Lub-dub. Lub-dub. Learn to check your horse's heart rate to evaluate your horse's physical condition. An increase in heart rate can be associated with pain, dehydration, fever and other problems. A normal resting heart rate for an adult horse is about 30 to 40 heartbeats per minute.
A heart rate of 50 or higher in an adult horse at rest may mean the horse is in physical distress.
Younger horses have higher heart rates. The average heart rates for young horses are as follows: Foals (70-120 bpm), Yearlings (45-60 bpm), two-year olds (40-50 bpm).
You'll need a stethoscope and a stopwatch, digital timer or watch with a second hand.
1. Stand on your horse’s left side, facing his left elbow.
2. Insert the stethoscope earpieces into your ears and place the bell of the stethoscope behind the point of his elbow. Press it gently into his armpit.
3. Listen for your horse's heartbeat. It will have both a "lug" and a "dub" component. Count the two together as one beat: lub-dub. Lub-dub.
4. Using a watch with a second hand, a stop watch or digital timer, count the number of beats in a 15-second period.
5. Multiply by 4 for beats-per-minute.
Take your horse's heart rate at different times of the day. Try it on hot days, cold days, in the morning and early evening. A variety of different readings will help you get an accurate picture of what's normal for your horse.