Did you know that a horse’s heart can range from 30 beats per minute at rest to 240 bmp when galloping!
The heart of a thoroughbred at rest pumps 35 litres of blood per minute compared to five by a human heart.
Common cardiac problems that hinder equine performance, particularly in athlete horses, include murmurs (abnormal blood flow) and arrhythmias (abnormal cardiac rhythms).
Here is a link to a nice little summary fact sheet for owners from the RVC regarding the equine heart and performance. Here at NFAO we regularly auscultate the heart and take horse’s pulses if there is any symptomology that the cardiovascular system is involved or compromised.
New Forest Animal Osteopathy 
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