Exercise physiology in horses involves the study of the physiological responses and adaptations of horses to physical activity. This field examines how exercise impacts various systems in the equine body, including the cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, and metabolic systems. Researchers focus on understanding how these systems interact during different types and intensities of exercise, and how they contribute to performance and recovery. Key areas of interest include the assessment of aerobic and anaerobic capacity, muscle fiber composition, energy metabolism, and thermoregulation. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the mechanisms of exercise physiology in horses, with an emphasis on performance optimization, training regimens, and the prevention of exercise-related disorders.
Amato C, Martin L, Dumon H, Jaillardon L, Nguyen P, Siliart B.Leptin is an adipocytokine mainly expressed by adipose tissue. Secretion of leptin in healthy animals is closely related to fat mass and metabolic activity. The aim of this study was to investigate plasma leptin variations, in relation to nutritional and exercise parameters in adult show horses during a work season. EDTA-blood samples were taken at rest from 37 Iberian horses. Body weight, body condition score and fat percentage determined by ultrasonic measurement of rump fat thickness were measured. Plasma leptin was determined with a multi-species RIA kit. Linear mixed effects model was use...
Starke SD, Willems E, May SA, Pfau T.Trotting a horse in circles is a standard and important part of the subjective equine lameness examination, yet objective data on this form of locomotion are sparse. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of trotting in a circle on head and trunk movement symmetry. Vertical movements of the head, withers, os sacrum and left and right tuber coxae were measured using inertial sensors as 12 sound horses were trotted on a hard surface in a straight line and in a circle on both reins. Seven asymmetry measures and hip hike were calculated for each horse for at least nine strides of comp...
van Beek FE, de Cocq P, Timmerman M, Muller M.Injuries of horses might be related to the force the rider exerts on the horse. To better understand the loading of the horse by a rider, a sensor was developed to measure the force exerted by the rider on the stirrups. In the study, five horses and 23 riders participated. Stirrup forces measured in sitting trot and rising trot were synchronised with rider movements measured from digital films and made dimensionless by dividing them by the bodyweight (BW) of the rider. A Fourier transform of the stirrup force data showed that the signals of both sitting and rising trot contained 2.4 and 4.8 Hz...
Siewert C, Böttcher A, Hellige M, Beyerbach M, von Rautenfeld DB, Seifert H.This study tested for the first time an optoelectronic device (Perometer*) measuring limb volume of horses. An analysis of its application was performed regarding the influence of different types of physical exercise on the volume of the extremities. 40 horses were divided into four groups often horses, each group being exposed to exercise, differing in kind and duration of lunging, horse-ridden and riderless. The volume measurement was performed by determining the inactive value (I) after a twelfe-hour standing period, the load value (II) immediately after exercise and recovery value (III) on...
Clayton HM, Lavagnino M, Kaiser LJ, Stubbs NC.To compare effects of 4 types of stimulation devices attached to the hind feet on hoof flight, joint angles, and net joint powers of trotting horses. Methods: 8 clinically normal horses. Methods: Horses were evaluated under 5 conditions in random order: no stimulators, loose straps (10 g), lightweight tactile stimulators (55 g), limb weights (700 g), and limb weights with tactile stimulators (700 g). Reflective markers on the hind limbs were tracked during the swing phase of 6 trotting trials performed at consistent speed to determine peak hoof heights and flexion angles of the hip, stifle, ta...
Hill EW, Fonseca RG, McGivney BA, Gu J, MacHugh DE, Katz LM.Sequence variation at the equine myostatin gene (MSTN) locus has previously been shown to have a singular genomic influence on optimum race distance in Thoroughbred racehorses. Myostatin, encoded by the MSTN gene, is a member of the TGF-β superfamily that regulates skeletal muscle development in a range of mammalian species including the horse. In the Thoroughbred, the C-allele at the g.66493737C/T SNP has been found at significantly higher frequency in subgroups of the population that are suited to fast, short distance, sprint races and also influences body composition phenotypes. We investi...
