FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Association of heart rate variability, exercise intensity an...
Equine veterinary journal2025; doi: 10.1111/evj.14491

Association of heart rate variability, exercise intensity and exercising arrhythmias with competition results in eventing horses.

Abstract: Exercising arrhythmias are common in horses participating in eventing competitions. Heart rate variability (HRV) and a specific measure of the degree of heart rate fluctuation (Detrended Fluctuation Analysis alpha1; DFA-α1) are proposed as exercise intensity and fatigue markers. Objective: (1) To describe exercising arrhythmias and DFA-α1 values during 2-4* level eventing cross-country competitions in horses from two European countries; (2) to identify associations between exercising arrhythmias, DFA-α1 and competition results and (3) to evaluate whether markers of the intensity of exercise are associated with exercising arrhythmias, DFA-α1 or competition results. Methods: A convenience sample of exercising ECGs and competition results from horses during cross-country eventing competitions was examined. Statistical analysis was conducted using multivariable mixed-effects logistic, Poisson and linear regression models. Results: Arrhythmias were frequent during 69 cross-country competition ECGs from 43 horses. Detrended fluctuation analysis α1 was not associated with performance during cross-country, but a higher DFA-α1 during cross-country was associated with fewer showjumping phase penalties. More premature complexes, the presence of complex arrhythmias and arrhythmias during recovery were associated with fewer time penalties during cross-country. The presence of complex arrhythmias and arrhythmias during recovery of the cross-country phase was associated with more penalties during the showjumping phase. Higher blood lactate concentration, higher HR and higher HR were associated with fewer time penalties during cross-country. Conclusions: The arrhythmias observed do not allow conclusions to be drawn about the consequences of more severe arrhythmias. The associations described here were often of small magnitude or with large confidence intervals and must be interpreted cautiously. Conclusions: Arrhythmias during the cross-country test of eventing competitions were frequently associated with positive competition results during the cross-country phase and negative results during the showjumping phase. The specific arrhythmia types and circumstances that should raise concern about performance and safety remain relevant but unanswered questions for equine practitioners.
© 2025 The Author(s). Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2025-02-26 PubMed ID: 40008417DOI: 10.1111/evj.14491Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

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.

This study investigates the link between the heart rate variability of eventing horses, the intensity of their exercise, the presence of exercising arrhythmias, and their performance results in cross-country and showjumping competitions. The research also explores the association of specific heart rate fluctuation marker DFA-α1 with exercise intensity, fatigue, and performance results.

Study Design and Methods

  • The study analyzes convenience samples of exercising ECGs and competition results from 43 eventing horses during cross-country competitions.
  • The researchers used advanced statistical methods, utilizing multivariable mixed-effects logistic, Poisson and linear regression models to draw insights from the data.

Key Findings

  • The study found that exercising arrhythmias (unusual heart rhythms occurring during exercise) were common in the examined horse sample.
  • DFA-α1, a specific marker of heart rate variation, was not directly linked to cross-country performance. However, a higher DFA-α1 was found to correlate with fewer penalties during the showjumping phase of competitions.
  • Instances of premature complexes, complex arrhythmias, and arrhythmias during recovery were associated with fewer time penalties during the cross-country phase.
  • Horses exhibiting complex arrhythmias and arrhythmias during the recovery phase post cross-country competition were found to accrue more penalties during the showjumping phase.
  • Horses with higher blood lactate concentration, and higher heart rates, were associated with fewer time penalties during the cross-country phase.

Conclusions

  • The study’s findings suggest a need for caution when interpreting the results due to the small magnitude of the associations or large confidence intervals in some instances.
  • While the arrhythmias observed did not warrant definitive conclusions regarding the consequences of more severe arrhythmias, these were often associated with positive results in the cross-country phase and negative outcomes in the showjumping phase.
  • The study highlights the need for further investigation into specific arrhythmias, and under what circumstances they should raise concerns about performance and safety in eventing horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Navas de Solis C, Ramseyer A, Stefanovski D, Haughan J, Solomon CJ, Kirsch K. (2025). Association of heart rate variability, exercise intensity and exercising arrhythmias with competition results in eventing horses. Equine Vet J. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14491

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Navas de Solis, Cristobal
  • Large Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Ramseyer, Alessandra
  • Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, University of Bern, Avenches, Switzerland.
Stefanovski, Darko
  • Large Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Haughan, Joanne
  • Large Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Solomon, Claire J
  • Large Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Kirsch, Katharina
  • German Olympic Committee for Equestrian Sports (DOKR), Warendorf, Germany.

