Exercise in horses encompasses the physical activities that horses engage in, either through natural behaviors or structured training programs. These activities impact a horse's musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems, influencing overall health and performance. Exercise can vary in intensity, duration, and frequency, and its effects are studied to understand conditioning, endurance, and recovery processes in equines. Research in this field often focuses on the physiological adaptations to different types of exercise, the prevention of exercise-related injuries, and the optimization of training regimens for various equestrian disciplines. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the physiological, biomechanical, and health-related aspects of exercise in horses.
Durham AE, Frank N, McGowan CM, Menzies-Gow NJ, Roelfsema E, Vervuert I, Feige K, Fey K.Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is a widely recognized collection of risk factors for endocrinopathic laminitis. The most important of these risk factors is insulin dysregulation (ID). Clinicians and horse owners must recognize the presence of these risk factors so that they can be targeted and controlled to reduce the risk of laminitis attacks. Diagnosis of EMS is based partly on the horse's history and clinical examination findings, and partly on laboratory testing. Several choices of test exist which examine different facets of ID and other related metabolic disturbances. EMS is controlled ...
Olivier A, Viseu JP, Vignais N, Vuillerme N.Horseback riding requires the ability to adapt to changes in balance conditions, to maintain equilibrium on the horse and to prevent falls. Postural adaptation involves specific sensorimotor processes integrating visual information and somesthesic information. The objective of this study was to examine this multisensorial integration on postural control, especially the use of visual and plantar information in static (stable) and dynamic (unstable) postures, among a group of expert horse rider women (n = 10) and a group of non-athlete women (n = 12). Postural control was evaluated through the c...
Zoller JL, Cavinder CA, Sigler D, Tedeschi LO, Harlin J.Maintaining optimal body condition is an important concern for horse owners and managers as it can affect reproductive efficiency, athletic ability, and overall health of the horse; however, information regarding dietary requirements to maintain or alter BCS in the horse is limited. A recently developed model had high accuracy in predicting the energy required to alter BCS in the horse. However, the model was restricted to sedentary mares, while many horses are subject to physical work. The objective of this study was to expand the scope of that model to include exercising horses by incorporat...
Brunsting J, Dumoulin M, Oosterlinck M, Haspeslagh M, Lefère L, Pille F.Conventional shoeing restricts heel movement, which may have a negative effect on the orthopaedic health of the horse. A randomised crossover experimental study using noninvasive techniques was performed to compare the mediolateral heel movement in barefoot horses, horses shod with a conventional toe clipped shoe and with a new type of shoe with a split toe. In eight horses, 16 forelimbs were tested barefoot, shod with a conventional shoe and with the split-toe (ST) shoe, in random order. A displacement sensor was secured on the heels and measurements were collected continuously at a frequency...
Karagianni AE, Summers KM, Couroucé A, Depecker M, McGorum BC, Hume DA, Pirie RS.Mild-to-moderate equine asthma is prevalent in young racehorses, particularly early in their training period. Although the precise etiopathogenesis remains undetermined, it is possible that the susceptibility of this population might partly reflect an exercise-associated immune derangement at the level of the airway. We performed a genome-wide basal gene expression scan on alveolar macrophages (AMs) isolated from Standardbred racehorses before and after commencement of competition race training with a view to identifying any exercise-associated gene expression modulation consistent with functi...
Siwinska N, Michalek M, Zak A, Slowikowska M, Noszczyk-Nowak A, Niedzwiedz A, Paslawska U.Precise understanding of the dimensions of the vascular lumina is essential for accurate interpretation of cardiac vessels imaging. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first study focusing on the ultrasound measurement of the right coronary artery (RCA) in the horse. The aim of this study was to determine both the ultrasonographic range of the normal diameter and lumen area of the RCA in horses and the influence of gender, age and level of training on the RCA dimensions. An additional aim of the study was to assess intra- and inter-observer repeatability of the collected measurements. ...
Kim T, Lee J, Oh S, Kim S, Yoon B.A simulated horseback riding (SHR) exercise is effective for improvement of pain and functional disability, but its comparative effectiveness with the other is unknown. Objective: The authors aimed to demonstrate the effect of a SHR exercise in people with chronic low back pain. Methods: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: Community and university campus. Methods: A total of 48 participants with chronic low back pain were divided into 2 groups, and SHR exercises (n = 24) or stabilization (STB) exercises (n = 24) were performed. Methods: The exercises were performed for 30 minutes, 2 days p...
