Heart rate and blood lactate responses to submaximal treadmill exercise in the normally performing standardbred trotter–age and sex variations and predictability from the total red blood cell volume.
Abstract: The purposes of this study were to elucidate the influences of age and sex on the heart rate (HR, bpm) and blood lactate (LA, mmol/l) related exercise tolerance parameters V2000 (tread ill velocity at HR 200), VLA4 (velocity at LA 4), W200 (power output at V2000), and WLA4 (power output at VLA4), and to establish reference values for these in normally performing Standardbred trotting race horses. A further aim was to improve the predictability of individual normal values by correlating them with the total red blood cell volume (CV) alone or in combination with the blood lactate response at V200 (LA200). In total 205 horses were included in the study. According to their owners and/or trainers they were all performing satisfactorily (in racing or training) for shortly impending racing. The exercise test was performed on an inclined (3.5 degrees) high speed treadmill and consisted of four sequentially increasing speeds, each of 2 min duration, aiming at a final HR at or exceeding 200 bpm. HR was monitored continuously and recorded in parallel with blood sampling during the last 15 s of each speed. Blood volume determination was done with the Evans blue dye dilution technique immediately after the exercise test to ensure complete emptying of the splenic red cell reservoir. Both age and sex influenced significantly on all parameters. These were also all strongly dependent on the total red cell volume. Consequently, it was concluded that markers for work tolerance based on heart rate and blood lactate responses to submaximal treadmill exercise reliably reflect circulatory and muscle metabolic capacities. Further, individual normal values are predictable from the red cell volume alone with variation coefficients between 5 and 9.1%, or, in combination with LA200, between 4.4 and 62%. Disregarding the regression with CV, predictability of normal values is improved by considering age and sex variations.
Publication Date: 1997-05-01 PubMed ID: 9197201DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0442.1997.tb01094.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research explores how age and sex affect heart rate and blood lactate responses during submaximal treadmill exercise in standardbred trotting race horses. It also delves into predicting individual normal values based on the total red blood cell volume.
Objective and Methodology
- The study aimed to understand the impact of age and sex on heart rate and blood lactate responses in relation to exercise tolerance parameters like V2000, VLA4, W200, and WLA4 in standardbred trotting race horses.
- It also aimed to establish reference values for these parameters and improve their predictability using the total red blood cell volume (CV), alone or paired with the blood lactate response at V200 (LA200).
- The study involved 205 horses, all satisfactorily performing in racing or training according to their owners and trainers.
- The exercise test consisted of four sequentially increasing speeds on a high-speed treadmill inclined at 3.5 degrees, with the objective of achieving a heart rate of or over 200 beats per minute (bpm).
- Heart rate was continuously monitored and blood samples were collected during the last 15 seconds of each speed.
- Blood volume determination was carried out after the exercise test using the Evans blue dye dilution technique to ensure complete emptying of the splenic red cell reservoir.
Key Findings
- Age and sex significantly influenced all the parameters.
- All parameters were found to be strongly dependent on the total red blood cell volume.
- As a result, the research concluded that work tolerance markers based on heart rate and blood lactate responses to submaximal treadmill exercise do reflect accurately on circulatory and muscle metabolic capacities.
- Individual normal values were found to be predictable from the red cell volume alone, with variation coefficients between 5 and 9.1% or, when combined with LA200, between 4.4 and 62%.
- Disregarding the regression with CV, the predictability of normal values improved when considering age and sex variations.
Cite This Article
APA
Persson SG.
(1997).
Heart rate and blood lactate responses to submaximal treadmill exercise in the normally performing standardbred trotter–age and sex variations and predictability from the total red blood cell volume.
Zentralbl Veterinarmed A, 44(3), 125-132.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0442.1997.tb01094.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden. sune.persson@kirmed.slu.se
MeSH Terms
- Age Factors
- Animals
- Erythrocyte Volume / veterinary
- Exercise Test / veterinary
- Female
- Heart Rate / physiology
- Horses / blood
- Horses / physiology
- Lactates / blood
- Male
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
- Sex Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Lo Feudo CM, Stucchi L, Conturba B, Stancari G, Zucca E, Ferrucci F. Medical causes of poor performance and their associations with fitness in Standardbred racehorses. J Vet Intern Med 2023 Jul-Aug;37(4):1514-1527.
- Lo Feudo CM, Stucchi L, Conturba B, Stancari G, Ferrucci F. Impact of Lower Airway Inflammation on Fitness Parameters in Standardbred Racehorses. Animals (Basel) 2022 Nov 21;12(22).
- Lo Feudo CM, Stucchi L, Stancari G, Alberti E, Conturba B, Zucca E, Ferrucci F. Associations between Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) and Fitness Parameters Measured by Incremental Treadmill Test in Standardbred Racehorses. Animals (Basel) 2022 Feb 12;12(4).
- Stucchi L, Alberti E, Stancari G, Conturba B, Zucca E, Ferrucci F. The Relationship between Lung Inflammation and Aerobic Threshold in Standardbred Racehorses with Mild-Moderate Equine Asthma. Animals (Basel) 2020 Jul 27;10(8).
- Buhl R, Carstensen H, Hesselkilde EZ, Klein BZ, Hougaard KM, Ravn KB, Loft-Andersen AV, Fenner MF, Pipper C, Jespersen T. Effect of induced chronic atrial fibrillation on exercise performance in Standardbred trotters. J Vet Intern Med 2018 Jul;32(4):1410-1419.
- Stefánsdóttir GJ, Ragnarsson S, Gunnarsson V, Jansson A. Physiological response to a breed evaluation field test in Icelandic horses. Animal 2014 Mar;8(3):431-9.
- Arfuso F, Rizzo M, Perillo L, Arrigo F, Giudice E, Piccione G, Faggio C, Monteverde V. The Effect of Ambient Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Temperature-Humidity Index on Stress Hormone and Inflammatory Response in Exercising Adult Standardbred Horses. Animals (Basel) 2025 May 15;15(10).
- Santosuosso E, Léguillette R, Shoemaker S, Baumwart R, Temple S, Hemmerling K, Kell T, Bayly W. A consort-guided randomized, blinded, controlled clinical trial on the effects of 6 weeks training on heart rate variability in thoroughbred horses. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Jan-Feb;39(1):e17253.
- Lo Feudo CM, Stucchi L, Stancari G, Conturba B, Bozzola C, Zucca E, Ferrucci F. Evaluation of fitness parameters in relation to racing results in 245 Standardbred trotter horses submitted for poor performance examination: A retrospective study. PLoS One 2023;18(10):e0293202.
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