Effects of physical exercise in winter training conditions on the thermographic temperature distribution of the horse rider’s skin.

The research study explored how winter equestrian training affected the body surface temperature of a horse rider. It concluded that body surface temperature increased alongside the intensity and level of training, with the most significant increase recorded in the rider’s thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine.

Study Design and Methods

• The research was conducted on an experienced horse-rider pair, comprising of a 25-year-old active sportswoman and a 16-year-old Trakehner breed horse.
• Body temperature distribution of the rider was studied in certain parts of the body such as the right and left shoulder blades, the chest and lumbar sections, and the left and right cross region. The measurements were taken before and after varying types of training – recreational, jumping and dressage.
• The specific focus of the study was on winter training conditions, with each type of training repeated 10 times, resulting in a total of 30 workouts.
• Thermovision measurements were systematically captured within a separate room to ensure consistency in the testing environment.

Findings

• Results demonstrated that the intensity and level of training directly influenced the body surface temperature of the rider, causing an increase in temperature.
• The post-workout temperature increase varied depending on the type of training. Recreational training resulted in a rise of 3.15°C, obstacle jumping led to an increase of 4.39°C, while dressage caused the largest increase to 5.82°C.

Conclusions

• The most significant rise in body surface temperature following dressage training was noted in the thoracic and lumbar part of the spine region.
• The area of the left and right scapula also registered substantial temperature increases.
• Meanwhile, the smallest temperature increase was observed in the left and right sacral region of the rider.

To conclude, the research provides evidence that specific winter equestrian training contributes to different increases in the body surface temperature of the rider. These findings may be important for devising optimal training regimes and understanding the physiological effects of equestrian activities on human body, especially in winter conditions.