Irregular Heartbeat - What to expect?

Katieg123

Katieg123

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Hi All,

I am currently selling my horse and interested buyers were getting him vetted when the vet noticed that he has an irregular heartbeat. He recommended I get a full work up and ECG done at an equine hospital to help understand his condition and what sort of future he may have. The vet mentioned that this may have no impact on his potential career and, if this is the case after determined at the equine hospital, the potential buyers may still be interested.

Has anyone had any experience with a similar case? If it is decided he cannot have a ridden career he will retire at home with me. I am not sure if the buyers would be expecting him for a cheaper price after the work up if it is determined he can still have a career - what would be a normal price reduction for this situation?

I am at a bit of a loss with this one as it was the last thing I was expecting! He's always been completely healthy the whole time I have owned him.

TIA
 
We've had this with some of the Arabs used in endurance, can be pretty much nothing (dropped beats when fitter) and have no impact on their career but you'd need a work up to be fully sure
Shouldn't effect price if sold with the vet report if it's minor
 
I had a horse with a dropped heart beat, he was a TB who was very fit and only had dropped heart beat at rest. Vet was quite happy that it wouldn't affect him and buyer was happy to proceed with no reduction. I expect it will depend on what sort of abnormality you are dealing with - did they give you any indication?
 
A dropped heart beat is of no concern in a big, fit horse. It's quite common I believe. My horse had this AV block from when I purchased her at 5 years old. She then developed an irregular heart beat at an endurance ride. The vets thought atrial fibrillation but after a heart scan and ECG it was actually a dangerous ventricular arrhythmia. That was serious and I wasn't allowed to ride her. Thankfully she recovered but has now developed a leaky valve. Her heart sounds pretty funky but all safe at the minute to crack on as a low level alrounder. In summary, until you've had the work up you won't know exactly what you are dealing with or the impact on future potential.
 
Thanks all! The vet tried to explain a bit too me but I couldn't quite understand so I'll be very interested to hear how the full work up on Friday goes. He's only being sold as an amateurs/riding club horse so hopefully he will be able for that! Also thank you for the indication that the price drop could be minimal/unnecessary. The work up itself is quite expensive so it would be nice not to be down too much more money (although of course the horse comes first)!
 
Barklands said:
I had a horse with a dropped heart beat, he was a TB who was very fit and only had dropped heart beat at rest. Vet was quite happy that it wouldn't affect him and buyer was happy to proceed with no reduction. I expect it will depend on what sort of abnormality you are dealing with - did they give you any indication?
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My horse is currently under investigation for heart problems and my vet also said this - sadly I think mine is more severe and problematic, but she initially said that many horses will present with a dropped beat at rest, particularly fit ones. Once put under a bit of pressure, i.e. exercise, it almost always resolves. So as others above have said, I've also been told by my vet that it's a very common finding in horses and usually not indicative of a real problem.

Sorry you're having to put money into an expensive workup but hopefully it will come back as being clinically insignificant. Hope you're not worrying too much.
 
I had an ISH with a dropped heart beat, my vet said it wasn't a problem and I had him for about 12 years without it being an issue. I would be hesitant to buy one without the workup though so I understand why the buyers are concerned. Hopefully it will come back that all is well and he finds a nice home.
 
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When I bought my previous horse, he had an issue on the heart beat at vetting but he had already had a work up at Rossdales so the vendor gave me all the paperwork for my vet to review. He had done novice eventing but I was buying for showing. I can't remember that much of the details but he was signed off as fine for me, and think he would have been okay for eventing from memory. I think I paid pretty much what they were asking for him. Good luck with your horse.
 
Thanks everyone I appreciate the input! Its been hard not be stressed and a little upset at the situation but you've made me feel a bit better about it! I will let you know how it goes when I have more info.
 
I've had a couple recently, one was picked up at an endurance ride we took him for further tests and sadly ended his ridden career he was in his teens, the other is a young horse who the vet suddenly heard a murmur at the end of last summer, we were going to have him checked but life got in the way a bit and the vet has been out a couple of times since for other things and had a listen and it's actually gotten quieter so we are going to wait and see before spending on taking to have a full blown exam!
 
I know a pony that was vetted for sale and the vet found something with the heart. So the vendor took the pony to the local hospital where they did a complete check up with all their equipment and said his heart was fine, no problem. I don't know how much it cost the vendor to do though.
 
Interesting as we had an ISH we took to an endurance ride years ago. Always very easy to get and keep fit and he mainly evented. I remember the vet getting the students to listen to his heart as it was dropping beats. In his case they considered it a good sign of his fitness. Had no idea it could be a problem! We lost him in his late twenties so thankfully in his case it definitely wasn't an issue
 
The vet found an irregular heartbeat on vetting my ginger boy. He had further tests e.c.g etc organised by the owner and my vet laised with their vet and all was fine. Had him 8 yrs this year and no vet has ever mentioned he has anything abnormal since. He was going from junior SJ to me as a RC allrounder.
 
