Re: Panting

["Joe Long" <jlong@mti.net>]

On Mon, 7 Sep 1998 22:05:01 EDT, Leigh331@aol.com wrote:

>What do you call: the allotted time for his pulse to come down? I've seen many
>horses pant, but not when all is well! Don't understand why he would do this
>if his heart rate was down, say to 60 or better yet, to about 45. Tell us
>more.

On the contrary, horses pant when all is very well.  They do so to
help them dissipate heat.  Some good endurance horses become excellent
endurance horses by using panting in this fashion (some of them learn
to do it).  Some Morgans in particular are ferocious panters; you
don't want to stop them from doing it, they are more competitive when
they pant (as they cool themselves better).  What you need to do is
accept that their panting is normal (actually beneficial), and if in
doubt take their temperature to be sure they are at a safe level to
continue before going on.

The great Morgan gelding Lain panted if the weather was even warm, and
was known to leave a vet check and return to the trail with a
respiration rate still over 100 bpm.  He retired fit and sound after
over 8,000 miles of completions (and many 1st places and BC's).

-- 

Joe Long
jlong@mti.net
Business Page  http://www.mti.net
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