Daily pattern of some fatty acids in the athletic horse.

The study investigates the circadian rhythm of fatty acids in athletic horses, establishing that the time of day significantly influences levels of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and certain other fatty acids. Through this, the research aims to provide insights for effective training programs for athletic horses.

Objective of the Research

• The main goal was to understand the daily pattern or chronogram of certain fatty acids, specifically NEFA and others (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids), in athletic horses. The intention was to gain data that could be beneficial in designing and differentiating training programs for these horses.

Methodology

• The study was conducted on five Sella Italiana horses that were following an activity model which included walking, trotting, galloping and jumping obstacles of varying heights.
• Blood samples were collected from the subjects every four hours over a period of two days, starting from 08:00 hours.
• These samples were used to track concentrations of NEFA through spectrophotometry and other fatty acids using gas chromatography.

Findings and Conclusions

• The research found a statistically significant effect of the time of day on levels of NEFA, oleic and linolenic acids.
• Periodic patterns were noted in NEFA, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids with the peak occurrences, known as acrophases, being observed in the afternoon.
• It was found that the physical activities and post-prandial (after eating) metabolism served as zeitgebers (time-givers) or cues that sync with the biological clocks of these horses, thereby affecting the trends of the circadian pattern of fatty acids.
• The study concludes that athletic horses exhibit a different trend in the circadian pattern of these parameters than sedentary horses, indicating an impact of physical activity levels on the metabolic rhythms of horses.