Hi All just wanted to give a quick update! My appointment on Friday got pushed to yesterday afternoon so only have information now.

Unfortunately he has atrial fibrillation so his heartrate is very fast and irregular. We opted to treat it using Quinidine so he will be in the hospital for 2 nights and then will need 6 weeks field rest. This has about a 80% success rate so I am hoping it will work - they are starting the treatment this morning after fasting overnight. If it does work then there is about a 70% chance it will not reoccur long term.

Thanks all for your help and am also open to any other insights! I was very upset about this all last night but hoping for the best today. Looking forwards to hopefully having him home on Thursday or Friday so he can rest up in my (slightly wet) fields.
 
Katieg123 said:
Hi All just wanted to give a quick update! My appointment on Friday got pushed to yesterday afternoon so only have information now.

Unfortunately he has atrial fibrillation so his heartrate is very fast and irregular. We opted to treat it using Quinidine so he will be in the hospital for 2 nights and then will need 6 weeks field rest. This has about a 80% success rate so I am hoping it will work - they are starting the treatment this morning after fasting overnight. If it does work then there is about a 70% chance it will not reoccur long term.

Thanks all for your help and am also open to any other insights! I was very upset about this all last night but hoping for the best today. Looking forwards to hopefully having him home on Thursday or Friday so he can rest up in my (slightly wet) fields.
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All the very best and hope he is home as soon as possible.
 
Final update just for records in case anyone has a similar situation in future. After 7 doses of the Quinidine treatment his heart finally converted to a normal rhythm after 3 nights in the hospital.

He was then rested and put on beta-blockers for a few weeks before getting rechecked.

Unfortunately his heart did convert back to atrial fibrillation and is fast and irregular again so I have decided to retire him at home instead of pursuing further treatment. The first round of treatment was very hard on his body so I wont be doing it again with the same chance of it not taking.

Thanks everyone for the support - I now have a very handsome field ornament and he can stay where he is for as long as he is well!
 
Katieg123 said:
Hi All just wanted to give a quick update! My appointment on Friday got pushed to yesterday afternoon so only have information now.

Unfortunately he has atrial fibrillation so his heartrate is very fast and irregular. We opted to treat it using Quinidine so he will be in the hospital for 2 nights and then will need 6 weeks field rest. This has about a 80% success rate so I am hoping it will work - they are starting the treatment this morning after fasting overnight. If it does work then there is about a 70% chance it will not reoccur long term.

Thanks all for your help and am also open to any other insights! I was very upset about this all last night but hoping for the best today. Looking forwards to hopefully having him home on Thursday or Friday so he can rest up in my (slightly wet) fields.
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Good luck! My heart horse got AF when he was 12. I used to jump him to a decent level.

He had quinidine cardio conversion, we had an equine cardiologist do a heart scan and nothing else was structurally wrong.

I carried on jumping him but only at 1m level after that. His heart returned to AF 18 months later. He was treated again but this time it only lasted 7 months.

He was left in AF but I had a cardiac stethoscope and I used to keep an eye on the rhythm. It was quite settled in the end and he carried on jumping at the lower level. It was a tendon that got him in the end some 4 years later.

My father in law has it as well

My horse was 17.2 and a Belgian showjumper. It’s fairly common in the big horses
 
At least you tried - I'm sorry he won't return to being ridden but it's so nice that you can retire him at home and he'll be happy and comfortable for the rest of his life.
 
Katieg123 said:
Final update just for records in case anyone has a similar situation in future. After 7 doses of the Quinidine treatment his heart finally converted to a normal rhythm after 3 nights in the hospital.

He was then rested and put on beta-blockers for a few weeks before getting rechecked.

Unfortunately his heart did convert back to atrial fibrillation and is fast and irregular again so I have decided to retire him at home instead of pursuing further treatment. The first round of treatment was very hard on his body so I wont be doing it again with the same chance of it not taking.

Thanks everyone for the support - I now have a very handsome field ornament and he can stay where he is for as long as he is well!
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It's so nice to see a post that restores one's hope for horse ownership. He's a lucky horse.
 
Spiderpig2009 said:
Good luck! My heart horse got AF when he was 12. I used to jump him to a decent level.

He had quinidine cardio conversion, we had an equine cardiologist do a heart scan and nothing else was structurally wrong.

I carried on jumping him but only at 1m level after that. His heart returned to AF 18 months later. He was treated again but this time it only lasted 7 months.

He was left in AF but I had a cardiac stethoscope and I used to keep an eye on the rhythm. It was quite settled in the end and he carried on jumping at the lower level. It was a tendon that got him in the end some 4 years later.

My father in law has it as well

My horse was 17.2 and a Belgian showjumper. It’s fairly common in the big horses
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He still seems very well but with the rate and irregularity of the rhythm I think the risk for us is too high to continue riding him. I would also never be able to shake the anxiety of the possibility of a sudden collapse!