Holcombe SJ, Shearer TR, Valberg SJ.We conducted a retrospective cohort study to test the hypothesis that performing 4 weeks of core abdominal rehabilitation exercises (CARE) postoperatively would be safe and associated with faster return to training and improved performance after colic surgery. Performance horses that recovered from colic surgery performed by the same surgeon and survived ≥ 1 year from 2008 to 2017 were included. Data were obtained from a review of medical records. Information about the horses' rehabilitation and performance was obtained from owners/trainers. Data from horses that completed a 4-week CARE pr...
Roberts V.Trigeminal-mediated headshaking is a little-understood neuropathic facial pain condition of the horse. The condition may affect around 1% of the equine population to a degree of severity sufficient to require veterinary attention. As a pain condition, this represents a significant welfare issue. Horses are usually more severely affected at exercise which can leave them unable to perform, or even dangerous to ride and handle. With little known about the condition and variable response to treatments, severely affected horses are often euthanized. This review article considers the literature on t...
Fitzharris LE, Lane JG, Allen KJ.To determine the proportion of horses treated by laryngoplasty prosthesis removal (LPR) for complications associated with prosthetic laryngoplasty (LP), the reason for LPR, and the outcome of horses undergoing LPR to manage iatrogenic coughing/dysphagia. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Client-owned horses treated with LP (n = 1202) and LPR (n = 58). Methods: Clinical case records were reviewed to determine the number of horses treated with LP and LPR by the same surgeon. Historical, clinical, endoscopic, and surgical data were extracted for those horses undergoing LPR. Long-term...
Gehlen H, Shety T, El-Zahar H, Hofheinz I.Cardiac biomarkers are important tools for monitoring disease progress and can monitor progression of therapy. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been studied for its use as a cardiac biomarker in human and small animal medicine while in horses with cardiac disease it has not been evaluated yet. The objective of the present study was to determine the concentration of plasma ET-1 in healthy horses and compare it with ET-1 concentration in horses with cardiac disease during rest and after exercise. Fifty four horses admitted to the Equine Clinic of Free University of Berlin were used in the present study, ...
Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Ropka-Molik K, Piórkowska K, Bugno-Poniewierska M.One of the most significant reason of economic loss on race track performance is lame in performed horses. Primarily, due to the failure within proper bone maintenance during conditioning in young horses. The training overload causes bone turnover disturbances in homeostasis between bone resorption and bone formation which promote the bone loss. Within our study we investigated training induced changes in transcript abundance of genes (NFATc1, CTSK, DAP12, CLEC5A, IL6ST, VAV3) involved in osteoclastogenesis hence bone resorption, in whole blood of Arabian horses. The expression pattern of all ...
Lorello O, Ramseyer A, Burger D, Gerber V, Navas de Solis C.The objectives of this study were to describe the changes in clinical cardiovascular examination variables over a competition season in groups of competitive eventing and endurance horses and to compare these findings to non-competitive controls of the same breeds. Methods: This study included two eventing horses, 11 endurance horses, and 13 eventing and seven endurance control breed-matched horses. Methods: Cardiovascular examinations were performed before starting the competition season, in the middle and at the peak/end of the competition season. Examinations included auscultation of the he...
Danek J, Flosadóttir S.The purpose of this work was to assess the impact of a specific equestrian training, conducted in winter weather conditions, on the thermovision temperature distribution of a rider's body surface. The study included a riding pair with 12 years of experience (female rider, aged 25, sports active and 16-year-old horse, Trakehner breed). Methods: The study included the temperature distribution of selected parts of the rider's body (the area of the right and left shoulder blade, chest and lumbar section, and the region of the left and right cross) was carried out before and after recreational, jum...
Frick L, Schwarzwald CC, Mitchell KJ.Little is known about normal heart rate variability (HRV) in horses during exercise. It can be difficult to separate premature beats from normal beat-to-beat variation at higher heart rates. Objective: The aim was to quantify HRV in healthy horses during a high-speed treadmill-standardized exercise test (HSET) and to compare with the HRV in horses observed to have arrhythmias during exercise. Methods: Thirteen healthy horses (Group H), 30 horses with arrhythmias (Group A), and 11 horses with poor performance but no observed arrhythmias (Group O). Methods: Prospective, observational study. All ...
