A review of recent research on nutrition and metabolism in the athletic horse.
Abstract: 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, any nutritional practices that have a chance to enhance an individual animal's performance, however slight, become significant when viewed in terms of the real world situation and who earns the purse at the end of the race. There have been dramatic improvements in the understanding of nutrition and metabolism in the equine athlete in recent years but numerous conflicting reports persist. It remains to be seen whether this information will result in improved performances or reduced rates of injury in the equine athletes of the world.
Publication Date: 1996-01-01 PubMed ID: 19094269DOI: 10.1079/NRR19960010Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This article is a review of recent research about the effects of different nutritional practices on equine athletic performance. Despite a lot of research, measurable improvements have not been widely observed, but any small enhancement could have significant real-world implications given the competitive nature of horse racing.
Understanding the Topic and Objective of the Research
- The article under review addresses the issue of nutrition and metabolism in athletic horses. This is a critical area of study, given that peak performance and endurance in equine athletes (racing horses) significantly depend on their dietary and metabolic profiles.
- Despite much research directed towards finding ways to enhance the performance of these animals through various nutritional practices, the study notes a lack of statistically significant improvements in aspects such as race times or increased time to fatigue.
Considering Individual Equine Performance
- While this lack of concrete improvement might seem discouraging, the article points out that performance in racing is not always measured by time alone. For instance, an athlete can win by comparative lengths or even by a nose. Therefore, improvement in an individual horse’s performance is not always quantifiable in the traditional sense.
- Any slight enhancement in performance, due to specific nutritional practices, can bear significant implications when viewed in real-world competition. With this perspective, even minimal enhancements to individual performance can tilt the competitive scale to determine who earns the purse at the end of the race.
Identifying Conflicting Findings and Future Possibilities
- The article highlights that, in recent years, there have been significant improvements in understanding equine nutrition and metabolism. Despite this progress, many conflicting reports and results continue to exist.
- This points to the complexity of the subject and perhaps the individual physiological variations among different equine athletes.
- Moreover, the application of this knowledge is yet to produce noticeable improvements in performance or reductions in injury rates among equine athletes. The article leaves the question open as to whether future research and application of these findings will bring about more noticeable improvements.
Cite This Article
APA
Hiney KM, Potter GD.
(1996).
A review of recent research on nutrition and metabolism in the athletic horse.
Nutr Res Rev, 9(1), 149-173.
https://doi.org/10.1079/NRR19960010 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Sciences Program, Department of Animal Science, Texas A & M University College Station, TX, 77845, USA.
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Graham-Thiers PM, Bowen LK. The effect of time of feeding on plasma amino acids during exercise and recovery in horses. Transl Anim Sci 2021 Apr;5(2):txab045.
- Laghi L, Zhu C, Campagna G, Rossi G, Bazzano M, Laus F. Probiotic supplementation in trained trotter horses: effect on blood clinical pathology data and urine metabolomic assessed in field. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2018 Aug 1;125(2):654-660.
- Graham-Thiers PM, Bowen LK. Effect of balanced vs. standard protein on muscle mass development in exercising horses. Transl Anim Sci 2024;8:txae118.
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