Kowalik S, Kedzierski W.The effect of interval vs. continuous exercise on plasma leptin and ghrelin concentration in young Standardbred horses was studied. The experiment was conducted on 27 trotters, in the age between 2 and 3 years. They were divided into two groups according to the type of exercise. Blood samples were collected through jugular venipuncture in the following experimental conditions: at rest, immediately after exercise and 30 minutes after the end of the effort. Plasma leptin and ghrelin concentrations were determined using RIA tests. The continuous exercise induced an increase in plasma leptin conce...
Eivers SS, McGivney BA, Gu J, MacHugh DE, Katz LM, Hill EW.Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) has emerged as a critical control factor in skeletal muscle adaptation to exercise, acting via transcriptional control of genes responsible for angiogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial biogenesis and muscle fibre type composition. In a previous study, we demonstrated a significant increase in mRNA expression for the gene encoding PGC-1α (PPARGC1A) in Thoroughbred horse skeletal muscle following a single bout of endurance exercise. In this study, we investigated mRNA expression changes i...
Koho NM, Mykkänen AK, Reeben M, Raekallio MR, Ilves M, Pösö AR.MCT1-CD147 complex is the prime lactate transporter in mammalian plasma membranes. In equine red blood cells (RBCs), activity of the complex and expression of MCT1 and CD147 is bimodal; high in 70% and low in 30%. We studied whether sequence variations contribute to the bimodal expression of MCT1 and CD147. Samples of blood and cremaster muscle were collected in connection of castration from 24 horses. Additional gluteus muscle samples were collected from 15 Standardbreds of which seven were known to express low amounts of CD147 in RBCs. The cDNA of MCT1 and CD147 together with a promoter regi...
De Mello Costa MF, Anderson GA, Davies HM, Slocombe RF.Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) level measurement in blood samples is an important tool in human medicine for the detection, treatment and control of diseases such as sarcoidosis and hypertension. Recently ACE has been advocated as being correlated to athletic aptitude in human athletes and a genetic polymorphism has been shown to be responsible for the enzymatic levels in the circulation. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of acute exercise in horses in order to increase the understanding of a possible correlation between ACE levels in plasma and performance in e...
Derksen F, Williams K, Stack A.While airway endoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage are the methodsof choice for diagnosing exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), these techniques do not allow accurate evaluation of the severity of bleeding. EIPH pathology is characterized by occlusive remodeling of pulmonary veins. Affected veins have large collagen deposits in their walls, which reduces their lumens. In the caudodorsal regions, pulmonary vein wall remodeling is associated with hemosiderin accumulation, bronchial circulation angiogenesis, and fibrosis of the alveolar interstitium, bronchovascular bundle, septa, and ple...
Firth EC, Rogers CW, van Weeren PR, Barneveld A, McIlwraith CW, Kawcak CE, Goodship AE, Smith RK.This study recorded the response to training of the diaphysis of the proximal phalangeal bone and the third metacarpal bone (Mc3) and the Mc3 proximal metaphysis. Nineteen 2- and 3-year old horses in training were exposed either to spontaneous exercise at pasture (PASTEX group) or additional imposed exercise (CONDEX group) from a very young age. Quantitative computed tomography scans were analysed for bone mineral content, size, bone mineral density, periosteal and endosteal circumference, cortical thickness and an estimate of bone strength. The bones of the CONDEX horses were bigger and stron...
Fielding CL, Meier CA, Balch OK, Kass PH.To identify risk factors such as signalment, previous competition miles completed, ride characteristics, and physical examination variables associated with the elimination of horses during endurance competitions. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Methods: Veterinary records for 3,493 endurance horse competition starts. Methods: Records were requested of all sanctioned 2007 endurance horse competitions in the United States. Only rides that provided data from all horses were included. The horse's signalment, previous endurance competition record, specific ride characteristics, weight d...
Piccione G, Giannetto C, Marafioti S, Faggio C, Alberghina D, Fazio F.The aim of this study was to evaluate the daily rhythms of peroxidative parameters in untrained and trained horses. Blood samples were collected every 4 h for a 48-h period for the determination of reactive oxygen metabolites test (d-ROMs), antioxidant barrier (Oxy-ads), thiol antioxidant barrier (SHp) and lipid peroxidation (LPO). Two-way anova showed a significant effect of time of day on all parameters studied, except on LPO. Higher values of Oxy-ads and SHp were observed in trained horses during both days of monitoring (p < 0.01). All studied parameters, except for LPO, showed rob...
