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Topic:Performance Horses
Performance horses are equines specifically trained and conditioned for activities that require a high level of athleticism, such as racing, dressage, show jumping, and eventing. These horses undergo specialized training regimens to enhance their physical capabilities, including speed, endurance, agility, and strength. The management of performance horses often involves tailored nutrition plans, regular veterinary care, and specific conditioning programs to optimize their performance and minimize the risk of injury. This topic covers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the physiology, training methodologies, health management, and performance outcomes of these horses in various competitive disciplines.
Prerace venous blood acid-base values in standardbred horses. The administration of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) or 'milk shakes' to Standardbred horses before racing is widespread. This study analysed nonrace day (CTL) and prerace venous acid-base values from Standardbred horses racing in Pennsylvania (PA) and New Jersey (NJ). Mean +/- s.d. CTL bicarbonate (HCO3) and base excess (BE) values, for a group of horses stabled during the 1993 racing season at Pocono Downs, Pennsylvania, were 28.6 +/- 1.9 and 2.6 +/- 1.7 mmol/l, respectively. In the same population of horses, mean +/- s.d. values for prerace HCO3- and BE values were 33.1 +/- 2.8 and 7.0 +/- 2.3...
Use of the relationship between blood lactate and running speed to determine the exercise intensity of horses. Eight thoroughbred horses, trained for racing competition, were subjected to a standardised incremental speed test to determine the relationship between their blood lactate concentrations and running speed. Between 14 days before and 14 days after completing the standardised exercise test, the horses were timed for runs of 2000 to 6000 m. The blood lactate concentration after each run was measured and compared with the blood lactate concentration predicted from the individual horse's blood lactate-running speed relationship curve determined from the standardised exercise test. The relationship...
Effects of altered FIO2 on maximum VO2 in the horse. Although the horse is considered an elite athlete with a specific VO2max some 2-4 times higher than man, maximal O2 transport is compromised both by moderately severe arterial desaturation and by failure to extract all O2 from blood perfusing exercising muscle. This prompted the present study to ascertain whether correction of arterial desaturation would proportionally augment VO2max and, if so, would O2 extraction behave in a manner predicted by diffusional transport limitation. Six two year old thoroughbreds were exercised to VO2max on a treadmill each on three separate occasions breathing g...
Tibial stress fractures in racing standardbreds: 13 cases (1989-1993). To determine clinical signs, radiographic and scintigraphic findings, and performance outcome of racing Standardbreds with tibial stress fractures. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 13 racing Standardbreds with tibial stress fractures. Methods: Information concerning clinical signs, diagnostic evaluation, and recommendations was obtained by review of the medical records. Performance information before and after diagnosis of the fracture was collected from racing records, and follow-up information was obtained from the owners or trainers by use of a telephone questionnaire. Results: ...
Modified ventilated capsule for the measurement of sweating rate in the exercising horse. Modification of a ventilated capsule technique for the measurement of sweating rate (SR) is described for application in an exercising horse. The plastic capsule was sealed against the coat of the horse. Dry air was blown through the capsule over the skin and the change in absolute humidity (g/m3) between air entering and leaving the capsule was used to calculate SR. The effect of flow rate on the response characteristics of the system was investigated and measured over a range of sweating rates in a group of horses completing a short exercise test. Repeatability of SR measurements made at 2 s...
Muscle biopsy index for discriminating between endurance horses with different performance records. Biopsies were taken from three different depths of the gluteus medius muscle of 36 endurance horses aged between four and 17 years. Twenty of the horses were considered excellent performers according to their three fastest records in endurance events over the previous two or three years. The other 16 horses were moderate performers, with a mean racing speed < 3.5 ms-1 (in 120 to 180 km endurance rides), < 4.0 ms-1 (in 80 to 120 km endurance rides) or < 3.75 ms-1 (in 40 to 60 km endurance rides). The biopsy specimens were analysed for fibre type distribution (type I, IIA and IIB), fibr...
