What is the typical resting pulse rate for a horse?

• A. 15-25 beats per minute
• B. 35-45 beats per minute
• C. 60-80 beats per minute
• D. 100-120 beats per minute

Answer: (B)

In horses, resting heart rate reflects how efficiently the heart can pump blood when the animal is calm and not exerting itself. For a healthy adult horse, the resting pulse is typically in the mid to high 30s beats per minute, commonly about 35–45 bpm. This range shows a strong stroke volume so the heart doesn’t need to beat rapidly at rest. Values much lower (like 15–25 bpm) would be unusually slow and could indicate bradycardia, while consistently higher values (60–80 bpm or 100–120 bpm) point to stress, pain, dehydration, fever, or recent exercise. To measure, count heartbeats for 15 seconds and multiply by four (or count for a full minute for precision). In hippotherapy practice, a stable resting heart rate helps indicate welfare and readiness for activity.