her recently around 212-215 for some hundred
> yards on my long hill, and I feel she was about 90-95% of her WORKmax, so I
> suggest her HRmax. is not far below 235. All these measurements looked quite
> stable (HRM model: V-MAX EHRM basic). Of course they can be inaccurate
> nevertheless, but I never had unreasonable readings such as >250.
> I suggest there are some elite athletes out there with a HRmax. of +-240. Other
> experiences ?
> 
> regards from old Europe
> 
> Frank Mechelhoff (Germany)