FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Physiol Rep / Relationship between weight-carrying capacity and performanc...
Physiological reports2025; 13(19); e70607; doi: 10.14814/phy2.70607

Relationship between weight-carrying capacity and performance in a standardized treadmill exercise test in horses.

Abstract: Weight-carrying capacity is important in riding horses both for performance and welfare, yet there is no standardized method to estimate individual horses' weight-carrying capacity. This study investigated the correlation between the physiological response during a (i) standardized incremental exercise test (SET) on a treadmill and a (ii) ridden incremental weight-carrying exercise test (WET). Sixteen horses (15 ± 3 years) performed both tests, including four steps with increased speed or weight load, respectively. Body weight ratio (BWR) in the WET was 20%, 25%, 30%, and 35% in each step, respectively. Blood samples were collected after each step, and heart rate (HR) was recorded. The velocity (SET) and BWR (WET) at a HR of 180 and 190 bpm and plasma lactate concentration of 2, 3, and 4 mmol/L were estimated. There was a correlation (r = 0.92, p < 0.05) between the velocity at a plasma lactate concentration of 3 mmol/L (V) in the SET and the BWR at a HR of 180 bpm (BWR) in the WET, but no other correlations were found. In conclusion, the SET was not applicable to estimate weight-carrying capacity in the horse. Further studies should investigate the importance of the correlation between V and BWR.
© 2025 The Author(s). Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2025-10-08 PubMed ID: 41058142PubMed Central: PMC12504628DOI: 10.14814/phy2.70607Google 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.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

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 explored the relationship between horses’ physical performance on a treadmill and their capacity to carry weight while being ridden.
  • The goal was to determine if a treadmill exercise test could predict a horse’s weight-carrying ability for practical and welfare considerations.

Background and Purpose

  • Weight-carrying capacity in riding horses is crucial for both performance quality and animal welfare.
  • Currently, there is no standardized testing method to measure individual horses’ ability to carry weight.
  • The study aimed to identify a correlation between physiological responses seen on a controlled treadmill test and responses observed during actual ridden weight-carrying exercises.

Study Design and Methods

  • Sixteen horses, approximately 15 years old (±3 years), participated in the study.
  • Each horse underwent two types of tests:
    • Standardized Incremental Exercise Test (SET) on a treadmill, where the speed increased in four steps.
    • Ridden Incremental Weight-Carrying Exercise Test (WET), where the weight load was increased incrementally during riding (20%, 25%, 30%, and 35% of the horse’s body weight ratio).
  • For both tests, key physiological parameters were recorded:
    • Heart rate (HR) was monitored continuously.
    • Blood samples were collected after each step to analyze plasma lactate concentration, a marker of muscle fatigue and anaerobic metabolism.
  • In the data analysis:
    • For SET, velocity at particular heart rates (180 and 190 bpm) and at plasma lactate concentrations (2, 3, and 4 mmol/L) was calculated.
    • For WET, corresponding body weight ratios that elicited heart rates of 180 and 190 bpm and lactate concentration thresholds were identified.

Key Findings

  • A strong positive correlation (correlation coefficient r = 0.92, p < 0.05) was found between:
    • The velocity at a plasma lactate concentration of 3 mmol/L in the treadmill test (SET).
    • The body weight ratio (BWR) at a heart rate of 180 bpm during the ridden weight-carrying test (WET).
  • No significant correlations were found for other heart rates or lactate concentrations examined.
  • This suggests the treadmill test’s velocity at a specific lactate level somewhat reflects the horse’s capacity to carry weight up to a certain exertion level (HR 180 bpm), but is not predictive across other measures.

Conclusions and Implications

  • The standardized treadmill test (SET) cannot reliably estimate overall weight-carrying capacity in horses based on the tested parameters.
  • The specific correlation identified might be useful as a partial indicator and is worthy of additional research.
  • Future research should focus on:
    • Validating the observed correlation between treadmill velocity at lactate threshold and weight-carrying capacity.
    • Developing more comprehensive and practical tests to accurately measure individual horses’ weight-carrying ability.
    • Addressing factors influencing performance and welfare during ridden work to fine-tune weight-carrying recommendations.

Overall Significance

  • The study highlights the complexity of estimating horses’ weight-carrying capacity through physiological tests.
  • While treadmill tests are valuable for assessing endurance and cardiovascular fitness, their direct application to practical riding load limits is limited.
  • Determining safe and efficient weight limits for individual horses is crucial for optimizing performance and animal welfare in equestrian activities.

