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Veterinary medicine international2025; 2025; 4217400; doi: 10.1155/vmi/4217400

Metabolic Profiles of Finishing and Nonfinishing Horses in Uruguayan Raid Competitions.

Abstract: The Raid Hípico Uruguayo (RHU) is the oldest equestrian endurance sport in Uruguay. A high percentage of horses fail to complete RHU rides. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether weather conditions (comfort index [CI]), horse experience, and ride distance affect horse performance (finishing ride [FR] or nonfinishing ride [NFR]) in the RHU. An additional objective was to determine whether finishing the ride affects the hematological and biochemical parameters of the horses. This study involved 17 RHU rides over distances of 60-90 km and 284 horses. Blood samples were taken before and after the competition or upon withdrawal (retired or eliminated). The nonfinishing group consisted of 169 horses. Horse performance was associated with CI ( < 0.05), but not with ride distance ( = 0.33). Horse experience tended to be associated with finishing the ride ( = 0.09). Hematocrit, creatine kinase activity, urea, and uric acid concentrations were greater in FR than in NFR horses ( < 0.05) and all parameters were affected by the time of sampling ( < 0.001), being higher in the postride sample. Weather conditions significantly affected horse performance during RHU competitions, whereas ride distance showed no effect. We observed changes in hematological and biochemical parameters regardless of the horse's performance. Most changes seemed to be caused by a decrease in blood volume, an increase in energy expenditure, and muscle damage that were not the result of metabolic disease but were related to a physiological response to the intensity and duration of exercise.
Copyright © 2025 Gimena Brito et al. Veterinary Medicine International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2025-11-29 PubMed ID: 41357616PubMed Central: PMC12681399DOI: 10.1155/vmi/4217400Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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Overview

  • This study examined how weather conditions, horse experience, and ride distance impact the performance of horses in Uruguayan endurance races, and assessed how completing the race affects their blood health markers.
  • Researchers analyzed data from 284 horses over multiple races and compared physiological responses between horses that finished versus those that did not finish the rides.

Background and Context

  • The Raid Hípico Uruguayo (RHU) is Uruguay’s oldest endurance horse racing event, involving long-distance rides of 60-90 kilometers.
  • A significant portion of horses fail to complete these races, making it important to understand factors influencing race completion.
  • Researchers aimed to determine how environmental factors (weather), horse-specific factors (experience), and race-related factors (distance) are associated with whether horses finish or fail.
  • Additionally, the study sought to characterize hematological (blood) and biochemical changes in horses affected by racing, including potential impacts of finishing vs. not finishing.

Study Design and Methods

  • Data was collected from 17 RHU races involving 284 horses.
  • Races ranged from 60 to 90 km in distance.
  • Horses were grouped into finishing ride (FR) and non-finishing ride (NFR) categories, the latter including horses that retired or were eliminated (169 NFR horses).
  • Blood samples were taken twice for each horse: once before the race and once after completing the race or upon withdrawal.
  • The study measured hematological parameters such as hematocrit, and biochemical markers including creatine kinase activity, urea, and uric acid concentrations.
  • Statistical analyses assessed associations between performance and variables like weather conditions, distance, and horse experience, as well as changes in blood parameters over time.

Key Findings

  • Weather Conditions: The comfort index (CI), a measure of weather conditions, significantly affected horse performance (p < 0.05), indicating that more stressful or uncomfortable weather reduced chances of finishing.
  • Ride Distance: No significant effect of race distance on finishing rates was detected (p = 0.33), suggesting that within the 60-90 km range, distance did not strongly influence completion.
  • Horse Experience: There was a trend toward more experienced horses being more likely to finish (p = 0.09), though this did not reach strong statistical significance.
  • Blood Parameters and Sampling Time: After the race, all horses—whether finishing or not—showed increased hematocrit, creatine kinase, urea, and uric acid levels, reflecting physiological responses to exercise rather than disease.
  • Comparison Between FR and NFR Horses: Horses that completed the ride (FR) had higher values of these blood markers compared to horses that did not finish (NFR), indicating greater muscle workload and metabolic changes in finishers.

Physiological Interpretations

  • The increase in hematocrit post-race suggests a reduction in plasma volume—likely due to dehydration or fluid shifts during exercise.
  • Elevated creatine kinase activity indicates muscle strain or minor muscle damage resulting from intense and prolonged exercise.
  • Raised urea and uric acid concentrations reflect increased energy metabolism and protein catabolism during racing.
  • Importantly, these changes were interpreted as normal physiological responses to endurance exercise intensity and duration, not signs of metabolic disease or pathology.

Conclusions and Implications

  • Environmental factors, particularly weather comfort, play a more critical role in whether horses complete endurance rides than the distance of the ride within the studied range.
  • Horse experience may improve likelihood of finishing, hinting at the importance of training and conditioning.
  • The observed blood chemistry changes provide valuable benchmarks for what constitutes a normal response to endurance racing, helping vets and trainers distinguish between healthy physiological adaptation and potential health issues.
  • These insights can guide strategies to improve horse welfare and race management, such as monitoring weather forecasts, improving conditioning programs, and carefully interpreting physiological markers to avoid unnecessary withdrawal or interventions.

Cite This Article

APA
Brito G, Damián JP, Trigo P, Ruprechter G. (2025). Metabolic Profiles of Finishing and Nonfinishing Horses in Uruguayan Raid Competitions. Vet Med Int, 2025, 4217400. https://doi.org/10.1155/vmi/4217400

Publication

Veterinary medicine international
ISSN: 2090-8113
NlmUniqueID: 101524203
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 2025
Pages: 4217400
PII: 4217400

Researcher Affiliations

Brito, Gimena
  • Departamento de Clínicas y Hospital Veterinario, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
Damián, Juan Pablo
  • Departamento de Biociencias Veterinarias, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
  • Núcleo de Bienestar Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
Trigo, Pablo
  • IGEVET CONICET CC La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de la Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
Ruprechter, Gretel
  • Departamento de Clínicas y Hospital Veterinario, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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