Bamford NJ, Potter SJ, Baskerville CL, Harris PA, Bailey SR.The importance of including exercise with dietary modification for the management of obese equids is not clearly understood. Objective: To evaluate the effect of a practical low-intensity exercise regimen, in addition to dietary restriction, on indices of insulin sensitivity (SI) and plasma adipokine concentrations in obese equids. Methods: Twenty-four obese (body condition score [BCS] ≥ 7/9) horses and ponies. Methods: Over a 12-week period, animals received either dietary restriction only (DIET) or dietary restriction plus low-intensity exercise (DIET+EX). All animals were provided wit...
Hitchens PL, Morrice-West AV, Stevenson MA, Whitton RC.Studies of racehorse injury or fatality in various countries have identified common, and in some cases conflicting, risk factors. We conducted a systematic search of the relevant literature published from 1990 to 2017. Peer-reviewed articles were included if they reported the incidence of fatal or catastrophic musculoskeletal injury (CMI) in Thoroughbred flat races (n=21) or risk factors for CMI (n=65). Pooled effect sizes were estimated using the random-effects DerSimonian-Laird model. The pooled incidence of CMI was 1.17 (95% confidence interval 0.90, 1.44) per 1000 race starts. Almost 300 f...
Sykes BW, Bowen M, Habershon-Butcher JL, Green M, Hallowell GD.To date, risk factors for equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD) have not been described in Thoroughbred racehorses. Objective: To determine management factors associated with EGGD, identify clinical signs in affected horses, and compare these to equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD). Methods: The study was carried out on 109 Thoroughbred racehorses from 8 training yards (3 in the United Kingdom and 5 in Australia). Methods: Gastroscopic examination alongside a questionnaire regarding management, feeding, exercise, and health. Results: Management factors and clinical signs were different for...
Morrice-West AV, Hitchens PL, Walmsley EA, Whitton RC.Little is known about the types of surfaces used during training of Thoroughbred racehorses or methods of exercise used in addition to ridden track-work. Our aims were to (1) describe the types of surfaces used in the training of Thoroughbred racehorses and to (2) identify alternative approaches used to exercise horses in addition to, or in place of, ridden overground track-work. Information regarding surface and alternative exercise methods was collected as part of an in-person survey of training practices of 66 registered Thoroughbred trainers in Victoria, Australia. Sand and synthetic surfa...
Nardelli M, Lanata A, Valenza G, Sgorbini M, Baragli P, Scilingo EP.This paper reports on a novel real time index designed to assess the quality of electrocardiographic (ECG) traces recorded in a group of five horses during a submaximal treadmill test procedure. During the experimental protocol two ECG monitoring systems were simultaneously applied to the animals. The first system was equipped with textile electrodes while the second one with standard red-dot electrodes. The procedure comprised four phases with an increased treadmill velocity, specifically, Walk 1, Trot 1, Trot 2 and Gallop. Three signal quality levels have been fixed according to the amount o...
Hackett ES, Leise BS.Upper respiratory tract (URT) endoscopy at rest is commonly used to evaluate competition draught horses with URT conditions. Overground endoscopy might be preferred for draught horse URT evaluation as it allows the horses to be driven with harness, overcheck and cart-load under similar conditions to those experienced in the show ring where airway conditions are most prominent. Objective: To describe the exercising URT findings of competition draught horses with abnormal respiratory noise and/or poor performance. Methods: Case series. Methods: Medical records of competition draught horses under...
Ropka-Molik K, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Musiał AD, Piórkowska K, Szmatoła T.The ACTN3 gene codes for α-actinin-3, a protein localized in the Z-line in the skeletal muscle. Actinin-3 is critical in anchoring the myofibrillar actin filaments and plays a key role in muscle contraction. ACTN3 (α-actinin-3) cross-links glycogen phosphorylase (GP), which is the key enzyme catalysing glycogen metabolism. The aim of present study was to establish the expression level of the ACTN3 gene (for both isoforms separately and together in the gene expression analysis) in the gluteus medius muscle in order to verify if the α-actinin-3 gene can be related to training intensity in Ara...
Hess T, Braun S, Herkelman K.Exercise stimulates the release of inflammatory cytokines and supplementation with n-3 fatty acids reduces inflammation. The effects of different doses of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on inflammation in polo horses submitted to field lactate threshold tests (LT) were analyzed. We hypothesized that higher doses of DHA would reduce postexercise inflammation. Twenty polo horses were assigned to different treatments: control group fed (n = 5) grain and hay, 3 treatment groups (n = 5) fed 10, 20, or 50 g/day of DHA with grain and free choice hay during 60 days. Horses underwent LT tests before st...