Morgan R, Dyson S.Previous descriptions of incomplete longitudinal fractures and fatigue injury of the proximopalmar aspect of the third metacarpal bone (McIII) have focused on diagnostic imaging findings, especially in racehorses. Objective: To document the case details, clinical features, response to diagnostic analgesia, diagnostic imaging findings and follow-up data in a large group of horses with an incomplete longitudinal fracture or fatigue injury of the proximopalmar medial aspect of the McIII. Methods: Horses were included in the study if pain was localised to the proximopalmar aspect of the metacarpal...
Kitaoka Y, Hoshino D, Mukai K, Hiraga A, Takemasa T, Hatta H.To examine the changes in monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) 1 and MCT4 content and in indicators of energy metabolism in the gluteus medius muscle (GMM) of Thoroughbreds during growth. Methods: 6 Thoroughbreds (3 males and 3 females). Methods: Samples of GMM were obtained when horses were 2, 6, 12, and 24 months old. Muscle proteins were separated via SDS-PAGE; amounts of MCT1 and MCT4 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α content were determined by use of western blotting. Muscle activities of phosphofructokinase and citrate synthase were measured biochemically; la...
Dias DP, Teixeira LG, Canola PA, Albernaz RM, Marques JA, Neto JC.The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate surgical catheter implantation in the facial artery of horses and the long-term maintenance of such arteries using heparin and ascorbic acid as filling solution. Nine horses were implanted with a polyurethane catheter. The catheters were flushed with a heparin/ascorbic acid solution every 8h and remained patent for 25 days. Arterial blood samples were collected twice a day, and one exercise test that included serial blood samples and arterial pressure recordings was performed on a treadmill. Polyurethane catheters surgically implanted in the fa...
Minami Y, Kawai M, Migita TC, Hiraga A, Miyata H.Although high oxygen consumption in skeletal muscle may result in severe oxidative stress, there are no direct studies that have documented free radical production in horse muscles after intensive exercise. To find a new parameter indicating the muscle adaptation state for the training of Thoroughbred horses, we examined free radical formation in the muscle by using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Ten male Thoroughbred horses received conventional training for 18 weeks. Before and after the training period, all horses performed an exhaustive incremental load exercise on a 6% incline tre...
Lindner A, Wäschle S, Sasse HH.The blood lactate concentration (LA) and heart rate (HR) of 10 horses exercising in water on a treadmill were examined. With the water at 10 and 50% of the withers height (WH), the blood LA increased up to mean values around 1.9 mm during the standardized exercise test (SET) until after step 3 of 5 (each step lasted 5 min, speed increasing step by step). Thereafter, blood LA of horses remained constant, while with the water at 80% of WH, the blood LA decreased from the mean peak of 2.16 ± 0.62 mm after the 4th step. The HR of the horses increased to 132 ± 14 beats/min until the 3rd step of S...
Bolwell CF, Rogers CW, French NP, Firth EC.There is increasing evidence suggesting that early exercise in Thoroughbred racehorses may be beneficial to the development of the musculoskeletal system. At present, information on the exercise programmes and health problems of individual yearlings during a sales preparation is scant. Objective: To describe the exercise and health problems of Thoroughbred yearlings during preparation for sales, and to identify variations in exercise between and within farms. Methods: A prospective cohort study was used to collect exercise and health information from 18 farms across New Zealand. Daily exercise...
Amory H, Votion DM, Fraipont A, Goachet AG, Robert C, Farnir F, Van Erck E.It is unknown whether or not exercise-induced cardiac fatigue (EICF), as demonstrated in human athletes performing long duration exercise, occurs in endurance horses. Objective: To examine the effects of a long distance endurance race on left ventricular systolic function in horses. Methods: Echocardiography was performed before, and after, a 2 or 3 star international endurance race (106-132 km) in 11 horses. Systolic (s) and diastolic (d) interventricular and left ventricular free wall thickness (IVS and LVFW, respectively), left ventricular, left atrial and aortic internal diameter (LVID, LA...