Gait, estimated net cost of transport and heat production at different speeds in three-day-event horses. Heart rate and gait characteristics (stride length and frequency) were studied in 6 horses subjected to a standardised incremental exercise test, involving moving at the trot and increasing speeds up to a fast gallop and subsequently during the steeplechase phase of a 3-day-event. The studies were performed in hot conditions. Appropriate scaling, based on hindleg length (hh), stride length (L), stride frequency (f) and speed (Sp) for nondimensional stride length (lambda = (L/hh), nondimensional stride frequency (phi = f(hh/g)1/2) and nondimensional velocity (û = Sp/(ghh)1/2), where g is the g...
Physiological responses in nonheat acclimated horses performing treadmill exercise in cool (20 degrees C/40% RH), hot dry (30 degrees C/40% RH) and hot humid (30 degrees C/80% RH) conditions. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of different environmental conditions on physiological response to exercise. Four winter acclimatised, nonheat acclimated horses of different breeds were exercised at 20 degrees C/40% RH (CD), 30 degrees C/40% RH (HD) and 30 degrees C/80% RH (HH). The exercise test was designed to represent the structure and intensity of a One star Speed and Endurance test (competition exercise test [CET]). All 4 horses were able to complete the full CET (60 min + 30 min active recovery) in CD and HD, but only one horse completed the CET in HH. Two horse...
Acid-base and electrolyte effects of shortening steeplechase in a three-day-event. This study was designed to characterise the acid-base and electrolyte effects of shortening the distance required during steeplechase (Phase B) in the face of hot and humid weather conditions during a treadmill-simulated Speed and Endurance test. Eight conditioned Thoroughbred horses underwent 3 randomised permutations of a standardised exercise test on a high speed treadmill. Each test consisted of trotting at 3.7 m/s for 10 min (Phase A); galloping at 11 m/s (Phase B) for 4 (cool laboratory conditions), 3 (hot and humid), or 2 (hot and humid) min; trotting at 3.7 m/s for 30 min (Phase C); an...
Dietary fat affects heat production and other variables of equine performance, under hot and humid conditions. Does dietary fat supplementation during conditioning improve athletic performance, especially in the heat? Fat adaptation has been used to increase energy density, decrease bowel bulk and faecal output and reduce health risks associated with hydrolysable carbohydrate overload. It may also reduce spontaneous activity and reactivity (excitability), increase fatty acid oxidation, reduce CO2 production and associated acidosis, enhance metabolic regulation of glycolysis, improve both aerobic and anaerobic performance and substantially reduce heat production. A thermochemical analysis of ATP generat...
Resistance training-induced increases in muscle mass and performance in ponies. The purpose of this study was to determine whether 8 wk of progressive resistance exercise training would produce increases in strength and changes in foreleg muscle characteristics indicative of hypertrophy in ponies. Two mature 3- to 6-yr-old, male ponies (188 +/- 16 kg) were taught to carry sheets of lead over their saddle region (wither) while walking on a level treadmill at 1.9 m.s-1. This initial familiarization period was followed by 8 wk of training (3 d per wk), in which the ponies performed a series of progressive sets of weight carrying to fatigue. Each workout started with a 2-min ...
Prothipendyl: detection and elimination in the horse–a case report. The azaphenothiazine neuroleptic prothipendyl (Dominal) is suspected to be administered illegally at low doses to race-horses to improve their performance. Since for this species pharmacokinetic data of the drug are missing we studied its elimination from blood and urine in a standard-bred mare. At a low (subtherapeutic) dose (i.v., 0.24 mg/kg) the horse is described to be less excited while locomotor activity and attention remain unaffected. In contrast, sedation and ataxia are brought about at 1 mg/kg (therapeutic dose). Identification of prothipendyl given i.v. at subtherapeutic doses was a...
Effect of a warm-up on energy supply during high intensity exercise in horses. The VO2(max) in racehorses is approximately double that of elite human athletes and the rate of increase in VO2 at the onset of high intensity exercise is much greater than in man. The kinetics of gas exchange are affected by a warm-up prior to exercise in humans, there being a greater aerobic contribution to high intensity exercise after warm-up. Our hypothesis was that a warm-up would increase aerobic energy delivery in racehorses during high intensity exercise. Thirteen fit Standardbred racehorses ran to fatigue at 115% of VO2(max) on a treadmill at 10% slope. Prior to acceleration, horses ...