The vet mentioned its more common in large horses which checks out - he is pushing 18hh Irish Sport horse.

Glad to hear your story is a good one :)
 
I was once told that on a yard of twenty if you tested them all on that day you may find an irregular heart beat within all of them and then a day later on none of them. So 🤷‍♂️
 
I think it's a given that anything to do with the heart might be a tad tricky to pin down on an animal that some days spooks at its own shadow and later on that same day can walk past a hedge trimmer with nary a sideways look.


OP I think you've made the right decision but sorry things haven't turned out how you'd hoped
 
Katieg123 said:
He still seems very well but with the rate and irregularity of the rhythm I think the risk for us is too high to continue riding him. I would also never be able to shake the anxiety of the possibility of a sudden collapse!

The vet mentioned its more common in large horses which checks out - he is pushing 18hh Irish Sport horse.

Glad to hear your story is a good one :)
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Ahh his size makes sense it is fairly common in the big ones.

I had Mark Paterson (I think that was his name) one of the top cardiologists at the time do a heart scan. I knew the horse well and he said to pull up if he ever felt tired - I was always aware and could feel it through the saddle sometimes. It is really important to identify if there is a benign cause- for example a small pony with it is likely to have other issues, larger horses it just happens.

With AF over time it does settle into a bit more of a regular rhythm, it sounded like trainers going around in a tumble dryer. Long standing AF is harder to convert - my father in law says some days he feels so wiped out and it’s quite disconcerting having it banging around. But, in the absence of cardiac issues it managed relatively well although not medicated in horses as they tried that and there were all sorts of problems.

I guess I learned to live with it. Surprised they did quinidine as I believe nowadays they do electro cardio conversions like they do in people - but my horse had in first in about 2008 so had quinidine.

Totally understandable the decision to not ride again. I was lucky I guess I got another 4 years together with my boy but he had no abnormalities just a massive heart.

Have a look at the story of the racehorse Denman, I think he was cardio converted a few times and still won jump races after that.

With hearts they try to find their own sinus rhythm if you have recently had it done it may take some time. The one thing the cardiologist told me was if I kept him without over exerting him he was unlikely to drop down dead. AF is relatively stable once persistent in the absence of other issues.
 
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Just found this for you- it’s a write up 3 racehorses who had it. It’s really interesting..,

They said that 1 in 300 racehorses are found in AF at the vet checks for each race.

www.racingpost.com

Sprinter, Denman, Edwulf: how expert care helped three kings rule once more

Mark Storey with heartwarming tales of triumph over adversity
www.racingpost.com www.racingpost.com

I would have not given those last four years with my horse for all the money in the world- I blessed the ground he walked on. I still cry for him now 14 years later. But he did have a healthy, but massive heart, albeit beating funny- his Aorta was 15 cm long. I think it was a definition of what he was- he was a great horse no other I have ever had would still wanted to carry me round the way he did with AF- he lived to work and was a worker through and through. We loved each other. He was my Bucephalus I guess and I miss him still to this day- he went in Jan 2012.

I knew him so well. I never rode or worked him at all if it was hot- that was the only time when he showed any sign of reduced energy when he was left in AF.

When my father was rushed to hospital with heart issues- he couldn’t quite believe when I said “thank god” when he told us it was AF. Super scary for him, but my own experience with my wonderful horse was that it could have been a lot worse of all the heart issues to have.

A really big point to make as in my message above- I do remember I had to wait about 6 weeks before I rode him again after cardio conversion. This is because the cardiac muscle undergoes significant memory remodelling - you don’t want high rhythms in this phase. Likewise, yours is being left in AF, but as it’s recent in onset you just need to give it time. It does settle after a while. Buy a cardiac stethoscope and listen every day, over time it will find its own odd rhythm but it tends to level off once established. Yours has just had a chemical insult and it will take time to resettle.

I think I am trying to impart to you what no one did to me when my horse was found to have it. The shock of it, the scare of it being a heart issue. The reality was quite different- I tried to make his heart normal, but it was set on going back to AF and ultimately he was fine. You cannot event or hunt an AF horse, but he had a wonderful life hacking and doing (in our opinion) low level jumping-and he never missed a beat. We had four wonderful years together after that of our 9 year relationship and I would do it hands down again. He was perfectly fine albeit I put him down levels. It is really common in middle aged athletic men, which my horse was I guess 🥰. BUT, I did have his heart scanned, and there was nothing else wrong with it other than it was large- but only because he was a large athletic horse. They are AF accidents waiting to happen. My current wonderful horse is the carbon copy- same colour, markings height and breed. It never stopped me.

Big hugs - please pm me if you want to discuss anything further. I know a lot about hearts!

This is him jumping at the lower levels whilst in AF.
 

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