Franklin SH, Barakzai SZ, Couroucé-Malblanc A, Dixon P, Nankervis KJ, Perkins JD, Roberts CA, Vanerck-Westergren E, Allen KJ.During the past 20 years, treadmill exercise testing has played an important role in both the study of equine exercise physiology and the investigation of poor athletic performance. However, it has been suggested that some trainers and veterinarians may be reluctant to refer horses for treadmill exercise testing because of fears that horses may be at increased risk of musculoskeletal injury during treadmill exercise. Objective: To investigate the incidence and types of injuries sustained by horses undergoing treadmill exercise. Methods: Data were collated from 9 centres in the UK, France and B...
Votion DM, Fraipont A, Goachet AG, Robert C, van Erck E, Amory H, Ceusters J, de la Rebière de Pouyade G, Franck T, Mouithys-Mickalad A, Niesten A....Limited information exists about the muscle mitochondrial respiratory function changes that occur in horses during an endurance season. Objective: To determine effects of training and racing on muscle oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and electron transport system (ETS) capacities in horses with high resolution respirometry (HRR). Methods: Mitochondrial respiration was measured in microbiopsies taken from the triceps brachii (tb) and gluteus medius (gm) muscles in 8 endurance horses (7 purebred Arabians and 1 crossbred Arabian) before training (T0), after two 10 week training periods (T1, T2)...
Butudom P, Foreman JH, Kline KH, Whittem EL.Some methods of lactate (LA) measurement have not been validated appropriately for use in horses. Objective: To validate 2 LA analysers (YSI 2300 Stat Plus and TDx Lactic Acid Assay) for use with equine plasma and to compare plasma [LA] determined by the 2 methods. Methods: Both instruments were evaluated for linearity, parallelism, recovery and precision using serial dilutions of standard LA solutions and equine plasma and then comparing results with linear regression or paired t tests. Plasma [LA] results were compared in 275 blood samples collected from horses exercising at various intensit...
Vengust M, Stämpfli H, De Moraes AN, Teixeiro-Neto F, Viel L, Heigenhauser G.Carbonic anhydrase (CA) catalyses the hydration/dehydration reaction of CO(2) and increases the rate of Cl(-) and HCO(3)(-) exchange between the erythrocytes and plasma. Therefore, chronic inhibition of CA has a potential to attenuate CO(2) output and induce greater metabolic and respiratory acidosis in exercising horses. Objective: To determine the effects of Carbonic anhydrase inhibition on CO(2) output and ionic exchange between erythrocytes and plasma and their influence on acid-base balance in the pulmonary circulation (across the lung) in exercising horses with and without CA inhibition....
Notin C, Vallon L, Desbordes F, Leleu C.Intense physical exercise produces an excess of reactive oxygen species which can disturb the antioxidant/oxidant balance of the horse in training. Several classes of antioxidant dietary compounds have been suggested to provide health benefits and there is evidence that consumption of these products leads to a reduction in the expression of various pro-inflammatory and/or oxidative stress biomarkers. The recent development of a new galenic system allows the oral delivery of the antioxidant enzyme: superoxide dismutase (SOD). This has been developed from a specific melon variety with a particul...
Bitschnau C, Wiestner T, Trachsel DS, Auer JA, Weishaupt MA.Standardised exercise tests are used for fitness evaluation of sports horses. Standards are described for Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds; however, limited information is available for Warmbloods. Objective: To establish normative standards of performance parameters and heart rate recovery (HRR) in Warmblood riding horses of different levels of fitness using a submaximal incremental exercise test (SIET) performed on a treadmill. Methods: A SIET was carried out with 29 healthy and treadmill-accustomed Warmbloods: eleven 3-day event horses (TDE) and 18 horses from the National Equestrian Centre ...
Wanderley EK, Manso Filho HC, Manso HE, Santiago TA, McKeever KH.Mangalarga-Marchador is a popular 4-gaited Brazilian horse breed; however, there is little information about their metabolic and physiological response to exercise. Objective: To measure physiological and metabolic responses of the Mangalarga-Marchador to a simulated marcha field test and to compare these responses between 2 types of marcha gaits (picada and batida). Methods: Thirteen horses were used in the study and randomly assigned to either the picada or batida gait for the simulated marcha field test (speed ∼ 3.2 m/s; 30 min; load ∼ 80 kg). Methods: Included body composition, heart r...