Selim MB, Nóbrega FS, Facó LL, Filippo Hagen SC, De Zoppa ALDV, Arana Chavez VE, Corrêa L. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of a vegetal polymeric biomaterial intended for bone substitution in horses and to investigate the responses of the equine third metacarpal bone to biomaterial implantation. Methods: Six horses were submitted to osteotomy on the dorsal aspect of the left and right third metacarpal bones; one bone defect was randomly selected for treatment with biopolymer, while the other was left untreated and served as a control. Bone density was monitored radiographically after surgery and bone biopsy fragments were collected at the end...
Zarghooni K, Hub L, Bredow J, Yagdiran A, Hackenberg RK, Scheyerer M, Westermann L, Eysel P, Siewe J.Equestrian vaulting is a sport, particularly popular among children and adolescents, in which gymnastic and dance routines are performed on horseback. Current data regarding injuries and thus, the risks of this sport, is meager and based only on retrospective studies. Methods: In the current prospective study, 233 active members of a vaulting club were questioned monthly from November 2014 until October 2015. In addition to general information (training, competitions), the questionnaire collected the number of competitions, the competitive class, the discipline (single, team, Pas-de-Deux), and...
Knych HK, Mama KR, Moore CE, Hill AE, McKEMIE DS.The use of intra-articular (IA) local anaesthetics has proven to be an effective means to treat post-operative pain. The effects of local anaesthetics on equine chondrocytes are mixed with some studies reporting chondrodestruction and others no adverse effects. A liposomal formulation of bupivacaine is used in people and dogs by intra- and peri-articular administration to provide up to 72 h of analgesia. The potential uses, side effects including chondrotoxicity, and likelihood of abuse (long-term analgesic effects) has not been evaluated in horses. Objective: Describe bupivacaine concentrati...
Lee HG, Choi JY, Park JW, Park TS, Song KD, Shin D, Cho BW.To examine the regulatory effects of exercise on myokine expression in horse skeletal muscle cells, we compared the expression of several myokine genes (interleukin 6 [IL-6], IL-8, chemokine [C-X-C motif] ligand 2 [CXCL2], and chemokine [C-C motif] ligand 4 [CCL4]) after a single bout of exercise in horses. Furthermore, to establish in vitro systems for the validation of exercise effects, we cultured horse skeletal muscle cells and confirmed the expression of these genes after treatment with hydrogen peroxide. Methods: The mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-8, CXCL2, and CCL4 after exercise in skelet...
Funakoshi R, Masuda K, Uchiyama H, Ohta M.The study aimed to clarify the regularity of the motions of horse's back, rider's pelvis and spine associated with improvement of rider's dynamic trunk alignment. The study used a crossover design, with exercise using the horseback riding simulator (simulator hereafter) as the control condition. The experiments were conducted at Tokyo University of Agriculture Bio-therapy Center. The sample consisted of 20 healthy volunteers age 20-23 years. Participants performed 15-min sessions of horseback riding with a Hokkaido Pony and exercise using the simulator in experiments separated by ≥2 weeks. S...
Hitchens PL, Hill AE, Stover SM. The rate of catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries (CMI) in racehorses is high in the United States compared to other countries. Few modifiable risk factors related to lameness, medication, and surgery history have been identified. To detect management factors that increase risk of CMI by comparing medical histories between horses that sustained, and horses that did not sustain, a CMI. Case-control. Racehorse necropsy data (May 2012-June 2013) were obtained through the California Horse Racing Board Postmortem Program. Attending veterinarians of Thoroughbreds (TB) and Quarter Horses (QH) tha...
Moore BR, Krakowka S, Cummins JM, Robertson JT.Natural human interferon-alpha (nHuIFN alpha) was administered to actively training Standardbred racehorses with inflammatory airway disease (IAD). Inflammatory airway disease was characterized by poor exercise performance and inflammation and exudate in the upper and lower airway. Placebo, 50, 150, or 450 units(U) of nHuIFN alpha was administered orally for 5 consecutive days to eight horses per treatment group in a double-blind, randomized block design. Response to nHuIFN alpha was monitored by semiquantitative endoscopic examination score and cytologic examination of bronchoalveolar lavage ...
