Why do we measure heart rate?

Today, the wellbeing of the horse is at the heart of our thinking as riders and players in the equestrian sector. We can define it as a “mental and physical state linked to the meeting of their physiological and behavioural needs.” (ANSES 2018). The horse is regarded as a completely separate athlete. For example, we have seen balneotherapy centres, spas, the use of alternative medicine such as acupuncture introduced as part of this improvement in wellbeing. In this context, we have established a partnership with ARIONEO to develop a connected girth capable of providing precise measurements of the horse’s heart rate.

What is the heart rate?

The heart rate is taken to be the number of times the heart beats per minute (bpm). The resting heart rate of a healthy horse is between 25 and 40 bpm. This figure rises to 70 bpm for foals. When the horse is working hard, the heart rate may climb up to 250 bpm.

What are the benefits of measuring the horse’s heart rate?

Measurement contributes towards horse wellbeing

Monitoring the horse’s heart rate provides an overview of its state of health. There are a number of factors that can influence a horse's heart rate (excitement, stress, fatigue, pain...). Familiarity with your partner’s heart rate variations can help to avoid a variety of problems or conditions, such as stress that can cause colic or tying up. The rider is more aware of their horse’s health and the data can be used by healthcare professionals. These measurements help you to better understand your horse's fears or nervousness. They enable you to work on the physical and mental integrity of your horse.

These measurements enable you to work on the physical and mental integrity of your horse. 

Measurements to aid performance of the horse alone and with its rider

Analysing your horse’s heart rate is a major benefit when it comes to optimising training and monitoring performance. Precise measurements show you the value of your training. You can see if the session was intense, if your horse was tired, or if it was a more moderate session. This helps you to maintain both mental and physical health. It is a good indicator to ensure that you are not over-training. This knowledge can also help you to identify your horse’s margin of progress. You can vary the intensity of your training, working the horse’s muscles, including its heart, to improve performance and endurance.

 The key desire of any rider is to have a horse in good physical and mental health. The better the horse’s health, the better it will perform. Working on the physical condition of your horse will make it more responsive. The data provided by the iPULSE will enable you to easily adapt your training. In the long term, the horse will find the exercises you are asking it to perform easier and its fitness will improve. 

The heart rate is a major benefit when it comes to optimising training and monitoring performance.

What parameters do we need to look at to measure your horse’s heart rate?

Analysing your horse’s heart rate is a major benefit when it comes to understanding its physical condition and health. Recovery time after exercise is key to gauging fitness.

• Bpm: tells you about the intensity of the session
   
• Horse recovery time: the quicker your horse's recovery time, the fitter it is (just like a human who has been jogging)

When do we look at your horse’s heart rate?

There are three times when it is interesting to see the heart rate: at rest, during exercise and immediately after exercise (in the recovery period).

When at rest, if the heart rate is low it means that your horse is in a good physical and mental state. On the other hand, if it is high that could be an indicator of potential pain, disease or fatigue due to over-training.

Measuring the resting heart rate is a good indicator of the horse’s state of health

Recovery is a subject of interest to all riders. “Has my horse recovered enough for me to return it to its stable? " We can draw a distinction between rapid recovery (immediately after exercise) and slow recovery (which follows when you walk your horse off and then stop).

• In the rapid recovery phase, we should check whether the heart rate falls rapidly. If not, it means that the exercise was too intense for your horse.
   
• In the slow recovery phase, the heart rate should return to what it was at the beginning of the exercise. The closer it is to that figure, the more your horse has recovered.

It is clear that by measuring your horse’s heart rate, you are doing all you can to ensure its good health and best comfort.

However,

we must not forget that every horse is different (and yes, we know that your horse is absolutely unique), so it is important to check its heart rate regularly to get to know what is normal and identify any changes. A change in heart rate at rest or during exercise may reveal a potential problem. It is important to see if it differs from the data you usually record.

When studying the heart rate we must also remember to consider your horse’s environment, as this can have a significant effect.

Points to remember

• Resting heart rate : If it is raised, there is a risk of fatigue, stress or over-training
   
• Heart rate during exercise : If it is raised, there is a risk of disease (pain, infection, lameness...)
   
• Heart rate during recovery : If it is raised and the recovery is very slow, there is a risk of fatigue, over-training, or that the exercise was too intense for the horse

Each horse is different and will have its own heart rate

Consider your horse’s environment

This guide is provided for information purposes only. Always consult your vet