Comments on Behind the Bit: The digital pulse: Normal or not?

This is helpful stuff, even the icky photos. Thank...

2009-07-15T10:59:30.984-04:00

This is helpful stuff, even the icky photos. Thanks for sharing!

I'm coming at this as a (human) healthcare pro...

2009-07-13T00:25:10.960-04:00

I'm coming at this as a (human) healthcare provider, and a relative newbie horseowner in a big barn who often gets asked to "hey, come see if you can feel this!"

The best thing a layperson/owner can do is to get a sense of their own horse's pulses in all four feet. You also want to practice feeling for pulses when YOUR pulse isn't being charged up with adrenaline

Thank you, I've never been able to find the ri...

2009-07-12T21:53:34.217-04:00

Thank you, I've never been able to find the right spot, and icky as they are, the cadaver photos helped me understand where the veins are.

I SO appreciate this...I needed to take a digital pulse this week, and did not feel confident at all. Will be working with mentor, but this is great!

I've been through the digital pulse frustratio...

2009-07-12T21:37:13.689-04:00

I've been through the digital pulse frustration. It is a good idea to figure out what is normal for your horse on all four legs.

I've always taken it on the back of the fetlock on both sides - making note if the pulse is different on either side of the same leg.

Still, what is "bounding"?

Also important not to feel your own pulse in your thumb!

Icky but good. However, according to my farrier, ...

2009-07-12T20:28:45.859-04:00

Icky but good.

However, according to my farrier, he has found many horses with strong digital pulses that have no unsoundess issues at all. Sometimes the pulse indicates trouble, sometimes it's a consequnce of the horse's having romped about, and some horses just seem to have stronger pulses.

So, what's right? I guess you would have to monitor your own horse