Beech J, Lindborg S, Fletcher JE, Lizzo F, Tripolitis L, Braund K.Muscle from horses with intermittent exercise associated rhabdomyolysis was examined to determine if calcium regulation was abnormal. In vitro studies on semimembranosus muscle fibre bundles showed the time to 50 per cent relaxation of caffeine-induced contractures was shorter and the electrically elicited twitch longer in horses with exercise associated rhabdomyolysis. Substitution of strontium for calcium eliminated the difference in caffeine contracture between the normal and rhabdomyolysis horses. The threshold of calcium-induced calcium release was lower than normal in terminal cisternae-...
Ellis KL, King MR.Postural stability maintains balance, protects the spinal column, and allows accurate responses to destabilizing forces. The musculus multifidus (m. multifidus) is the major postural muscle located adjacent to the vertebrae along the length of the spinal column. Increased cross-sectional area (CSA) of the m. multifidus has been demonstrated in horses after a rehabilitation strengthening exercise program; however, correlation with functional postural stability has not been shown. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the relationship of the thoracolumbar m. multifidus CSA and measur...
Cruz AM, Maninchedda UE, Burger D, Wanda S, Vidondo B.OBJECTIVE To determine repeatability of gait variables measured by use of extremity-mounted inertial measurement units (IMUs) in nonlame horses during trotting under controlled conditions of treadmill exercise. ANIMALS 10 horses. PROCEDURES Six IMUs were strapped to the metacarpal, metatarsal, and distal tibial regions of each horse. Data were collected in a standardized manner (3 measurements/d on 3 d/wk over a 3-week period) while each horse was trotted on a treadmill. Every measurement consisted of a minimum of 20 strides from which a minimum of 10 strides was selected for analysis. Spatial...
Snow DH, Harris RC, MacDonald IA, Forster CD, Marlin DJ.In Study 1, a single speed test of 6 to 12 m/sec was performed for 2 mins at an incline of 5 degrees on a high-speed treadmill (single-step test). Only one speed was performed per session and blood samples were taken before and after the test. In Study 2 horses cantered for 1 min at increasing speeds of 6 to 13 m/sec on an incline of 3 degrees (multiple-step test). Blood samples were taken before exercise, throughout the test and during recovery. In the single-step test plasma concentrations of adrenaline and noradrenaline both increased at speeds of 9 m/sec, as did blood lactate. Mean concent...
Rose RJ, Arnold KS, Church S, Paris R.Blood samples were taken from 20 horses competing in a 100 km endurance ride and plasma concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate and protein measured. Measurements were performed on samples taken before the ride (pre-ride), at the mid point and end of the ride and after a 30 min recovery period (post-ride). Sweat samples were collected from 6 horses competing in the endurance ride and 14 horses competing in a 3-day event competition and sweat concentrations of sodium, potassium and chloride measured. There were substantial decreases in plasma electrolyte concentrations, which...
Karagianni AE, Kurian D, Cillán-Garcia E, Eaton SL, Wishart TM, Pirie RS.Neutrophilic airway inflammation is highly prevalent in racehorses in training, with the term mild to moderate equine asthma (MMEA) being applied to the majority of such cases. Our proposed study is largely derived from the strong association between MMEA in racehorses and their entry into a race training program. The objectives of this study are to characterise the effect of training on the local pulmonary immune system by defining the gene and protein expression of tracheal wash (TW) derived samples from Thoroughbred racehorses prior to and following commencement of race training. Multiomics...
Heliczer N, Gerber V, Bruckmaier R, van der Kolk JH, de Solis CN.OBJECTIVE To determine whether hypertension, high sympathetic tone, resting and exercising arrhythmias, and echocardiographic changes consistent with hypertensive cardiomyopathy were associated with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) in ponies. DESIGN Prospective case-control study. ANIMALS 19 privately owned ponies with a diagnosis of EMS (history of laminitis, body condition score ≥ 7/9, cresty neck score ≥ 3/5, and abnormal oral sugar test result; cases) and 20 healthy control ponies. PROCEDURES Heart rate (HR), noninvasively measured arterial blood pressure (BP), markers of autonomic tone...
