Authors: Kapteijn Chantal M, Frippiat Thibault, van Beckhoven Cees, van Lith Hein A, Endenburg Nienke, Vermetten Eric, Rodenburg T Bas
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Evaluating stress in working horses requires reliable physiological measurement tools, yet portable heart rate monitors remain unvalidated against gold-standard electrocardiography during dynamic groundwork—a gap particularly relevant for equine-assisted interventions and performance assessment. Researchers compared simultaneous telemetric ECG and Polar H10 heart rate monitor recordings across 28 horses during baseline rest and active groundwork, analysing both heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters in the time domain. The heart rate monitor demonstrated strong accuracy for detecting HR and time-domain HRV measures when set against ECG tracings under both conditions, with predictable physiological responses observed: HR increased significantly during groundwork whilst HRV decreased, confirming the expected parasympathetic withdrawal during exertion. These findings validate the Polar H10 system as a practical, cost-effective alternative to ECG for real-time stress monitoring in clinical and therapeutic settings, making objective welfare assessment accessible to farriers, vets, and therapists working with horses during rehabilitation or behavioural groundwork. Practitioners can now confidently incorporate these devices into routine assessments without sacrificing measurement accuracy, though users should remain aware that results reflect time-domain parameters specifically and understand the physiological interpretation of HRV changes during exercise.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •You can reliably use affordable Polar heart rate monitors to assess stress levels in horses during groundwork and equine-assisted activities without needing expensive ECG equipment
- •During groundwork, expect to see increases in heart rate and decreases in heart rate variability as indicators of stress activation—use these metrics to assess individual horse responses to your work
- •Heart rate variability monitoring is a practical tool to incorporate into your practice for objective assessment of horse welfare and stress levels during training and therapeutic work
Key Findings
- •Heart rate monitors (Polar H10/M430) accurately measured heart rate and time-domain HRV parameters compared to telemetric electrocardiograms during both baseline and groundwork conditions
- •Heart rate significantly increased during groundwork compared to baseline (P<0.05)
- •Heart rate variability significantly decreased during groundwork compared to baseline (P<0.05)
- •Heart rate monitors provide a practical, affordable alternative to electrocardiograms for assessing physiological stress responses in exercising horses