Heart rate in horses is a physiological parameter that reflects the number of heartbeats per minute. It is an important indicator of cardiovascular function and can be influenced by factors such as exercise, stress, excitement, and health status. Monitoring heart rate provides valuable insights into the horse's physical condition and can aid in assessing fitness levels or detecting potential health issues. In equine practice, heart rate is often measured using stethoscopes, heart rate monitors, or electrocardiograms. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the determinants, measurement techniques, and implications of heart rate variations in equine health and performance.
HOLT JP, RHODE EA, PEOPLES SA, KINES H.Studies of left ventricular volume and pressure have been carried out in the control state in four classes of intact anesthetized mammals (horses, cattle, swine, and dogs), body weights of which varied 54-fold. On the basis of these studies of both large and small hearts, extending over a wide range, a pattern of function for the left ventricle of all mammals has been described. Mathematical equations are given describing the interrelationships between left ventricular end-diastolic volume and end-systolic volume, stroke volume, cardiac output, stroke-work, heart rate, and total peripheral res...
Simões J, Santos AM, Santos C, Silva AS, Vintém C, Fonseca J, Coelho C.Show jumping is a popular and complex equestrian modality practiced by a athletes of different levels. However, most studies focus on elite athletes. Objective: The aim of this work was to assess the effect of a show jumping test (SJT), designed for novice athletes, on the physiological biomarkers and energy indexes of a group of horses, bred and trained in Portugal. Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study, thirteen horses and their riders performed a SJT with obstacles set at 80 cm height using a heart rate monitor (M430 with H10 sensor). Physical examination and blood samples, for...
Sanigavatee K, Wonghanchao T, Poochipakorn C, Pongnarudech P, Suchairat T, Jitsopin S, Wanichayanon B, Sripiboon S, Chanda M.Long-distance road transport is known to be stressful for horses, with most research conducted in temperate climates. This study investigated horses' stress responses during long-distance transport before and after a jumping competition in a tropical environment. Ten healthy horses (aged 7.9 ± 1.9 years) were studied. Blood cortisol concentrations, haematology, and heart rate variability (HRV) were monitored during outbound (OTJ) and inbound journeys (INJ). Cortisol concentrations increased five minutes after unloading and remained elevated for up to 180 minutes in the OTJ (P < 0.05-0.001)...
Kroschel L, Pilger F, Aurich J, Nagel C, Aurich C.Horses in training are often stabled individually, but this is increasingly questioned. We have investigated the effects of different stabling systems in Warmblood stallions during a 12-week pretraining programme. Stallions were 24 months old and housed either in a group stable (Group 24, n = 9) or in individual boxes (Box 24, n = 10), or they were 30 months of age and housed in individual boxes (Box 30, n = 10). Cortisol, heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), body development, injuries and selected behaviour patterns were analysed (1) at transfer from pasture to stable and (2) the...
Schneider MJ, Piotrowski IL, Junge HK, van Steenkiste G, Vernemmen I, van Loon G, Schwarzwald CC.Left atrial mechanical dysfunction is common in horses following the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). This study aimed to evaluate the use of an acoustic cardiography monitor (Audicor) in quantifying cardiac mechanical and hemodynamic function in horses with AF before and after treatment and to correlate these findings with echocardiographic measures. Twenty-eight horses with AF and successful transvenous electrical cardioversion were included. Audicor recordings with concomitant echocardiographic examinations were performed one day before, one day after, and two to seven days after card...
Wermer K, Korbacska-Kutasi O, Berkecz R, Csupor D, Ágh N, Sztojkov-Ivanov A, Cserhalmi D.Cannabidiol (CBD) has shown potential therapeutic benefits in veterinary medicine, but further investigations are needed to establish its pharmacokinetics and therapeutic dosing in horses and ponies. The present study aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetic properties of CBD in Connemara ponies following oral administration of CBD oil. Unassigned: Ten healthy ponies received a single oral dose of CBD oil at 2 mg/kg. Blood samples were collected before dosing and up to 16 days post-administration, with physical examinations conducted at baseline and at 8, 12, and 24 h post-dose. Addition...