References

This article includes 58 references
  1. Ryan N, Marr CM, McGladdery AJ. Survey of cardiac arrhythmias during submaximal and maximal exercise in thoroughbred racehorses.. Equine Vet J 2005;37(3):265–268.
  2. Physick‐Sheard PW, McGurrin MK. Ventricular arrhythmias during race recovery in standardbred racehorses and associations with autonomic activity.. J Vet Intern Med 2010;24(5):1158–1166.
  3. Buhl R, Meldgaard C, Barbesgaard L. Cardiac arrhythmias in clinically healthy showjumping horses.. Equine Vet J 2010;42(S38):196–201.
  4. Durando MM. Cardiovascular causes of poor performance and exercise intolerance and assessment of safety in the equine athlete.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2019;35(1):175–190.
  5. de Navas Solis C. Exercising arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in horses: review of the literature and comparative aspects.. Equine Vet J 2016;48(4):406–413.
  6. Lorello O, Ramseyer A, Burger D, Gerber V, de Navas Solis C. Cardiovascular variables in eventing and endurance horses over a season.. J Vet Cardiol 2019;21:67–78.
  7. Durando MM, Slack J, Birks E, Belcher C, Kohn C. Premature depolarisations in horses competing in United States Eventing association and Fédération Equestre Internationale‐sanctioned 3‐day events.. Equine Vet J 2024;56(1):59–68.
  8. Resnekov L. Circulatory effects of cardiac dysrhythmias.. Cardiovasc Clin 1970;2(2):23–48.
  9. Nath L, Stent A, Elliott A, La Gerche A, Franklin S. Risk factors for exercise‐associated sudden cardiac death in thoroughbred racehorses.. Animals 2022;12(10):1297.
  10. Comyn I, Bathe AP, Foote A, Marr CM. Analysis of sudden death and fatal musculoskeletal injury during FEI three‐day eventing.. Equine Vet J 2017;49:9.
  11. Gronwald T, Rogers B, Hoos O. Fractal correlation properties of heart rate variability: a new biomarker for intensity distribution in endurance exercise and training prescription?. Front Physiol 2020;11:550–572.
  12. Santosuosso E, Léguillette R, Temple S, Shoemaker S, Hemmerling K, Kell T. New method using the non‐linear analysis of HRV to assess the maximum lactate steady state speed.. Comp Exer Physiol 2022;18(S1):18.
  13. Murphy K, Solomon C, Stefanovski D, Lorello O, Robinson M, Haughan J. Correlation of detrended fluctuation analysis alpha 1 with blood lactate concentration in field standardized exercise tests in sport horses.. Comp Exerc Physiol 2024;20(2):121–129.
    doi: 10.1163/17552559-20230024google scholar: lookup
  14. Gronwald T, Hoos O. Correlation properties of heart rate variability during endurance exercise: a systematic review.. Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol 2020;25(1):e12697.
  15. Cottin F, Médigue C, Lopes P, Petit E, Papelier Y, Billat VL. Effect of exercise intensity and repetition on heart rate variability during training in elite trotting horse.. Int J Sport Med 2005;26:859–867.
  16. Gronwald T, Hoos O, Hottenrott K. Effects of a short‐term cycling interval session and active recovery on non‐linear dynamics of cardiac autonomic activity in endurance trained cyclists.. J Clin Med 2019;8(2):194.
  17. Gronwald T, Rogers B, Hottenrott L, Hoos O, Hottenrott K. Correlation properties of heart rate variability during a Marathon race in recreational runners: potential biomarker of complex regulation during endurance exercise.. J Sports Sci Med 2021;20(4):557–563.
  18. Rogers B, Giles D, Draper N, Hoos O, Gronwald T. A new detection method defining the aerobic threshold for endurance exercise and training prescription based on fractal correlation properties of heart rate variability.. Front Physiol 2021;11:596567.
  19. Rogers B, Mourot L, Doucende G, Gronwald T. Fractal correlation properties of heart rate variability as a biomarker of endurance exercise fatigue in ultramarathon runners.. Physiol Rep 2021;9(14):e14956.
  20. Mateo‐March M, Moya‐Ramón M, Javaloyes A, Sánchez‐Muñoz C, Clemente‐Suárez VJ. Validity of detrended fluctuation analysis of heart rate variability to determine intensity thresholds in elite cyclists.. Eur J Sport Sci 2023;23(4):580–587.