Stutz JC, Vidondo B, Ramseyer A, Maninchedda UE, Cruz AM.Therapeutic farriery is part of the management of certain orthopaedic conditions. Non-podal parameters are important as most horses shod with therapeutic shoes are expected to perform again and the choice of shoe type may be influenced by the effects they may have on gait. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the effects of three different shoe designs and unshod front feet on forelimb non-podal kinematic variables using an extremity mounted inertial measurement unit (IMU) system under conditions of treadmill and overground exercise on a soft geotextile surface at the trot. Ten so...
The proposed biological mechanisms for exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) are many and varied. Better knowledge of risk factors should lead to achievable measures to reduce the incidence. Objective: To identify risk factors associated with epistaxis following racing in UK Thoroughbreds, to gain possible insights into the pathogenesis of the condition and to investigate the association between epistaxis and race finishing position. Methods: The association of epistaxis occurring on UK racecourses between 1996 and 1998 with a wide range of race-, horse- and start-level variables was e...
Fedde MR, Wood SC.When horses maximally exercise, splenic contraction and fluid movement out of the vascular compartment greatly increase the hematocrit (up to 0.70). We studied the in vitro rheological characteristics of blood from Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses to determine the interaction of hematocrit and shear rate on apparent viscosity. We also compared the rheological characteristics of the blood before and after horses received furosemide, a drug commonly used to prevent exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. Although the apparent viscosity of blood with a high hematocrit was high at low shear rates, ...
Parsons KJ, Pfau T, Ferrari M, Wilson AM.During locomotion on an incline, mechanical work is performed to move an animal up the slope and increase the potential energy (PE) of the trunk and hence the centre of mass (CoM). Thus, at a given speed the total net mechanical work increases with the PE of the animal. In this study we investigate the mechanical energy (ME) fluctuations and the mechanical cost of transport (MCT) in six horses galloping up a range of gradients. We captured trunk movement with a six degrees-of-freedom inertial sensor mounted over the dorsal spinous process of the fourth to sixth thoracic vertebrae of the horse....
Back W, MacAllister CG, van Heel MC, Pollmeier M, Hanson PD.Lameness is a highly prevalent condition in horses and the principal cause of removal from athletic activity. In clinical studies to evaluate nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapies, force plates are commonly used to assess improvement of lameness objectively. Objective: To use a force plate to determine the optimal dose of a new COX-2 inhibitor (firocoxib) that will reduce lameness, when administered orally to horses once daily. Methods: Sixty-four horses that exhibited chronic lameness presumed due to osteoarthritis, including navicular disease, in at least one of the frontlimbs and at...
Davie AJ, Priddle TL, Evans DL.This study was undertaken to invesigate the application of submaximal field tests in assessment of performance. A submaximal field exercise test consisting of 2 bouts of pacing for 1600 m, with 5 min rest or walking between runs was performed on Standardbred racehorses at 2 training centres (A and B). Performance indices were compiled for each horse: number of race starts, number of race wins, number of race placings (1, 2 or 3), and lifetime earnings. Regression analysis was conducted to describe the relationship between plasma lactate concentrations and speed for tests one, 2 and pooled resu...
Becero M, Saitua A, Argüelles D, Sánchez de Medina AL, Castejón-Riber C, Riber C, Muñoz A.Capacitive resistive electric transfer (CRET), a radiofrequency at 448 kHz, resulted in increased superficial and deep temperature and hemoglobin saturation, faster elimination of metabolic and inflammatory products and enhanced sport performance in humans. This research aims to investigate whether the application of CRET affects the locomotor pattern in horses and to assess whether an accumulative effect appears when two CRET sessions are applied two consecutive days. Methods: Nine horses were subjected to two CRET sessions applied in both right and left sides of neck, shoulder, back and cr...
Bogers SH, Rogers CW, Bolwell CF, Roe WD, Gee EK, McIlwraith CW.The aim of the study was to use spatial and multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) to describe and compare the regional proportion and spatial pattern of volumetric bone mineral density (BMDv) values within loaded regions of the plantar metatarsal epiphysis of young horses in race training. A single 2 mm transverse peripheral quantitative computed tomography 'slice', 10 mm proximal from the distal limit of the sagittal ridge of the distal metatarsal epiphysis was obtained from 14 2-year-old Thoroughbred fillies (7 exercised and 7 controls). Six regions of interest were generated and examin...