Sinha AK, Gleed RD, Hakim TS, Dobson A, Shannon KJ.The object of this study was to relate pulmonary capillary pressure to arterial and wedge pressures during exercise. Pulmonary vascular pressures were measured in six standardbred horses exercising at speeds equivalent to 75, 90, and 100% of maximal heart rate. Vascular pressures were measured with transducer-tip catheters and expressed relative to esophageal pressure. Pulmonary capillary pressure was estimated by the arterial-occlusion technique modified for exercise. Mean pulmonary arterial, capillary and wedge pressures increased from 30.5 +/- 6.3, 17.8 +/- 4.3, and 13.4 +/- 1.6 mmHg, respe...
Lopez-Rivero JL, Morales-Lopez JL, Galisteo AM, Aguera E.Muscle biopsies were taken from the middle gluteal muscle of 68 stallions (52 Andalusian [AN] and 16 Arab [AR]) ranging from six to 12 years of age. Seventeen AN horses and eight AR horses were untrained, while the remainder underwent active endurance training for 6 months. Fifteen AN horses were moderately endurance-trained while the other 20 AN horses and eight AR horses were strongly endurance-trained. Percentages of type I and type II fibres were similar in all groups (P greater than 0.05). The group of horses with the hardest training had a higher percentage of type IIA fibres (AN P less ...
Jose-Cunilleras E, Young LE, Newton JR, Marlin DJ.The prevalence and severity of cardiac arrhythmias during exercise in athletic horses presented for poor performance is not well described. Objective: To describe prevalence and severity of ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias immediately before, during and immediately after standardised incremental treadmill exercise tests (IET) to fatigue in Thoroughbred horses during investigation of poor performance. Methods: The electrocardiograms (ECG) of 88 Thoroughbred racehorses, judged to be free of significant heart disease or arrhythmia at rest, were used. A modified base-apex ECG was recor...
Reed SR, Jackson BF, Wood JL, Price JS, Verheyen KL.The aim of this study was to identify exercise-related risk factors for carpal and metacarpo- and metatarso-phalangeal (MCP/MTP) joint injury occurrence in young Thoroughbreds in flat race training. In a 2-year prospective cohort study, daily exercise and joint injury data were collected from horses in 13 training yards in England. Four injury categories were defined: (1) localised to a carpal or MCP/MTP joint based on clinical examination and/or use of diagnostic analgesia with no diagnostic imaging performed; (2) localised to a carpal or MCP/MTP joint with no abnormalities detected on diagno...
Colles CM, Hickman J.Macroscopic, microscopic and radiological examinations of the navicular bones of 83 horses and ponies showed that the navicular bone in the adult horse has 2 principal routes of blood supply. One supply is present at birth, the other develops within the first 2 to 3 years of life, in response to increasing activity. The size of the nutrient foramina, as seen on radiographs, is related to the type, frequency and regularity of work done by the horse. These foramina are normally conical in shape, alteration to a circular, or mushroom-shape being evidence of occlusive vascular disease in the navic...
Nyman S, Jansson A, Lindholm A, Dahlborn K.In the present study, the main objective was to study factors affecting postexercise voluntary water intake in horses. Four Standardbred horses (mean +/- s.e. bwt 500 +/- 8 kg) were used to study water intake and effects of altering hydration status before an incremental exercise test (INCR) and a 40 min constant velocity exercise test (CONST) on a treadmill. Exercise was performed during normohydration (N), after dehydration for 24 h (DEH) and after hyperhydration with 12 l water 30 min before exercise (HH). DEH resulted in a bodyweight loss of 3% and there were signs of some fluid uptake pri...
Porr CA, Kronfeld DS, Lawrence LA, Pleasant RS, Harris PA.Diet and exercise are two management factors that affect bone density and strength. We proposed that bone density and calcium status would be affected by deconditioning for 12 wk and by dietary Ca concentration. Eleven highly conditioned Arabian horses were taken out of training and placed in stalls for 12 wk. Horses were walked on a mechanical walker in two 30-min sessions, 7 d/wk. Diets were designated CC (.36% Ca) and HC (.62% Ca). Data were collected every 21 d. Serum or plasma were analyzed for total and ionized Ca, parathyroid hormone, osteocalcin, hydroxyproline, electrolytes, and blood...