A review of recent research on nutrition and metabolism in the athletic horse. Although a lot of research has been directed at attempts to improve performance of the equine athlete, many of the studies reviewed herein did not show statistically significant improvements in race times or increased time to fatigue. However, it must be remembered that success in racing performances is not always measured in time, but by comparative lengths or even by a nose. Therefore, improvement in the ability of an individual equine athlete is not always measurable and success is most frequently determined by one animal being better than the others in a particular competition. Therefore, ...
The effect of arthritis in the carpal joint on performance in Norwegian cold-blooded trotters. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of arthritis of the carpal joint on performance of Norwegian cold-blooded trotters. Two performance variables were used in the analyses. The first was the start status, for which horses that had started in one or more races within a certain age received the value 1, and horses that had not raced were correspondingly assigned the value 0. The second variable was the accumulated, transformed and standardized earnings (ATSE), which is the power transformation of earnings (earnings .2, with unraced horses assigned a value of zero) expressed as a...
Responses of blood and plasma lactate and plasma purine concentrations to maximal exercise and their relation to performance in standardbred trotters. To study whether end products of 2 pathways of anaerobic energy metabolism, lactate and purines, that accumulate in the blood after intense exercise indicate any relation to exercise performance. Methods: Venous blood samples were taken within 1 and 15 minutes after a trotting race of 2,100 m. Methods: 16 Clinically healthy Standardbred trotters. Methods: Blood and plasma lactate concentrations were measured by enzymatic analyzer, and purines, uric acid and allantoin, were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The concentrations of metabolites were then correlated to racing tim...
Measurement of maximal oxygen consumption of thoroughbred horses at an altitude of 1250m using open-circuit flow-through calorimetry. This study determined the maximal O2 uptake (VO2max) of Thoroughbred horses acclimatised to mild hypobaric conditions using a standard exercise test on a treadmill inclined at a 7% slope. The O2 uptake (VO2) versus speed relationship was linear below the exercise intensity required to attain VO2max. The VO2max of individual horses ranged from 143.5 to 172.6 ml/kg/min. The proportion of total variance for the VO2 versus speed relationship was greater than 0.992, and the coefficients of variation in repeated tests in individual horses ranged between 0.07 and 1.54%. The VO2 versus speed relations...
Electrolyte and total protein changes in nonheat acclimated horses performing treadmill exercise in cool (20 degrees C/40%RH), hot, dry (30 degrees C/40%RH) or hot, humid (30 degrees C/80%RH) conditions. Four horses (H, J, N and M) undertook a simulated competition exercise test (CET), designed to simulate physiological and metabolic stresses of the Speed and Endurance (S & E) test of a 3-day-event, under 3 different environmental conditions: 20 degrees C/40% relative humidity (RH) (cool, dry [CD] 2 sessions); 30 degrees C/40% RH (hot, dry [HD]) and 30 degrees C/80% RH (hot, humid [HH]) (Marlin et al. 1995a). Venous blood samples for electrolyte and total protein (TP) determinations were collected from indwelling catheters at predetermined time points throughout each CET and initial 30 min...
Haematological and biochemical changes in horses competing in a 3 Star horse trial and 3-day-event. Haematological and biochemical changes in horses competing in the Endurance Test (Phase T and D) of an advanced Horse Trial (HT, n = 22) and the Endurance Test (Phases A-D) of an advanced (CCI) 3-day-event (TD, n = 11) over a similar course on the same day were studied. Environmental conditions during the event were cool (5.5-11.1 degrees C). Blood samples were collected from the horses in each group the evening prior to the Endurance Test, within 60 s after, and 10 min after, completion of Phase D (cross-country jumping). The following were determined in the blood samples and compared between...
Heart rate response and plasma lactate concentrations of horses competing in the cross-country phase of combined training events. The exercise intensity of horses (n = 175) competing in the cross-country phase of 4 combined training events at 5 levels of competition [novice (N), training (T), preliminary (P), intermediate (I) and advanced (A)] was investigated. Environmental conditions varied from cool and humid (mean +/- s.d. temperature and humidity = 12.1 degrees C +/- 0.6 and 88.4% +/- 8.9 RH) to moderately hot and humid (27.8 degrees C +/- 2.1 and 62.5% +/- 7.8 RH). Heart rates (beats/min) were recorded continuously at 5 s intervals with a heart monitor. Mean +/- s.d. heart rates (beats/min) for each level of compet...
