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Previous Exercise on a Water Treadmill at Different Depths Affects the Accelerometric Pattern Recorded on a Track in Horses.
Abstract: During a water treadmill (WT) exercise, horses change their accelerometric patterns. We aimed to analyze if these changes persist during terrestrial locomotion. Six horses were randomly subjected to 40 min duration WT exercises, without water (WW), at the depth of fetlock (FET), carpus (CAR) and stifle (STF), with a day off between them. Before and after 30 min after WT, horses were evaluated at walk and at trot on a track with a triaxial accelerometer fixed on the pectoral (PECT) and sacrum (SML) regions. The percent of change from baseline (before WT and after each exercise session) were calculated. Total, dorsoventral, longitudinal and mediolateral accelerometric activities and dorsoventral displacement increased with the accelerometer in PECT but decreased after WT at STF. Velocity increased with the accelerometer in PECT but decreased with the accelerometer in SML, particularly after WT at STF. A reduction in stride frequency was found with the accelerometer in PECT. SL increased with the accelerometer in SML but decreased with WT at STF. Some accelerometric changes that happened on WT remained shortly in terrestrial locomotion. The reduction in some parameters after WT at STF depth seems to indicate fatigue. This should be considered in training or rehabilitation programs for unfit animals.
Publication Date: 2022-11-09 PubMed ID: 36428314PubMed Central: PMC9686957DOI: 10.3390/ani12223086Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
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The research investigates how the depth of water in water treadmill (WT) exercises for horses affects their subsequent movement patterns on terrestrial tracks. The findings suggest that the changes in movement, or accelerometric patterns, observed during WT exercises do persist in some measure during land movement and that deeper water (up to the horse’s stifle) appears to induce fatigue.
Research Methodology
- The research involved six horses. These horses undertook WT exercises for 40 minutes at a stretch under different conditions: without water (WW), with water up to the level of the horse’s fetlock (FET), carpus (CAR), and stifle (STF). A day’s rest was given between each trial.
- Before and 30 minutes after each WT exercise, the horses’ accelerometric patterns were assessed while they were walking and trotting on a track. The measurements were taken using triaxial accelerometers attached to the horse’s pectoral (PECT) and sacrum (SML) regions.
- The percentage change from the baseline accelerometric activity (before and after each WT exercise) was calculated to measure the impact of the WT exercise.
Research Findings
- Overall, the research found that the specific alterations in accelerometric activities resulting from exercising on the WT did persist to some extent during terrestrial locomotion.
- Different types of accelerometric activities, such as total, dorsoventral, longitudinal, and mediolateral accelerometric activities, increased when the accelerometer was placed in the PECT region. However, these decreased following the WT exercise at STF depth.
- The velocity of movement increased when the accelerometer was placed in the PECT region, but it decreased when the accelerometer was placed in the SML region. This decrease was notably pronounced following the WT exercise at STF depth.
- A decrease in stride frequency was observed when the accelerometer was placed in the PECT region, indicating possible fatigue. Stride length (SL) increased when the accelerometer was placed in the SML region, but decreased following the WT exercise at STF depth.
Implications of the Research
- The results of this study have potential implications for the design of training or <a href="/equine-rehabilitation-guide/" title="Equine Rehabilitation Programs: What to Expect When Your Horse is Recovering – [Guide]”>rehabilitation programs for horses. They suggest that the depth of the water in WT exercises may affect the horse’s subsequent activity on land, potentially due to induced fatigue especially when the depth is up to the horse’s stifle.
- Trainers and veterinary professionals may need to consider these findings when designing and implementing exercise regimens in a WT for horses, particularly for those that are unfit.
Cite This Article
APA
Saitua A, Castejón-Riber C, Requena F, Argüelles D, Calle-González N, de Medina AS, Muñoz A.
(2022).
Previous Exercise on a Water Treadmill at Different Depths Affects the Accelerometric Pattern Recorded on a Track in Horses.
Animals (Basel), 12(22).
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12223086 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Sport Medicine Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain.
- Department of Artistic and Body Education, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain.
- Equine Sport Medicine Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain.
- Department of Cellular Biology, Physiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain.
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain.
- Veterinary Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain.
- Equine Sport Medicine Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain.
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain.
- Veterinary Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain.
- Equine Sport Medicine Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain.
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain.
Grant Funding
- agr-111 / Regional Government of Andalusia
Conflict of Interest Statement
None of the authors have any financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper.
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