High heart rate - no outward sign of stress

Meowy Catkin

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First thing this morning my horses had their flu boosters. The two mares seemed their normal calm selves and were well behaved. The gelding was getting himself in a knot, not knowing whether to weave or box walk because it's just so awful being in a stable for five blimmin' minutes and the Vet was one that he doesn't like.

Well the chestnut mare and the gelding had normal heart rates (all that fuss from the gelding and no raised heart rate) but the grey mare's heart rate was well over double what it should be. She showed no sign of stress at all. The vet is coming back to check her again in the field as we hope that it was stress caused by memories of having her sarcoids treated.

It really brought home to me though how horses hide how they feel so effectively. If you had to pick one of the three by observation alone, I can't imagine that anyone would have picked anyone else but the gelding.
 

rabatsa

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I had this when both a vet and a dentist visited. The mare which was wringing wet and pacing the stable had a low heart rate but the one that stood with a resting hind leg was sky high.
 

Meowy Catkin

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I wonder if the 'stressed looking behaviour' actually is an outlet for the stress and so their heart rate doesn't raise in the same way? Where as if they internalise it, the heart rate rockets?

I'm pretty sure that she was caffeine free LOL! I've had her from a yearling so know her inside out (I thought) and she's never had a high heart rate before when the vet has been and listened to it. Hoping that she's not ill, her last flu jab was in september so not even 6 months ago (vet wanted to do her too as the other two were due this month). The sarcoid treatment was awful... it really could be memories of that. It was the same vet who came today.
 

racebuddy

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I wonder if the 'stressed looking behaviour' actually is an outlet for the stress and so their heart rate doesn't raise in the same way? Where as if they internalise it, the heart rate rockets?

I'm pretty sure that she was caffeine free LOL! I've had her from a yearling so know her inside out (I thought) and she's never had a high heart rate before when the vet has been and listened to it. Hoping that she's not ill, her last flu jab was in september so not even 6 months ago (vet wanted to do her too as the other two were due this month). The sarcoid treatment was awful... it really could be memories of that. It was the same vet who came today.



Ih bless mine is very much like that just hides everything hope she is ok
 

Pearlsasinger

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I wonder if the 'stressed looking behaviour' actually is an outlet for the stress and so their heart rate doesn't raise in the same way? Where as if they internalise it, the heart rate rockets?

I'm pretty sure that she was caffeine free LOL! I've had her from a yearling so know her inside out (I thought) and she's never had a high heart rate before when the vet has been and listened to it. Hoping that she's not ill, her last flu jab was in september so not even 6 months ago (vet wanted to do her too as the other two were due this month). The sarcoid treatment was awful... it really could be memories of that. It was the same vet who came today.


I bet it was because it was the same vet.

My Westphalian always stood as steady as a rock for the vet, so the day usual vet came to take bloods for Cushings test, when she asked if the student could give the injection, I willingly agreed. The next time that vet came out to inject, mare was anxious and fidgety. Then a different vet came to do next injection and she stood like a rock again, even though I was a bit anxious about how she would behave for him. I am sure that she associated the first vet with the not very smooth, rather uncomfortable experience she had with the student.
 
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