Effect of training on diverse hematologic parameters in Andalusian horses.

This research aimed at exploring how intense exercise and regular training affects various blood parameters in Andalusian horses. The study showed distinct changes in blood variables, such as a decrease in red blood cells and hematocrit value, an increase in hemoglobin levels, and no significant change in total plasma proteins after intensive training.

Objective of the Study

• The study aimed to determine the effects of an intensive exercise regimen on various hematological parameters in Andalusian horses. The parameters considered included red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematoctrit value, and total plasma proteins.

Methodology

• A group of 16 Andalusian horses were subjected to an exercise test, increasing in intensity, which consisted of three cycles of 1000 meters each. This test was carried out before and after implementing a daily exercise program for two months.
• Blood samples were collected through an external jugular vein puncture at various instances – while the horses were at rest, within the first minute of finishing each exercise stage, and then again after 10 and 15 minutes of recovering from the exercise.

Findings

• After two months of daily exercise, the average count of red blood cells, as well as the hematocrit value (the ratio of the volume of red blood cells to the total volume of blood), decreased significantly in the tested horses.
• Contrarily, the levels of hemoglobin (the protein molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body’s tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs) increased after the training period.
• Despite the changes in other parameters, no significant changes were observed in the total plasma proteins, a measure of different proteins in the blood serum.

Implication of the Study

• This study provides vital insights into the physiological responses of horses to intensive physical exercise, including significant changes in hematological parameters.
• The results are essential in understanding the overall health and fitness levels of the horses and thus can guide trainers and animal health professionals in forming optimal training programs and nutritional plans for horses, specifically Andalusians.