  21. Muñoz A, Riber C, Santisteban R, Rubio MD, Agüera EI, Castejón FM. Cardiovascular and metabolic adaptations in horses competing in cross‐country events.. J Vet Med Sci 1999;61(1):13–20.
  22. Prince A, Geor R, Harris P, Hoekstra K, Gardner S, Hudson C. Comparison of the metabolic responses of trained Arabians and thoroughbreds during high‐ and low‐intensity exercise.. Equine Vet J 2002;34(S34):95–99.
  23. Lindner AE. Maximal lactate steady state during exercise in blood of horses.. J Anim Sci 2010;88(6):2038–2044.
  24. De Maré L, Boshuizen B, Moreno V, de Vega C, de Meeûs C, Plancke L. Profiling the aerobic window of horses in response to training by means of a modified lactate minimum speed test: flatten the curve.. Front Physiol 2022;22(13):792052.
  25. Faude O, Kindermann W, Meyer T. Lactate threshold concepts: how valid are they?. Sports Med 2009;39(6):469–490.
  26. Gondim FJ, Zoppi CC, Pereira‐da‐Silva L, de Macedo DV. Determination of the anaerobic threshold and maximal lactate steady state speed in equines using the lactate minimum speed protocol.. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2007;146(3):375–380.
  27. Soares OAB, Ferraz GC, Martins CB, Dias DPM, Lacerda‐Neto JC, Queiroz‐Neto A. Comparison of maximal lactate steady state with V2, V4, individual anaerobic threshold and lactate minimum speed in horses.. Arq Bras Med Vet Zootec 2014;66(1):39–46.
  28. Poole DC, Rossiter HB, Brooks GA, Gladden LB. The anaerobic threshold: 50+ years of controversy.. J Physiol 2021;599(3):737–767.
  29. MacIntosh BR, MacDougall KB, Falconer TM, Holash RJ. In support of the continued use of the term anaerobic threshold.. J Physiol 2021;599(5):1709–1710.
  30. Harkins JD, Beadle RE, Kamerling SG. The correlation of running ability and physiological variables in thoroughbred racehorses.. Equine Vet J 1993;25(1):53–60.
  31. Munsters CC, van den Broek J, Welling E, vanWeeren R, vanOldruitenborgh‐Oosterbaan MM. A prospective study on a cohort of horses and ponies selected for participation in the European Eventing championship: reasons for withdrawal and predictive value of fitness tests.. BMC Vet Res 2013;13(9):182.
  32. ter Woort F, Dubois G, Tansley G, Didier M, Verdegaal E‐L, Franklin S. Validation of an equine fitness tracker: ECG quality and arrhythmia detection.. Equine Vet J 2023;55(2):336–343.
  33. ter Woort F, Dubois G, Didier M, Van Erck‐Westergren E. Validation of an equine fitness tracker: heart rate and heart rate variability.. Comp Exerc Physiol 2021;17(2):189–198.
  34. . Multi Micro Hornet ORG1520‐MK04/MK05 GPS/GNSS Module with Integrated Antenna Datasheet.. 2023.
  35. Flethøj M, Kanters JK, Pedersen PJ, Haugaard MM, Carstensen H, Olsen LH. Appropriate threshold levels of cardiac beat‐to‐beat variation in semi‐automatic analysis of equine ECG recordings.. BMC Vet Res 2016;12(1):266.
  36. Kirsch K, Horstmann S, Holzhausen H, Serteyn D, Sandersen C. Heart rate and blood lactate responses during the cross‐country test of 2‐star to 5‐star eventing competitions.. Comp Exerc Physiol 2020;16:303–318.
  37. Peng CK, Havlin S, Stanley HE, Goldberger AL. Quantification of scaling exponents and crossover phenomena in nonstationary heartbeat time series.. Chaos 1995;5(1):82–87.
  38. Chen Z, Ivanov PC, Hu K, Stanley HE. Effect of nonstationarities on detrended fluctuation analysis.. Phys Rev E 2002;65:041107.
  39. Kirsch K, Sandersen C. Traditional and quantitative analysis of acid‐base and electrolyte imbalances in horses competing in cross‐country competitions at 2‐star to 5‐star level.. J Vet Intern Med 2020;34:909–921.
  40. de Solis CN, Althaus F, Basieux N, Burger D. Sudden death in sport and riding horses during and immediately after exercise: a case series.. Equine Vet J 2018;50:644–648.