Herholz C, Straub R, Braendlin C, Imhof A, Lüthi S, Busato A.Tidal breathing flow-volume loop (TBFVL) indices in healthy horses and in horses suffering from mild and moderate to severe recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) were measured. In addition, the ability of these indices to differentiate healthy controls from horses with mild RAO by separating the horses according to their usage was investigated. The horses were assigned to three sporting categories: 1 Leisure horses; 2 Horses competing at events with a duration of more than five minutes (eventing, coaching and endurance); and 3 Horses competing at events with a duration of less than five minutes (...
Hyyppä S, Höyhtyä M, Nevalainen M, Pösö AR.Iron is of key importance for aerobic metabolism, and natural feeds of the horse are fairly rich sources of iron. Accordingly, the known incidence of iron deficiency anaemia is apparently rare in performance horses; despite this, iron deficiency in performance horses continues to be of concern to trainers and veterinarians. Effects of exercise on plasma ferritin concentrations were therefore studied in Standardbreds, Finnhorses and half-bred riding horses. Blood samples were taken after a moderate exercise test on a racetrack, a competition exercise test on a treadmill and a race. Even moderat...
Murray RC, Znaor N, Tanner KE, DeBowes RM, Gaughan EM, Goodship AE.Dorsal carpal osteochondral injury is a major cause of lameness in horses undergoing high intensity training. Intra-articular corticosteroid treatment is used commonly to manage exercise-associated articular pain, but its use remains highly controversial in the equine athlete. This project, therefore, aimed to compare the mechanical properties of intra-articular MPA and diluent-treated middle carpal subchondral and cancellous bone in horses undergoing a short-term treadmill exercise programme. It was hypothesised that subchondral and cancellous bone mechanical properties are influenced by intr...
Go LM, Barton AK, Ohnesorge B.Various head and neck positions in sport horses are significant as they can interfere with upper airway flow mechanics during exercise. Until now, research has focused on subjectively described head and neck positions. The objective of this study was to develop an objective, reproducible method for quantifying head and neck positions accurately. Results: Determining the angle between the ridge of the nose and the horizontal plane (ground angle) together with the angle between the ridge of nose and the line connecting the neck and the withers (withers angle) has provided values that allow preci...
Mills PC, Smith NC, Harris RC, Harris P.Allopurinol was administered to six horses in a cross-over study to determine the relative contribution of xanthine oxidase (XO) activity to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the horse during intense exercise. Exercise increased the mean (SEM) plasma lipid hydroperioxide concentration to a maximum of 492.7 (33.4) microM within one minute of exercise completion and maximum levels of both oxidised glutathione (GSSG) in haemolysates of red blood cells and the glutathione redox ratio (GRR) occurred 20 minutes after exercise (87.2 [12.2] microM and 8.9 [0.9] per cent, respectively)....
Ainsworth DM, Appleton JA, Eicker SW, Luce R, Julia Flaminio M, Antczak DF.The effect of strenuous exercise on the mRNA concentrations of interleukin-12p35 subunit (IL-12p35), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in equine pulmonary and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was investigated. We hypothesized that strenuous exercise would suppress the expression of IL-12p35, IFN-gamma and augment the expression of IL-4. Eleven horses were randomly divided into two groups, a stall-confined control group (n=5) and an exercise-conditioned treatment group (n=6). Bronchoalveolar and PBMCs were obtained from horses in the treatment group prior to the co...
Essén-Gustavsson B, Connysson M, Jansson A.There is little information about the influence of crude protein (CP) intake on glycogen and free pool amino acid concentrations in the muscle of horses in training. High energy forage-only diets may be an alternative to concentrate rich diets and may provide high levels of CP. Objective: To study the effect of feeding 2 forage-only diets, containing either high or moderate CP concentrations on glycogen and free pool amino acid concentrations in the muscle. Methods: Two high energy forage-only diets based on high-energy grass forage were fed for 23 days in a crossover design to 6 Standardbred ...
