Intraocular pressure changes in equine athletes during endurance competitions.

The research article focuses on evaluating the intraocular pressure (IOP) in horses trained for endurance competitions and the changes it undergoes during exercise. It also examines the connection between IOP and heart rate, along with other subjective physical parameters.

Study Objectives and Methodology

• This study aimed at observing the changes in Intraocular pressure (IOP) in well-trained horses during endurance races. It also intended to examine the possible relationship between IOP and heart rate as well as other subjective physical factors.
• Data were accumulated from 69 horses participating in five different endurance race competitions at three different venues. Out of these, 59 horses participated only once, 9 horses participated in two races and one horse participated thrice, creating 80 horse-ride combinations.
• The IOP was measured using a TonoVet® tonometer. The measurements were taken prior to the race, at two different points during the race, and immediately after the race. Heart rates and subjective veterinary scores were recorded for each horse at each checkpoint.

Results and Conclusions

• The results indicated that horses that finished the race in shorter times (≤400 min) experienced a decrease in IOP at least by 3.1 ± 0.9 mmHg, from the beginning to the end of the race, even though there was observable upswing in IOP during the race.
• For horses that took longer to finish the race, the IOP did not exhibit significant changes from the starting point to the end of the race.
• Responses varied in horses that received the ‘Best Condition’ award when compared with other horses; the former did not show any overall decrease in IOP, whereas the latter displayed an overall decrease in IOP by the end of the race, compared to the baseline readings.
• There was no concrete evidence highlighting a correlation between IOP and heart rate, or IOP and subjective clinical scores.
• The research concluded that the intraocular pressure in horses undergoes fluctuations during an endurance race competition, with several factors impacting the level of change.