  41. Linde C, Bongiorni MG, Birgersdotter‐Green U, Curtis AB, Deisenhofer I, Furokawa T. Sex differences in cardiac arrhythmia: a consensus document of the European heart rhythm association, endorsed by the Heart Rhythm Society and Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society.. Europace 2018;20:1565.
  42. Burger D, Vidondo B, Gerber V, Deillon D, Müller A, Scheidegger M. High‐level competition exercise and related fatigue are associated with stride and jumping characteristics in eventing horses.. Equine Vet J 2024;56(3):631–641.
  43. van Oldruitenborgh‐Oosterbaan MM, van den Broek ET, Spierenburg AJ. Evaluation of the usefulness of the portable device lactate pro for measurement of lactate concentrations in equine whole blood.. J Vet Diagn Invest 2008;20(1):83–85.
    doi: 10.1177/104063870802000117google scholar: lookup
  44. Barbesgaard L, Buhl R, Meldgaard C. Prevalence of exercise‐associated arrhythmias in normal performing dressage horses.. Equine Vet J 2010;42(S38):202–207.
  45. Slack J, Stefanovski D, Madsen TF, Fjordbakk CT, Strand E, Fintl C. Cardiac arrhythmias in poorly performing standardbred and Norwegian‐Swedish coldblooded trotters undergoing high‐speed treadmill testing.. Vet J 2021;267:105574.
  46. de Navas Solis C, Green CM, Sides RH, Bayly W. Arrhythmias in thoroughbreds during and after treadmill and racetrack exercise.. J Equine Vet Sci 2016;42:19–24.
  47. Marr CM, Franklin S, Garrod G, Wylie C, Smith L, Dukes‐McEwan J. Exercise‐associated rhythm disturbances in poorly performing thoroughbreds: risk factors and association with racing performance.. Equine Vet J 2021;53(4):656–669.
  48. de Navas Solis C, Solomon C, Durando M, Stefanovski D. Electrocardiograms from different types of exercise in Eventing horses with and without cardiac signs.. Equine Vet J 2023.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.14449google scholar: lookup
  49. Rogers B, Berk S, Gronwald T. An index of non‐linear HRV as a proxy of the aerobic threshold based on blood lactate concentration in elite triathletes.. Sports 2022;10(2):25.
  50. Frick L, Schwarzwald CC, Mitchell KJ. The use of heart rate variability analysis to detect arrhythmias in horses undergoing a standard treadmill exercise test.. J Vet Intern Med 2019;33(1):212–224.
  51. Hammond A, Sage W, Hezzell M, Smith S, Franklin S, Allen K. Heart rate variability during high‐speed treadmill exercise and recovery in thoroughbred racehorses presented for poor performance.. Equine Vet J 2023;55(5):727–737.
  52. Dores H, Malhotra A, Sheikh N, Millar L, Dhutia H, Narain R. Abnormal electrocardiographic findings in athletes: correlation with intensity of sport and level of competition.. Rev Port Cardiol 2016;35(11):593–600.
  53. Heidbuchel H. The athlete's heart is a proarrhythmic heart, and what that means for clinical decision making.. Europace 2018;20(9):1401–1411.
  54. Reef VB, Bonagura J, Buhl R, McGurrin MKJ, Schwarzwald CC, van Loon G. Recommendations for management of equine athletes with cardiovascular abnormalities.. J Vet Intern Med 2014;28(3):749–761.
  55. Zipes DP, Link MS, Ackerman MJ, Kovacs RJ, Myerburg RJ, Estes NAM. Eligibility and disqualification recommendations for competitive athletes with cardiovascular abnormalities: task force 9: arrhythmias and conduction defects: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology.. J Am Coll Cardiol 2015;66(21):2412–2423.
  56. Quittmann OJ, Foitschik T, Vafa R, Freitag FJ, Sparmann N, Nolte S. Is maximal lactate accumulation rate promising for improving 5000‐m prediction in running?. Int J Sports Med 2023;44(4):268–279.
  57. Rogatzki MJ, Ferguson BS, Goodwin ML, Gladden LB. Lactate is always the end product of glycolysis.. Front Neurosci 2015;27(9):22.
  58. Mavroudi M, Kabasakalis A, Petridou A, Mougios V. Blood lactate and maximal lactate accumulation rate at three sprint swimming distances in highly trained and elite swimmers.. Sports 2023;11(4):87.

Citations

This article has been cited 0 times.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,357 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.