What is the typical resting heart rate for a healthy horse?

• A. 60-80 beats per minute
• B. 120-140 beats per minute
• C. 30-40 beats per minute
• D. 140-180 beats per minute

Answer: (C)

Resting heart rate shows how the horse’s heart performs at rest, when it’s calm and not under stress. For a healthy adult horse, the heart doesn’t need to work fast to circulate blood while at rest, so the normal range is about 28–40 beats per minute. A rate in the 30–40 range fits that baseline and indicates good, resting cardiac function.

The other numbers reflect higher activity or distress. A rate around 60–80 can occur if a horse is nervous, unwell, or has just finished exertion, while 120–140 and 140–180 are typical of ongoing exercise or serious stress/illness. It’s also worth noting that foals tend to have higher resting rates (often around 60–80), but for a healthy adult horse, 30–40 is the standard resting range.