Weber JM, Dobson GP, Parkhouse WS, Wheeldon D, Harman JC, Snow DH, Hochachka PW.This study characterizes the effects of exercise on the cardiac output (Q) and the metabolic rate (VO2) of trained Thoroughbred racehorses. Heart rate, Q, and arteriovenous (a-v)O2 difference were measured at rest and at three levels of submaximal treadmill exercise (1.6 m/s walk and 3-4 m/s trot at 6% incline, and 6.5 m/s horizontal canter). Heart rate and (a-v)O2 difference were also measured during maximal exercise (12.5 m/s gallop, 5% incline) to obtain an estimate of maximum O2 uptake (VO2max). The walk, trot, and canter represented 25, 45, and 55% VO2max. Mean heart rate went from 48.9 (...
Maśko M, Zdrojkowski L, Domino M, Jasinski T, Gajewski Z.The natural head and neck position (HNP) of horses differs from the position in horse riding when bit is used. The special lunging aids (LAs) are applied in order to modify HNP. Different types of LAs have the potential to affect the work of horse muscles and the superficial thermographic patterns (STPs). The effects of thre LAs on STPs of neck, chest, back, and hindquarters were investigated. Methods: Sixteen leisure horses were lunged with freely moving head (FMH), rubber band (RB), chambon (CH), and triangle side reins (TRs). The thermographic images (n = 896) were analyzed before/after lun...
Wickler SJ, Anderson TP.This study had two goals: 1) measure hematologic changes with high-altitude acclimatization in horses; and 2) assess the effect of 9 days at high altitude on subsequent athletic performance at low altitude. Six horses performed standardized exercise tests on a dirt track (before and during time at altitude) and treadmill (pre- and postaltitude exposure). Resting and immediate postexercise blood samples were measured for blood volume, lactate, red cell number, packed cell volume, and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) concentrations at 225 m, over a 9-day period at 3,800 m, and shortly after returnin...
Zsoldos RR, Krüger B, Licka TF.In vertebrates ageing is characterized by reduced viscoelasticity of the ligamentous and tendineous structures and fibre changes in muscle. Also, some vertebral joint degeneration develops with ageing. The aim of this study was to apply dynamic time warping to compare the temporal characteristics of the surface electromyography (sEMG) data and to illustrate the differences in the pattern of muscle use during tasks of daily life in old and mature horses. kinematics (24 skin markers) and sEMG measurements of neck extensors and flexors were taken in five mature horses (age 10 ± 2 years, half of...
Mignot CC, Pirottin D, Farnir F, de Moffarts B, Molitor C, Lekeux P, Art T.The effects of strenuous exercise and ex vivo stimulation of TLR3 and TLR4 pathways on the expression of six inflammatory genes in equine pulmonary leukocytes were investigated. The genes tested were interferon-beta (IFN-β), interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10), chemokine (c-c motif) ligand 5 (RANTES) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). We hypothesized that strenuous exercise would modulate basal gene expression on one hand and modulate the response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and to polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Pol...
Thayer JF, Hahn AW, Pearson MA, Sollers JJ, Johnson PJ, Loch WE.High heart rate variability (HRV) has been associated with more efficient autonomic control, allowing more responsivity and sensitivity to changing environmental demands. Previous results from spectral analysis of interbeat intervals of equine heart rate (HR) indicated increased HRV, reflecting more effective vagal control of the heart. This study focuses on characterizing equine HR and HRV during increasing then decreasing physical demand. A non-invasive ambulatory monitoring system continuously records HR and HRV as horses exercise on a high speed equine treadmill at increasing then decreasi...
Schuback K, Essén-Gustavsson B.The purpose of this study was to develop a standardised maximal treadmill exercise test performed until fatigue in order to find reproducible markers for anaerobic metabolism, specifically adenine nucleotide degradation. Six Standardbred trotters performed an incremental maximal treadmill exercise test in 1 min steps (starting with 7 m/s) until they could no longer keep pace with the treadmill. The test was performed twice with at least one week between the tests. Heart rate was recorded and venous blood samples were obtained during the test and in the recovery period for determination of plas...
