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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2023; 13(11); 1800; doi: 10.3390/ani13111800

Cardiac Changes after Lactate-Guided Conditioning in Young Purebred Arabian Horses.

Abstract: Cardiac adaptation to conditioning in horses was evaluated after empirical training based on trainers' experience. Twelve purebred Arabian horses, aged (mean ± SD) 28.42 ± 3.75 months, which did not perform any type of exercise prior to the research, were submitted to treadmill conditioning for six weeks. The conditioning program was based on the velocity run by the horse at which the blood lactate concentration, determined in an incremental exercise test (IET), reached 2 mmol/L (V). The velocity at which the blood lactate concentration reached 4 mmol/L (V) was also determined. The echocardiograms were performed at rest with pulsed-wave and tissue Doppler imaging in B- and M-modes. All procedures were carried out before and after the conditioning period. The results showed increases in V (from 5.2 ± 0.3 to 6.7 ± 0.4 m/s) and V (from 5.8 ± 0.4 to 7.6 ± 0.5 m/s) ( < 0.0001). There were also increases in the left ventricle internal diameter at diastole (LVIDd), left ventricle mass (LV mass), and stroke volume (SV), while no changes were observed in the LV free wall thickness and mean and relative wall thicknesses. The conditioning protocol, which was completed by all horses, proved to be safe and efficient, as it improved the aerobic capacity of the animals. Finally, the cardiac remodeling that occurred was mainly associated with the effect of physical training.
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Publication Date: 2023-05-29 PubMed ID: 37889733PubMed Central: PMC10252023DOI: 10.3390/ani13111800Google Scholar: Lookup
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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 article discusses a study on the cardiac adaptations of young Arabian horses after they underwent a training program guided by their blood lactate concentrations. Specifically, the training’s effects on the velocity at which lactate concentrations reached certain levels, and certain measurements of heart function, were observed.

Study Participants and Methodology

  • The study involved twelve purebred Arabian horses, with an average age of 28.42 months, which hadn’t previously performed any type of exercise.
  • These horses underwent a six-week treadmill training program, which was designed based on empirical knowledge from trainers as well as the horses’ blood lactate concentrations.
  • In an incremental exercise test (IET), the velocity at which each horse’s blood lactate concentration reached 2 millimoles per liter(L), and 4 millimoles per liter, respectively referred to as V₂ and V₄, were identified.
  • Echocardiograms were performed on the horses at rest, using pulsed-wave and tissue Doppler imaging in B and M modes, both before and after the training period.

Findings

  • After the conditioning period, significant increases were observed in both V₂ (from an average of 5.2 m/s to 6.7 m/s) and V₄ (from an average of 5.8 m/s to 7.6 m/s).
  • There were also increased measurements in the internal diameter of the left ventricle at the diastole phase (LVIDd), left ventricle mass (LV mass), and the volume of blood pumped out of the heart in each beat (known as stroke volume or SV).
  • However, there were no observed changes in the thickness of the left ventricle’s free wall, or the mean and relative wall thicknesses.

Conclusions

  • The conditioning protocol was deemed to be safe and effective as all horses completed it, and it led to an improvement in their aerobic capacity.
  • The cardiac changes, or “remodeling,” observed in the horses were primarily attributed to the effects of the physical training.

Cite This Article

APA
Santos MM, Ramos GV, de Figueiredo IM, Silva TCBV, Lacerda-Neto JC. (2023). Cardiac Changes after Lactate-Guided Conditioning in Young Purebred Arabian Horses. Animals (Basel), 13(11), 1800. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13111800

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 11
PII: 1800

Researcher Affiliations

Santos, Maíra M
  • Department of Clinic and Veterinary Surgery, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil.
Ramos, Gabriel V
  • Department of Clinic and Veterinary Surgery, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil.
de Figueiredo, Isabela M
  • Department of Clinic and Veterinary Surgery, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil.
Silva, Tainá C B V
  • Department of Clinic and Veterinary Surgery, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil.
Lacerda-Neto, José C
  • Department of Clinic and Veterinary Surgery, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil.

Grant Funding

  • #2020/11223-4 / Su00e3o Paulo Research Foundation
  • Finance Code 001 / Coordenau00e7u00e3o de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nu00edvel Superior
  • #140407/2020-0 / National Council for Scientific and Technological Development

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Titotto AC, Santos MM, Ramos GV, Adão MDS, Benvenuto GV, De Lacerda LCC, Lisbôa JAN, Lacerda-Neto JC. Effect of Lactate Minimum Speed-Guided Training on the Fluid, Electrolyte and Acid-Base Status of Horses. Animals (Basel) 2023 Oct 21;13(20).
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  2. Bao Y, Wang T, Adina W, Yao R, Chu H, Yao X, Meng J, Wang J, Ren W, Zeng Y. Gut microbial signatures and cardiac-microbiota axis in Yili horses with divergent exercise-induced cardiac remodeling. Front Microbiol 2025;16:1689293.
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  3. Siegers EW, Parmentier JIM, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Munsters CCBM, Serra Bragança FM. Gait kinematics at trot before and after repeated ridden exercise tests in young Friesian stallions during a fatiguing 10-week training program. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1456424.
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