[Physical performance–a comparison between horses and men].

The study compares physical performance in horses and humans, concluding that horses substantially outperform humans in both aerobic and anaerobic metabolism during intense exercises.

Aerobic Metabolism

• The research points out that horses have a more efficient oxygen uptake during high-intensity exercise as compared to humans. This makes sense given that the oxygen consumption requirement of horses increases several times during exhaustive workouts.
• The processes involved in this oxygen uptake such as respiration and heart size along with the level of cardiac output and oxygen transport capacity have been analysed. These physiological attributes suggest that horses fare better in adapting to oxygen demand during strenuous physical activities.
• The research also focuses on oxygen release in the capillaries. Horses are able to transfer more oxygen content to their muscles during exercise, propelling their performance.

Anaerobic Metabolism

• Besides aerobic metabolism, the study also compares the scenario under anaerobic conditions. It finds that horses also have a more favorable setup for anaerobic metabolism.
• It is discovered that horses have a higher proportion of fast-contracting muscle fibers which fatigue less easily than those in humans, thereby making horses more performance-efficient.
• The study also discusses enzymes required for anaerobic metabolism and finds that these are present in higher quantities in horses. These enzymes play a crucial role in muscle contraction and energy production during anaerobic exercises, hence their abundance in horses boosts up their physical performance in such conditions.