Checking Endurance Horses for Cardiac Recovery

Endurance horses that compete in long-distance races must be checked periodically during the competition to ensure they are fit enough to continue. Temperature, pulse rate, and respiration are recorded as a horse enters the veterinary checkpoint, after which the horse can be cooled with water, walked or rested, and allowed to recover for a set time before the readings are taken a second time. Horses that have not shown significant recovery after resting may be given a longer rest. After a recheck, those with vital signs that still indicate distress are pulled from the race, as are horses that are exhibiting lameness.

A slightly more sensitive method of testing fitness and the ability to keep racing can also be used at some endurance events. Horses are checked for vital signs as they enter a checkpoint and then are rested and cooled before the signs are recorded again. At this point, the horses are trotted in hand on an out-and-back track of about 125 feet in each direction. A stopwatch is used to measure 60 seconds from the pre-jog pulse check. The second pulse measurement should be no more than a beat or two higher than the pre-jog number in horses that are recovering satisfactorily. Horses that have a larger increase in heart rate may be rested again before the jog is repeated. Any significant elevation after this jog is seen as a sign that the horse is in some distress and should not be allowed to continue.

Even riders not competing in endurance races should pay attention to their horses’ vital signs during strenuous or long exercise periods. Young horses, older horses, those in less than ideal condition, and all horses exercising in hot, humid weather should be monitored for heavy breathing, rapid heart rate, and sweating. Riders should provide water, rest their mounts often, and end the ride before the weakest horse in the group becomes excessively tired or overheated.