Acid-base values of standardbred horses recovering from strenuous exercise.

The research examines how moderate exercise affects the levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide, lactic acid, and pH in the blood of Standardbred horses. The study discovered fluctuations in these parameters immediately after exercise and followed the recovery process over an hour.

Method Used

• The study involved Standardbred horses that were subjected to a predetermined exercise load: running 1.6 km in 2 minutes 40 seconds.
• The horses’ blood parameters were tested at different intervals: resting, immediately post-exercise, and after 3, 6, 15, 30, and 60 minutes.
• The parameters measured included arterial and mixed venous blood gases, lactic acid concentration, and pH levels.

Observations

• Both arterial and mixed venous oxygen tensions increased post-exercise, peaking at 6 minutes and returning to rest levels by 15 and 30 minutes respectively.
• Arterial carbon dioxide tension fell immediately after workout, reached the lowest point at 6 minutes, and returned to pre-exercise levels by the 30-minute mark. However, the mixed venous carbon dioxide tension increased rapidly post-exercise, then fell below the resting value to its lowest at 15 minutes, and restored itself by 60 minutes.
• Lactic acid concentration increased immediately after exercise, peaked at 6 minutes, and began to normalize by 60 minutes.
• Arterial pH dropped immediately after exercise, reaching its lowest value at 6 minutes and restored itself by 60 minutes. A similar trend was seen in mixed venous pH, with the decrease more pronounced due to an additional increase in mixed venous carbon dioxide tension.

Implications

• The study provides valuable insight into how the body of a Standardbred horse responds to moderate-level exercise over time.
• The findings may assist in better understanding the physiological responses of horses during and after exercise, which could help in the future development of training and conditioning programs for these animals.
• Recognizing these changes can also serve as an important diagnostic tool in the equine veterinary medicine for identifying abnormal responses to exercise.