Blood phagocyte activity after race training sessions in Thoroughbred and Arabian horses.

This research article investigates the impact of race training on the activity of neutrophils and monocytes (the first line of immune defence) in Thoroughbred and Arabian horses. The study concluded that, contrary to expectations of weakened immunity, the training sessions did not result in a reduction in phagocyte activity.

Research Methodology

• 23 horses, 12 Thoroughbreds and 11 Arabians, were included in this study.
• Various tests were conducted to measure:
  • Haematological parameters: the number of red blood cells (RBC), haemoglobin concentration (HGB), haematocrit (HCT), and the total number of white blood cells (WBC).
  • Biochemical parameters: creatine phosphokinase activity (CPK) and total protein concentration (TP).
  • Cortisol concentration.
  • The phagocytic and oxidative burst activity of neutrophils and monocytes, which are key elements of the immune system response.

Results and Findings

• The study revealed differences in base parameters and phagocyte activity between the two breeds of horses, indicating that physiological responses to exercise might vary between breeds.
• Furthermore, the research found that there were no exercise-induced decreases in the activity of phagocytes.
• This is counter to the common assumption that strenuous exercise weakens the immune system. Instead, standard training exertion did not suppress the immune response in these horses.

Conclusions and Implications

• The results of this study suggest that routine training regimens for racing Thoroughbred and Arabian horses do not result in weakened immune responses. This challenges the pre-existing belief that intense exercise necessarily compromises immune function.
• These findings may have significant implications for the conditioning and health management of racing horses. However, further investigations are required to verify these findings across other horse breeds and to explore the effects of different levels and types of physical exertion.