Heart rate monitor

[cazzamamma]

Does anyone use a heart rate monitor during training? I have just purchased one to make sure that I was getting the cardio levels up for my dressage horse but not sure how to get the most out of it. Any advice appreciated?

 

[Steerpike]

I use one for endurance training but have never used one in a school, a rough idea is walk 60-80 bmp, trotting 80-100 bmp, cantering 100-180 bmp depending on speed

 

[Shay]

They are notoriously unreliable because of issues with fitting, muscle mass etc. Far better to learn to make your own judgements correctly using a stethoscope - as endurance riders do.

 

[NZJenny]

I used to have one for endurance training as well - more hassle than useful. I can't think I would ever bother with one for the dressage horse (even more hassle!), although I did play around with the GPS at one point to see how far we actually travelled while schooling.

 

[Steerpike]

I find them very useful for endurance training but do not rely on it alone, I can't see how you would use a stethoscope whilst riding, most endurance riders I know use a ride on heart rate monitor. I've never had a problem fitting them either, I use the gel that they come with and make sure the coat is thoroughly wet where the two small pads go.

 

[NZJenny]

I find them very useful for endurance training but do not rely on it alone, I can't see how you would use a stethoscope whilst riding, most endurance riders I know use a ride on heart rate monitor. I've never had a problem fitting them either, I use the gel that they come with and make sure the coat is thoroughly wet where the two small pads go.

You wouldn't use a stethoscope riding - just at vetting.

I didn't find that a HR monitor added anything to my training. It didn't tell me anything I didn't know, so it just wasn't worth the time to put it on. I found riding with a GPS to give me accurate speed and distance a lot more useful. I can't think of any riders here in NZ that use an onboard HR monitor any more - they came and went. Some still use a VMax or similar for taking HRs at vet gates, but with experience a stethoscope can be quicker.

 

[Steerpike]

I'm not quite sure how you can say a heart rate monitor can't tell you what you didn't know already, for endurance you need to keep the heart rate within the aerobic zone, if the heart rate goes higher than the aerobic zone then the heart can no longer supply the muscles with all the oxygen they need and lactate builds up in the blood which is not good for endurance. Maybe you wouldn't need one if you are doing the short endurance rides but when you do longer distances I find heart rate monitors a good tool for training.