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Home / Equine Research Bank / Can Vet J / Assessing fitness in endurance horses.
The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne2012; 53(3); 311-314;

Assessing fitness in endurance horses.

Abstract: A field test and a standardized treadmill test were used to assess fitness in endurance horses. These tests discriminated horses of different race levels: horses participating in races of 120 km and more showed higher values of VLA4 (velocity at which blood lactate reached 4 mmol/L) and V200 (velocity at which heart rates reached 200 beats per min) than horses of lower race levels. Un test sur le terrain et un test sur tapis roulant ont été utilisés pour évaluer la condition physique des chevaux d’endurance. Ces tests ont séparé les chevaux de différents niveaux de course : les chevaux participant à des courses de 120 km et plus ont montré des valeurs supérieures de VLA4 (la vélocité à laquelle le lactate sanguin atteignait 4 mmol/L) et de V200 (la vélocité auxquelles les fréquences cardiaques atteignaient 200 battements par minute) que les chevaux de course de niveaux inférieurs. (Traduit par Isabelle Vallières)
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Publication Date: 2012-09-04 PubMed ID: 22942450PubMed Central: PMC3280789
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research assesses the fitness level of endurance horses using field tests and a standardized treadmill test, demonstrating that horses participating in longer races (120km or more) show higher endurance markers.

Endurance Testing in Horses

This research revolves around two main approaches to assess the fitness level of endurance horses, using both field tests and a standardized treadmill test. The purpose being to distinguish the fitness level among horses that participate in races of varying distances.

  • The field test involves the horses being put through their paces on an actual course, approximating the real-world conditions these animals would experience.
  • The treadmill test provides a controlled environment where aspects like speed, incline, and duration can be meticulously adjusted and kept constant for all horses.

Race Levels and Fitness Indicators

Two specific fitness indicators, VLA4 and V200, were measured to discriminate the fitness levels among horses belonging to different race categories:

  • VLA4 is the velocity at which blood lactate reached 4 mmol/L. The concentration of lactate in the blood can provide insights into the horse’s fitness level as it is associated with muscle fatigue. When a horse exercises, its muscles produce lactate and pyruvate, but only the lactate accumulates in the bloodstream, leading to a measurable increase. Horses that can maintain higher velocities before their blood lactate levels reach 4 mmol/L are generally considered to have higher fitness levels.
  • V200 is the velocity at which heart rates reach 200 beats per minute. Heart rate is a significant indicator of exertion and cardiovascular fitness. In general, the lower a horse’s heart rate at a given speed, the greater its level of fitness. Therefore, horses that can sustain higher speeds before their heart rate reaches 200 bpm are considered more fit.

From these measurements, the study concluded that horses participating in races of 120 km or more showed higher values of VLA4 and V200 compared to those participating in shorter races. This displays the superior fitness levels of these long-distance endurance race horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Fraipont A, Van Erck E, Ramery E, Fortier G, Lekeux P, Art T. (2012). Assessing fitness in endurance horses. Can Vet J, 53(3), 311-314.

Publication

The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne
ISSN: 0008-5286
NlmUniqueID: 0004653
Country: Canada
Language: English
Volume: 53
Issue: 3
Pages: 311-314

Researcher Affiliations

Fraipont, Audrey
  • Equine Sports Medicine Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, B-4000 Liège, Belgium. audrey.fraipont@ulg.ac.be
Van Erck, Emmanuelle
    Ramery, Eve
      Fortier, Guillaume
        Lekeux, Pierre
          Art, Tatiana

            MeSH Terms

            • Animals
            • Blood Flow Velocity / physiology
            • Blood Flow Velocity / veterinary
            • Exercise Test / methods
            • Exercise Test / veterinary
            • Heart Rate / physiology
            • Horses / physiology
            • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
            • Physical Fitness / physiology

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            Citations

            This article has been cited 7 times.
            1. Söderlund EE, Kyröläinen H, Laitinen-Vapaavuori OM, Hyytiäinen HK. Proposed Protocol for Field Testing of Endurance Fitness of Young Labrador Retrievers. Methods Protoc 2023 Jun 28;6(4).
              doi: 10.3390/mps6040061pubmed: 37489428google scholar: lookup
            2. Cabrera AMZ, Soto MJC, Aranzales JRM, Valencia NMC, Gutiérrez MPA. Blood lactate concentrations and heart rates of Colombian Paso horses during a field exercise test. Vet Anim Sci 2021 Sep;13:100185.
              doi: 10.1016/j.vas.2021.100185pubmed: 34189341google scholar: lookup
            3. Léguillette R, Bond SL, Lawlor K, Haan T, Weber LM. Comparison of physiological demands in Warmblood show jumping horses over a standardized 1.10 m jumping course versus a standardized exercise test on a track. BMC Vet Res 2020 Jun 8;16(1):182.
              doi: 10.1186/s12917-020-02400-9pubmed: 32513241google scholar: lookup
            4. Lindner A, Esser M, López R, Boffi F. Relationship between Resting and Recovery Heart Rate in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2020 Jan 11;10(1).
              doi: 10.3390/ani10010120pubmed: 31940806google scholar: lookup
            5. Cravana C, Medica P, Ragonese G, Fazio E. Influence of training and competitive sessions on peripheral β-endorphin levels in training show jumping horses. Vet World 2017 Jan;10(1):67-73.
              doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2017.67-73pubmed: 28246449google scholar: lookup
            6. Kang OD, Park YS. Effect of age on heart rate, blood lactate concentration, packed cell volume and hemoglobin to exercise in Jeju crossbreed horses. J Anim Sci Technol 2017;59:2.
              doi: 10.1186/s40781-017-0126-8pubmed: 28138395google scholar: lookup
            7. Santosuosso E, Léguillette R, Shoemaker S, Baumwart R, Temple S, Hemmerling K, Kell T, Bayly W. A consort-guided randomized, blinded, controlled clinical trial on the effects of 6 weeks training on heart rate variability in thoroughbred horses. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Jan-Feb;39(1):e17253.
              doi: 10.1111/jvim.17253pubmed: 39655519google scholar: lookup
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