Pagan JD, Hintz HF.Energy expenditure was measured in four geldings (433 to 520 kg) during submaximal exercise on a racetrack using a mobile open-circuit indirect respiration calorimeter. A total of 304 5-min measurements of O2 consumed and CO2 produced were taken. Measurements were made with and without riders. The amount of energy expended by the horses was exponentially related to speed and was proportional to the body weight of the riderless horse or the combined weight of the horse plus rider and tack. Total energy expended by the four horses walking, trotting, cantering was best described by the equation: ...
Gottlieb M, Essén-Gustavsson B, Lindholm A, Persson SG.Five Standardbred trotters were trained on a treadmill 3 times/wk for 12 wk by intervals of draft-loaded exercise. The draft load was 34 kp and the velocity approximately 7 m/s. Muscle biopsies were taken from the gluteus medius and longissimus muscles before training and after 2, 4, 8, and 12 wk of training and from the brachiocephalicus muscle before and after training. Both the percentage and the area of type IIa fibers increased and the percentage of type IIb fibers decreased in the gluteus medius muscle during the first 2 wk of training, and then no further significant difference was note...
Cappelli K, Mecocci S, Gioiosa S, Giontella A, Silvestrelli M, Cherchi R, Valentini A, Chillemi G, Capomaccio S.Physical exercise is universally recognized as stressful. Among the "sport species", the horse is probably the most appropriate model for investigating the genomic response to stress due to the homogeneity of its genetic background. The aim of this work is to dissect the whole transcription modulation in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) after exercise with a time course framework focusing on unexplored regions related to introns and intergenic portions. PBMCs NGS from five 3 year old Sardinian Anglo-Arab racehorses collected at rest and after a 2000 m race was performed. Apart from d...
Steel CM, Hopper BJ, Richardson JL, Alexander GR, Robertson ID.Lameness related to the middle carpal joint (MCJ) occurs in up to 30% of young Standardbred horses in race training and the incidence increase with radiographic severity of third carpal bone (C3) sclerosis on DPr-DDIO (skyline) view of the carpus. Factors predisposing horses to carpal injury have not been well investigated. Objective: To determine the importance of MCJ lameness as a cause of wastage in young Standardbred racehorses, stage of training at which it occurs and predisposing factors, and to describe clinical findings and diagnosis. Methods: Standardbred horses (n = 114) entering the...
Mukai K, Ohmura H, Matsui A, Aida H, Takahashi T, Jones JH.We examined the effects of high-intensity training in normobaric hypoxia on aerobic capacity and exercise performance in horses and the individual response to normoxic and hypoxic training. Eight untrained horses were studied in a randomized, crossover design after training in hypoxia (HYP; 15.0% inspired O ) or normoxia (NOR; 20.9% inspired O ) 3 days/week for 4 weeks separated by a 4-month washout period. Before and after each training period, incremental treadmill exercise tests were performed in normoxia. Each training session consisted of 1 min cantering at 7 m/s and 2 min galloping ...
Raidal SL, Hughes KJ, Charman AL, Nielsen SG, Phillips JK, Noble GK.To compare the effects of 2 NSAIDs (phenylbutazone and meloxicam) on renal function in horses. Methods: 9 Thoroughbred or Standardbred mares (mean ± SD age, 5.22 ± 1.09 years [range, 2 to 12 years]; mean body weight, 470 ± 25 kg [range, 442 to 510 kg]). Methods: A randomized blinded placebo-controlled crossover study was conducted to examine the effects of treatment with phenylbutazone, meloxicam, or a placebo (control solution) on renal responses to the administration of furosemide, dobutamine, and exercise (15 minutes at 60% of maximum heart rate). Renal function was assessed by use of bi...
Kiely M, Warrington GD, McGoldrick A, Pugh J, Cullen S.Kiely, M, Warrington, GD, McGoldrick, A, Pugh, J, and Cullen, S. Physiological demands of professional flat and jump horse racing. J Strength Cond Res 34(8): 2173-2177, 2020-No information is currently available on the effect of race distance on the physiological demands of jockeys. This study aimed to quantify the respective demands of short and long flat and jump race distances. Twenty professional jockeys (10 flat and 10 jump) participated in the study. The subjects initially performed a graded incremental exercise test to volitional exhaustion on a treadmill to determine the peak heart rat...
