How is heart rate recovery affected by training and exercise?
AWith improvement in fitness, the heart rate recovery time post-exercise is shortened. In other words, the horse’s heart rate drops more rapidly toward normal after exercise as fitness improves. Checking the heart rate monitor at intervals after completing a defined distance is a valuable method to assess fitness during training. During competition the rider and veterinarian often utilize this information on the ride card to monitor the horse’s condition. With dehydration, metabolic dysfunction, fatigue and even lameness, heart rate recovery is adversely affected. This is the basis of the cardiac recovery index (CRI). How can heart problems cause poor performance? AAdequate cardiac output must be maintained to sustain muscular work; therefore, any condition that results in reduced cardiac output below that necessary for a given workload can reduce performance. In the horse, reduced cardiac output can result from arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythm) that cause uncoordinated contraction o
