Can the training regimen influence night time physical activity in racehorses?
Abstract: Physical activity has been widely investigated in horses to elucidate locomotion characteristics and behavior. However, research in real environment of training stables is limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of training regimen on night time physical activity of racehorses. Physical activities of twenty animals were monitored during the night time using accelerometers. The animals were compared in terms of training regimen: horses subjected to training on continual days, and horses subjected to training on intermittent days; age and sex were also considered. The variables analyzed were: counts per minute, percentage of time in (sedentary, light, moderate and vigorous) physical activity. Statistical analysis was performed by the PROCGLM procedure (ANOVA) and the means were calculated by Tukey's test. The training regimen impacts the physical activity of thoroughbreds. The mean counts per minute showed a higher physical activity in the intermittent trained animals in relation with continuously trained animals. The continuously trained animals presented a greater percentage of time in sedentary physical activity than those intermittent trained. However, intermittently trained horses spent a larger percentage of time in moderate and vigorous physical activity, in comparison with continuously trained animals. In conclusion, racehorses subject to training on continual days have lower physical activity in the night time than those that train on intermittent days.
© 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Publication Date: 2021-09-25 PubMed ID: 34622089PubMed Central: PMC8482476DOI: 10.1016/j.vas.2021.100208Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research study investigates how a horse’s training schedule affects its physical activity during the night. The results showed that racehorses trained on intermittent days exhibit more physical activity at night compared to those trained continuously.
Research Background
- The study originates from the understanding that physical activity in horses has been thoroughly researched to comprehend their locomotion characteristics and behavior.
- However, the researchers note that limited research has been conducted in real training stable environments.
- Therefore, this study seeks to evaluate how different training schedules affect the night time physical activities of racehorses.
Research Methodology and Participants
- Twenty racehorses were involved in this study and monitored during the night using accelerometers to track physical activity.
- The horses were grouped according to their training schedules: those subjected to continuous training and those trained on intermittent days.
- Factors such as age and sex were also considered in the analysis.
- The researchers evaluated several variables: counts per minute (as a measure of activity level) and the percentage of time spent in various stages of physical activity (sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous).
- Statistical analysis of the data was done using the PROCGLM procedure (ANOVA), and the means were computed using Tukey’s test.
Research Findings
- The findings revealed that the training regimen significantly impacts the physical activity of the racehorses.
- Intermittently trained horses showed a higher physical activity at night as indicated by the higher mean counts per minute compared to continuously trained animals.
- On the contrary, continuously trained horses spent a greater percentage of their time in sedentary activities at night.
- Meanwhile, intermittently trained horses spent a substantial percentage of their night in moderate to vigorous physical activities, in comparison to continuously trained animals.
Conclusion of the Study
- The study concluded that racehorses subject to training on continual days have lower physical activity at night compared to those trained on intermittent days. This could potentially have implications for optimizing training regimens and understanding horse behavior and wellbeing.
Cite This Article
APA
Rumpel AS, Alievi MM, Jardim Filho JO, Rozo CAC, Schuster LAH, da Silva AV, Ferreira MP.
(2021).
Can the training regimen influence night time physical activity in racehorses?
Vet Anim Sci, 14, 100208.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vas.2021.100208 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Graduate Program in Animal Medicine: Equine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Graduate Program in Animal Medicine: Equine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Department of Large Animal Clinics, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
- Graduate Program in Animal Medicine: Equine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Conflict of Interest Statement
None of the authors of this paper have a financial or personal relationship with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper. It is to specifically state that “no competing interests are at stake and is no conflict of interest” with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
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