Massie S, Vega LCC, Zuluaga-Cabrera AM, Bayly WM, Léguillette R.Colombian Criollo horses are bred for their smooth gaits that emphasize full collection and rapid footfall. The physiological demands of these gaits remain unknown. Our objective was to determine if oxygen consumption, ventilation, locomotor-respiratory coupling, and running economy differed between the trot or trocha and the gallop. Unassigned: 7 competition horses completed a controlled design standardized field test between January 10 and 20, 2025. Horses wore a cardiotachometer and ergospirometer to measure heart rate, oxygen consumption, and ventilation at the trot or trocha and the gallo...
Wonghanchao T, Sanigavatee K, Petchdee S, Chettaratanont K, Thongyen T, Wanichayanon B, Poochipakorn C, Chanda M.The physiological capabilities of horses begin to decline after they reach 15 years of age. However, some exceptionally talented horses can continue their sports careers beyond this age, raising concerns about their welfare. This study investigated animal welfare by observing resting heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) metrics in geriatric horses participating in similar training or physical activities compared to younger adult horses over 30 min periods. Forty-six horses of varying ages and activity levels were divided into four groups, including horses under 15 years practising ...
Faircloth J, Fielding L, Epstein K, Crabtree N, Mochal C, Magdesian G, Major D.To describe the clinical presentation of horses with synchronous diaphragmatic flutter (SDF) and identify clinical and laboratory variables associated with survival. Methods: Retrospective study from January 2004 to September 2022. Methods: Five large animal referral hospitals in the United States. Methods: Thirty-seven horses of various breeds and ages presenting with clinical signs of SDF, excluding animals participating in an endurance competition. All horses were >1 year of age. Methods: None. Results: Variables recorded and analyzed included signalment, clinical and laboratory data, trea...
Kisilevich Q, O'Connor SGP, Bayly WM, Léguillette R.To validate a single-lead ECG fitness tracker device (FT) against the reference multilead ECG recording device (RM) for heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) monitoring of horses during routine swimming. Unassigned: 40 race-fit Thoroughbred racehorses were used for 5 days in May 2024. Surface ECG recordings were obtained simultaneously from the FT and RM devices in horses swimming 63.65 m across a pool. Electrocardiograms were reviewed and artifacts corrected when necessary, and correlations were analyzed between the 2 devices for HR and HRV parameters. Descriptive statistics and Bland-Altm...
Jastrzębska E, Dobbek D, Pawłowska A.Back pain in horses is a frequent musculoskeletal issue that affects performance and welfare. Magnetotherapy has been proposed as a complementary, non-invasive treatment to reduce pain and support soft tissue recovery, but studies in horses remain limited. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effects of low-frequency pulsed magnetic field therapy on horses with hypersensitivity to palpation along the longissimus dorsi muscle. Four recreational horses participated in a 10-session magnetotherapy program, with changes assessed using palpation, neck flexibility tests, heart rate measurements and...
Mendoza Flores JE, Terrazas A, Lara Sagahon AV, Aleman M.Parasympathetic tone activity (PTA) and its association with behavior in conscious versus anesthesia in horses are unknown. Objective: To study PTA, heart rate (HR), minimum alveolar concentration (MAC), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) during castration under anesthesia. To study PTA, HR, Horse Grimace Scale (HGS), locomotor activity (LA), and behavior in conscious horses before and after castration. Methods: Pilot study including seven healthy adult horses. After habituation (days 1, 2, and 3), PTAm, HR, HGS, LA, and behavior were investigated during pre-surgery (days 4-, 5-, and one-hour pr...
Busechian S, Di Salvo A, Orvieto S, Rueca F, Villella C, Sollevanti G, Pieramati C, Nisi I, Della Rocca G.Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is a worldwide disease described in different categories of animals. A causal relationship between exercise and EGUS has been suggested, attributed to stress as well as physiological changes in the position of abdominal organs, especially during trot and gallop. EGUS can influence athletic fitness, as has been described in various papers on racehorses. The aim of this work was to determine if gastric ulcer healing is associated with changes in selected fitness parameters (i.e., speed, heart rate during exercise and recovery, stride length and frequency) in ...