Heart rate response and plasma lactate concentrations of horses competing in the speed and endurance phase of 3-day combined training events. The exercise intensity of horses competing in 3-day combined training events at 3 different levels of competition (CCI, n = 7; CCI, n = 11; CCI, n = 23) was investigated. Environmental conditions during all events were cool with 100% cloud cover. Heart rates were continuously recorded at 5 s intervals by a heart rate monitor. Mean +/- s.d. heart rate for all horses during each phase were: Phase A = 118 +/- 11 beats/min, Phase B = 179 +/- 22.7 beats/min, Phase C = 129 +/- 13.9 beats/min and Phase D = 174 +/- 19.6 beats/min. Mean +/- s.d. heart rates on Phase A and C were significantly different...
Acid:base and serum biochemistry changes in horses competing at a modified 1 Star 3-day-event. We examined the effects of participation in each of 3 modifications of Day 2 of a 3-day-event on blood and serum variables indicative of hydration, acid:base status and electrolyte homeostasis of horses. Three groups of horses - 8 European (E) horses and 2 groups each of 9 North American horses performed identical Days 1 (dressage) and 3 (stadium jumping) of a 3-day-event. E horses and one group of the North American horses (TD) performed modifications of Day 2 of a 1 Star 3-day-event and the other group of North American horses (HT) performed a Horse Trial on Day 2. Jugular venous blood was c...
Physiological, metabolic and biochemical responses of horses competing in the speed and endurance phase of a CCI*****3-day-event. The present study was undertaken to investigate physiological, metabolic, haematological and biochemical changes in horses competing in the Speed and Endurance test of a Concours Complet International (CCI)*****3-day-event held under FEI rules. A total of 28 horses competing in the Burghley Horse Trials Speed and Endurance test were selected to be monitored: 11 horses in 1993 and 17 horses in 1994. Of the 28 horses selected, 17 completed the Speed and Endurance test and went on to complete the showjumping test. Mean +/- s.d. shade temperature and relative humidity, black globe temperature and ...
Water and ion losses during the cross-country phase of eventing. Loss of total body water and ions during prolonged exercise can predispose the horse to health and performance problems. This study examined total body water (TBW) losses and extracellular (ECF) ion losses during the cross-country (XC) phase of Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced Horse Trials and CCI level 3-day-events. Jugular venous blood samples and body mass (BM) were collected on 49 horses at rest, Pre-XC, Post-XC and following 30 min of recovery. Plasma was separated from blood cells within 10 min of collection. Plasma was analysed for [Na+], [K+], [Cl-], ionised [Ca+2], [glucose], [l...
Clinical observations made in nonheat acclimated horses performing treadmill exercise in cool (20 degrees C/40%RH), hot, dry (30 degrees C/40%RH) or hot, humid (30 degrees C/80%RH) conditions. Four horses (H, J, N and M) undertook a treadmill competition exercise test (CET), designed to simulate the physiological and metabolic stresses of the Speed and Endurance phase of a 3-day-event, under 3 different environmental conditions: 20 degrees C/40% relative humidity (RH) (cool, dry [CD]: 2 sessions); 30 degrees C/40%RH (hot, dry [HD]) and 30 degrees C/80%RH (hot, humid [HH]) (Marlin et al. 1995). A number of subjective clinical observations were made at designated time points throughout the exercise test and initial recovery period including buccal mucous membrane colouration, capillar...
Ventilatory and arterial blood gas tension adjustments to strenuous exercise in standardbreds. Five healthy, fit Standardbreds (mean +/- SEM, 490.4 +/- 15.0 kg, 4.0 +/- 0.5 years) were studied during a standardized test carried out on a treadmill. The test consisted of an 8-minute warm-up and a 9-minute exercise period (1 minute at 1.7, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 10 m/s; 2 minutes at 4 m/s; and a 1-minute walk at a 6% slope). Respiratory airflow, tidal volume (V(T)), and respiratory frequency (f) were continuously recorded, using 2 ultrasonic pneumotachographs connected to a face mask and mass spectrometer. Oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide output, and expired minute volume (V(E)) were obtained on a b...
