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Animal microbiome2026; doi: 10.1186/s42523-026-00535-y

Omics integration reveals how the gut microbiota of Warmblood horses responds to equestrian show jumping-a short-duration, high-intensity technical exercise stress.

Abstract: Intestinal microbial homeostasis and metabolic balance play a crucial role in maintaining normal physiological function in horses. Exogenous stress involving abrupt turns and jumps during show jumping significantly impacts intestinal microbial homeostasis and metabolic balance in these animals. Results: By comparing rectal (faecal) samples from 10 Warmblood horses collected before and immediately after a show jumping competition on the same day, we observed substantial alterations in intestinal microbial homeostasis and metabolic balance post-exercise. Microbial evenness significantly increased following the competition, accompanied by enrichment of specific taxa such as Bacteroides, Ruminococcus, Prevotella, and Fibrobacter. Metabolite analysis revealed a marked decrease in antioxidant-related compounds, including orsellinic acid, 2,3-dimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one, and (1 R,6 R)-1,4,5,5a,6,9-hexahydrophenazine-1,6-dicarboxylate. Conversely, glucosan and thiamine pyrophosphate levels increased. Post-competition, membrane lipid metabolism pathways were significantly downregulated, while antioxidant responses and energy metabolism pathways were upregulated. Spearman correlation analysis indicated positive associations between Fibrobacter, Ruminococcus, and Prevotella with energy metabolism-related metabolites, whereas Lysinibacillus correlated positively with metabolites involved in antioxidant activity and intestinal mucosal protection. Conclusions: Collectively, our findings demonstrate that show jumping induces shifts in intestinal microbial homeostasis and metabolic balance in Warmblood horses. These adaptations appear conducive to preserving epithelial integrity and enhancing energy provision to meet the demands of high-intensity exercise. This study provides novel insights into the impact of acute high-intensity exercise on equine gut microbial dynamics and metabolism, offering a theoretical basis for probiotic-based interventions to support intestinal health in sport horses.
© 2026. The Author(s).
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Publication Date: 2026-03-13 PubMed ID: 41827064DOI: 10.1186/s42523-026-00535-yGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

Overview

  • This study investigates how high-intensity, short-duration exercise—specifically equestrian show jumping—affects the gut microbiota and metabolic balance of Warmblood horses.
  • It reveals changes in microbial composition and metabolism that help the horses cope with the physiological demands of intense exercise.

Background and Importance

  • The gut microbiota plays an essential role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and overall health in horses.
  • Intestinal microbial balance is crucial for normal physiological functions, including nutrient metabolism and immune responses.
  • Show jumping is a stressor involving abrupt turns and jumps, which might disrupt this microbial and metabolic balance.
  • Understanding how gut microbes respond to such acute stressors can help in designing strategies to maintain intestinal health in sport horses.

Study Design and Methods

  • Researchers collected rectal (fecal) samples from 10 Warmblood horses before and immediately after a show jumping competition on the same day.
  • This approach allowed for direct comparison of gut microbiota and metabolite profiles pre- and post-exercise.
  • Omics techniques (likely metagenomics/metabolomics) were used to analyze microbial composition and metabolite changes.
  • Statistical analyses including Spearman correlation were performed to identify relationships between microbes and metabolites.

Key Findings – Microbial Changes

  • Significant alterations in gut microbial homeostasis occurred immediately after show jumping.
  • Microbial evenness increased, meaning a more balanced distribution of microbial species post-exercise.
  • Specific bacterial taxa, such as Bacteroides, Ruminococcus, Prevotella, and Fibrobacter showed increased abundance.
  • These taxa are often involved in fiber degradation and energy metabolism, suggesting an adaptive shift in microbial function.

Key Findings – Metabolic Changes

  • Levels of certain antioxidant-related metabolites (e.g., orsellinic acid, 2,3-dimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one, and a phenazine derivative) decreased post-competition.
  • Conversely, metabolites like glucosan and thiamine pyrophosphate increased after exercise.
  • Pathways related to membrane lipid metabolism were significantly downregulated, potentially indicating cellular membrane remodeling or reduced lipid biosynthesis.
  • Antioxidant responses and energy metabolism pathways were upregulated, likely to cope with oxidative stress and increased energy demand.

Microbe-Metabolite Associations

  • Spearman correlation analysis showed that certain microbes, such as Fibrobacter, Ruminococcus, and Prevotella, positively correlated with metabolites involved in energy metabolism.
  • Lysinibacillus was positively correlated with metabolites linked to antioxidant activity and mucosal protection, suggesting a role in intestinal barrier maintenance under exercise stress.

Conclusions and Implications

  • Show jumping induces immediate and significant shifts in the gut microbiome and metabolic profile of Warmblood horses.
  • These changes seem to support epithelial integrity and provide additional energy resources necessary for high-intensity physical activity.
  • The findings shed light on how intense exercise impacts gut microbial dynamics and metabolism in horses.
  • This knowledge offers a foundation for future development of probiotic or nutritional interventions aimed at enhancing intestinal health and exercise performance in sport horses.

Summary

  • The study highlights the gut microbiota’s dynamic response to acute exercise stress in horses.
  • Adaptations include increased microbial evenness, enrichment of fiber-degrading and energy-producing bacteria, and metabolic shifts favoring energy metabolism and antioxidant defense.
  • Such insights emphasize the importance of considering gut microbial health in managing equine athletes under physical stress.

Cite This Article

APA
Yu S, Yue X, Yang Q, Xu P, Yuan H, Tang W, Luan Y, Wang Q. (2026). Omics integration reveals how the gut microbiota of Warmblood horses responds to equestrian show jumping-a short-duration, high-intensity technical exercise stress. Anim Microbiome. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-026-00535-y

Publication

Animal microbiome
ISSN: 2524-4671
NlmUniqueID: 101759457
Country: England
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Yu, Shilong
  • State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (Livestock), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Yue, Xiaoyu
  • State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (Livestock), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Yang, Qing
  • State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Xu, Peng
  • Fixgene Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing, 100080, China.
Yuan, Hui
  • College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
Tang, Wendan
  • State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (Livestock), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Luan, Yue
  • State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (Livestock), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Wang, Qin
  • State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (Livestock), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China. wangqin@cau.edu.cn.

Conflict of Interest Statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: All of the procedures involving animals were approved by Animal Care and Use Committee of China Agricultural University (permit number: 2,022,040,707,895) and the experiment was performed in accordance with the recommended guidelines from the Administration of Affairs Concerning Experimental Animals (Ministry of Science and Technology, China, revised 2004). Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

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