February is American Heart Month, so why not learn something interesting about your horse's heart. This large organ is vital to their health and survival. You may have seen your veterinarian listen to it during check ups, but what else do you know? Get ready to be wooed with these fun facts!

Your Horse's Heart

  1. At a full gallop, your horse's heart rate can jump up to 240 beats per minute. The typical resting heart rate is 30-40 beats per minute though.
  2. On average, they weigh between 8 and 10 pounds or 1% of your horse's body weight. A human's heart only weighs 0.5 to 0.8 pound in comparison.
  3. Like yours, it has four chambers- a right and left atrium that receive blood and two ventricles that pump blood.
  4. This organ regulates the nervous system and body heat. It's responsible for calming your horse and getting them to sweat.
  5. Heart attacks are not very common in horses, though they are at risk for heart disease. This risk increases with age!

There are so many interesting facts about this essential muscle. It's constant beat is what maintains the life of your horse. Hopefully, you learned a little more about how it functions!

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