Acri G, Testagrossa B, Giudice E, Arfuso F, Piccione G, Giannetto C.Raman spectroscopy is a rapid qualitative and quantitative technique that allows the simultaneous determination of several components, both biomolecules both chemical compounds, in the biological fluids to assess the metabolic status. In this study, the serum composition was evaluated in regularly trained athletic horses using Raman spectroscopy to identify biomarkers of sports performance. Five clinically healthy and regularly trained Italian Saddle horses were subjected to a standardized obstacle course (350 m/minute; eleven 1.25 high jumps) preceded by a warm-up. On the collected sera, at ...
Roepstorff L, Johnston C, Drevemo S.The objective of this study was to validate a simple method to measure the mediolateral expansion of the heels and to apply this method in an in vivo experiment. It was also the aim to quantify the mediolateral expansion in different areas of the heel using an in vitro model. In the in vitro study, 5 right and 5 left distal forelimb specimens from 5 Standardbreds were mounted vertically in a custom-made compressive test machine. The heel expansion was measured using optical kinematic analysis and a potentiometer system. Specimens were tested unshod, with frog pressure and with the weightbearin...
Assenza A, Casella S, Giannetto C, Fazio F, Tosto F, Piccione G.The aim of this study was to evaluate the modifications of some haematological parameters and iron profile during an 80-day training program and their relationship with athletic performance of performance horses. Methods: During the training period, 20 Thoroughbreds were subjected to a standardised exercise test, previously standardised for gallopers to evaluate athletic performance. The test was performed immediately before the beginning of the training program (T0) and after 30 days (T30), 60 days (T60) and 90 days (T90). For each horse, their velocities at blood lactate concentrations of 2 ...
Coelho CS, Silva ASBA, Santos CMR, Santos AMR, Vintem CMBL, Leite AG, Fonseca JMC, Prazeres JMCS, Souza VRC, Siqueira RF, Manso Filho HC, Simões JSA.The purpose of this study was to investigate stressful responses during a 6-week training protocol in young Lusitano horses used for dressage. The hypothesis was that the proposed training protocol would improve fitness and ensure the welfare of the animals by reducing stress predictors. Nine 4-year-old horses were evaluated before (M1) and six weeks after (M2) beginning a training protocol. The training program was performed six times per week and included 40−80 min of individually intensity-adjusted preparatory exercises for dressage. For both moments, the horses were examined before (T0) ...
Galisteo AM, Cano MR, Morales JL, Vivo J, Miró F.The influence of speed and height at the withers on some biokinematic stride parameters (linear, temporal and angular) was measured in 15 Spanish Thoroughbreds (Andalusian Purebred) trotted hand-led along a track; analysis was made of the correlation between speed and height at the withers and of some biokinematic parameters of equine locomotion. Both height at the withers and speed were positively and significantly correlated to the linear parameters examined. Temporal parameters did not reveal a significant correlation with the height at the withers. The correlations with the angular paramet...
Meyers MC, Sterling JC.Physiological testing is extensively used to assess current physical status, target strength/deficiencies, and determine predisposition to injury in athletes. No studies exist regarding these issues on equestrian athletes. The purpose of this study was to quantify the physical, hematological, and exercise response of female equestrian athletes in order to provided greater insight into the health fitness of this unique competitor, and to compare results to other better studied sport athletes. Methods: Following written informed consent, physiological assessments were performed on 24 collegiate ...
Morrice-West AV, Hitchens PL, Walmsley EA, Wong ASM, Whitton RC.Understanding the relationship between the training practices of Thoroughbred racehorses and race performance is important to ensure advice given to trainers for injury prevention or management is practical and consistent. We assessed associations between intended volume and speed of gallop training (i.e., typical workloads for horses free of injury or other performance limiting conditions) and rest practices on official trainer career and previous season success rates (rate of wins and places, prizemoney per start). Sixty-six Australian Thoroughbred trainers were surveyed. Multivariable negat...
Kirsch K, Fercher C, Horstmann S, von Reitzenstein C, Augustin J, Lagershausen H.Show jumping is a highly specialized equestrian discipline that requires technical skill but also power and fitness. Monitoring the horses' aerobic performance is therefore essential in order to verify whether the training has induced the desired cardiovascular and muscular adaptations. This study therefore aimed at evaluating the validity of non-specific and discipline-specific field exercise tests for objective evaluation of aerobic performance in show jumpers. For this purpose, data obtained from horses competing at Junior and Young Rider level during show jumping competitions as well as fi...
