Monitoring Metabolics

Excellent shared article on monitoring your horse's metabolics....what's up with the gut! (Thanks Chris Martin for the document link).

Speaking of that, do your know your horses true resting heart rate?  Journey's is like the walking dead when she's truly relaxed it barely breaks 30 bpm and I actually got a number lower than that once.  Once on a lead rope she is about 37 bpm, under saddle about 60, walking 80, trotting 110-120, cantering 140+.

I've never actually listened for gut sounds.  Time I learn that.  I think it would make me a better horsewoman to understand what a functioning and non-functioning gut sounds like so when I push Journey's limits a bit, I can determine how she is doing, and know if we are good to go...or not.         ~ E.G.