Ringer SK, Lischer CJ, Ueltschi G.To monitor the effect of focused extra-corporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on bone and bone-tendon junction of horses without lameness by use of nuclear scintigraphy and thermography. Methods: 6 warmblood horses without lameness. Methods: The origin of the suspensory ligament at the metacarpus (OSL-MC) and the fourth metatarsal bone were treated at 2 time points (days 0 and 16) with 2,000 shocks applied by a focused ESWT device at an energy flux density of 0.15 mJ/mm2. One forelimb and 1 hind limb were treated, and the contralateral limbs served as controls. To document the effect of focused E...
Munk R, Jensen RB, Palme R, Munksgaard L, Christensen JW.The main objective of this explorative study was to describe the relationship between competition scores and salivary cortisol concentrations in young horses during dressage and showjumping competitions. The study also investigated whether the diurnal rhythm of salivary cortisol concentrations was affected by competition over consecutive days compared with the home environment. Saliva samples were collected from 126 dressage horses and showjumpers in their home environment and at 3 different events. The relationship between scores given by judges at the competition and cortisol concentrations ...
Upjohn MM, Archer RM, Christley RM, McGowan CM.A telephone survey of 51 National Hunt racing yards with 1140 horses in training was made in April and May 2003 to establish the incidence of exertional rhabdomyolysis syndrome during the previous year. A case-control study was used to investigate the risk factors for the syndrome in eight yards selected on the basis that cases had been confirmed by the analysis of serum muscle enzymes. The overall incidence of syndrome was 6.1 cases per 100 horses per year, and 55 per cent of the yards reported at least one case. The risk factors identified were sex, the average length of the training gallop,...
Atalaia T, Prazeres J, Abrantes J, Clayton HM.Injuries to the locomotor system are a common problem in athletic horses. Veterinarians address these injuries using appropriate medical, surgical, and pharmacological treatments. During or after recovery from the initial injury, horses may be treated for functional locomotor deficits using specific rehabilitation techniques aimed at restoring full athletic performance. This study reviews the literature to identify which rehabilitative techniques have been used most frequently in horses over the past 20 years, the protocols that were used, and the outcomes of the treatments in naturally occurr...
Pösö AR, Viljanen-Tarifa E, Soveri T, Oksanen HE.Effects of graded intensity exercise on plasma lipids was studied in Standardbred and Finnishbred Trotters. The rate of lipolysis indicated by the elevated plasma concentrations of glycerol increased parallel with the intensity of the trot in the Standardbreds, but not as clearly in the Finnishbred trotters. During the exercise plasma triglyceride concentration increased significantly and the increase correlated with the intensity of the exercise as well as the activity of lipolysis. Together with the increase in plasma triglycerides, there was a parallel increase in the pre-beta fraction of l...
Marunova E, Hoenecke K, Fiske-Jackson A, Smith RKW, Bolt DM, Perrier M, Gerdes C, Hernlund E, Rhodin M, Pfau T.Evaluation of diagnostic anesthesia during equine lameness examination requires comparison of complex movement patterns and can be influenced by expectation bias. There is limited research about how changes in movement asymmetries after successful analgesia are affected by different exercise conditions. Movement asymmetry of head, withers and pelvis was quantified in N = 31 horses undergoing forelimb or hindlimb diagnostic anesthesia. Evaluation on a straight line and a circle was performed with subjective diagnostic anesthesia outcome and quantitative changes recorded. Mixed linear mode...
Aldrich K, Velez-Irizarry D, Fenger C, Schott M, Valberg SJ.Recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER) is a chronic muscle disorder of unknown etiology in racehorses. A potential role of intramuscular calcium (Ca2+) dysregulation in RER has led to the use of dantrolene to prevent episodes of rhabdomyolysis. We examined differentially expressed proteins (DEP) and gene transcripts (DEG) in gluteal muscle of Thoroughbred race-trained mares after exercise among three groups of 5 horses each; 1) horses susceptible to, but not currently experiencing rhabdomyolysis, 2) healthy horses with no history of RER (control), 3) RER-susceptible horses treated with dant...
Gunson DE, Sweeney CR, Soma LR.Pathologic changes are described in 11 horses that died during racing or training; 9 died of acute pulmonary hemorrhage (exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage), 1 died of exsanguination, and 1 died of CNS trauma. Cardiac lesions were not found in any horse. Severe engorgement of pulmonary vessels, with hemorrhage into alveoli, airways, interstitium, and subpleural tissues, was observed in all 9 horses that died of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. Infiltration of eosinophils and/or lymphocytes around vessels and airways was seen in 6 horses. Focally extensive fibrosis was observed in the ...
