What is a normal resting heart rate range for an adult horse?

What is a normal resting heart rate range for an adult horse?

• A. 28-48 bpm
• B. 60-100 bpm
• C. 10-20 bpm
• D. 80-120 bpm

Answer: (A)

Horses have a relatively slow resting heart rate because their heart pumps a large volume with each beat. For an adult horse at rest, a typical range is about 28 to 48 beats per minute. Values within this range indicate normal resting cardiovascular function. If the rate is higher than this while the horse is at rest, it can suggest factors like pain, heat, dehydration, stress, or illness. A resting rate significantly lower than this is uncommon and might occur in very well-conditioned individuals, but generally falls outside the normal resting range. To measure, palpate the facial artery or listen to the heart with a stethoscope, count for 15 seconds, and multiply by four. The other provided ranges are either too high or too low to represent a resting heart rate in a healthy adult horse.

Horses have a relatively slow resting heart rate because their heart pumps a large volume with each beat. For an adult horse at rest, a typical range is about 28 to 48 beats per minute. Values within this range indicate normal resting cardiovascular function. If the rate is higher than this while the horse is at rest, it can suggest factors like pain, heat, dehydration, stress, or illness. A resting rate significantly lower than this is uncommon and might occur in very well-conditioned individuals, but generally falls outside the normal resting range. To measure, palpate the facial artery or listen to the heart with a stethoscope, count for 15 seconds, and multiply by four. The other provided ranges are either too high or too low to represent a resting heart rate in a healthy adult horse.