Cite This Article

APA
Söderroos D, Stefánsdóttir GJ, Ragnarsson S, Gunnarsson V, Jansson A. (2025). Relationship between weight-carrying capacity and performance in a standardized treadmill exercise test in horses. Physiol Rep, 13(19), e70607. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70607

Publication

Physiological reports
ISSN: 2051-817X
NlmUniqueID: 101607800
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 19
Pages: e70607
PII: e70607

Researcher Affiliations

Söderroos, Denise
  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Stefánsdóttir, Guðrún Jóhanna
  • Department of Equine Science, Hólar University, Sauðárkrókur, Iceland.
Ragnarsson, Sveinn
  • Department of Equine Science, Hólar University, Sauðárkrókur, Iceland.
Gunnarsson, Víkingur
  • Department of Equine Science, Hólar University, Sauðárkrókur, Iceland.
Jansson, Anna
  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
  • Department of Equine Science, Hólar University, Sauðárkrókur, Iceland.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses / physiology
  • Exercise Test / veterinary
  • Exercise Test / methods
  • Exercise Test / standards
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal / methods
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
  • Male
  • Heart Rate / physiology
  • Weight-Bearing / physiology
  • Female
  • Lactic Acid / blood
  • Body Weight

Grant Funding

  • Marie-Claire Cronstedt
  • Stock Protection Fund of the Icelandic Horse breed
  • 19-005 / Agricultural Productivity Fund of Iceland

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

This article includes 36 references
  1. Abdi H, Williams LJ. Principal component analysis. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Computational Statistics 2, 433–459.
    doi: 10.1002/wics.101google scholar: lookup
  2. Betros CL, Mckeever KH, Kearns CF, Malinowski K. Effects of ageing and training on maximal heart rate and V̇Omax. Equine Veterinary Journal 34, 100–105.
    doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2002.tb05399.xpubmed: 12405667google scholar: lookup
  3. Bilzon JLJ, Allsopp AJ, Tipton J. Assessment of physical fitness for occupations encompassing load‐carriage tasks. Occupational Medicine 51(5), 357–361.
    doi: 10.1093/occmed/51.5.357pubmed: 11473145google scholar: lookup
  4. Bitschnau C, Wiestner T, Trachsel DS, Auer JA, Weishaupt MA. Performance parameters and post exercise heart rate recovery in warmblood sports horses of different performance levels. Equine Veterinary Journal 42(38), 17–22.
    doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00260.xpubmed: 21058977google scholar: lookup
  5. Christensen JW, Bathellier S, Rhodin M, Palme R, Uldahl M. Increased rider weight did not induce changes in behavior and physiological parameters in horses. Animals 10(1), 95.
    doi: 10.3390/ani10010095pmc: PMC7023133pubmed: 31935981google scholar: lookup
  6. Douglas J, Owers R, Campbell MLH. Social licence to operate: What can equestrian sports learn from other industries?. Animals 12(15), 1987.
    doi: 10.3390/ani12151987pmc: PMC9367437pubmed: 35953977google scholar: lookup
  7. Dyson S, Ellis AD, Mackechnie‐Guire R, Douglas J, Bondi A, Harris P. The influence of rider:Horse bodyweight ratio and rider‐horse‐saddle fit on equine gait and behaviour: A pilot study. Equine Veterinary Education 32(10), 527–539.
    doi: 10.1111/eve.13085google scholar: lookup
  8. Groth D, Hartmann S, Klie S, Selbig J. Principal components analysis. In Reisfeld B. & Mayeno A. (Eds.), Computational toxicology, volume 2 (pp. 527–547). Humana Press.
    doi: 10.1007/978-1-62703-059-5_22pubmed: 23086856google scholar: lookup
  9. Gunnarsson V, Stefánsdóttir GJ, Jansson A, Roepstorff L. The effect of rider weight and additional weight in Icelandic horses in tölt: Part II. Stride parameters responses. Animal 11(9), 1567–1572.
    doi: 10.1017/S1751731117000568pmc: PMC5561436pubmed: 28320491google scholar: lookup
  10. Harkins JD, Hintz HF, Eldredge DL, Schreter V, Soderholm V. Effect of detraining on indices of performance and their correlation with athletic ability of polo horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 13, 348–354.
    doi: 10.1016/S0737-0806(06)81123-8google scholar: lookup
  11. International Federation of Icelandic Horse Associations (FEIF). Facts and Figures. Facts & Figures|FEIF.
  12. Jansson A, Gunnarsson V Þ, Ringmark S, Ragnarsson S, Söderroos D, Ásgeirsson E, Jóhannsdóttir TR, Liedberg C, Stefánsdóttir GJ. Increased body fat content in horses alters metabolic and physiological exercise response, decreases performance, and increases locomotion asymmetry. Physiological Reports 9(11), e14824.
    doi: 10.14814/phy2.14824pmc: PMC8191395pubmed: 34110691google scholar: lookup
  13. Jansson A, Nyman S, Lindholm A, Lindberg JE. Effects on exercise metabolism of varying dietary starch and sugar proportions. Equine Veterinary Journal 34, 17–21.
    doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2002.tb05385.xpubmed: 12405653google scholar: lookup
  14. King CM, Evans DL, Rose RJ. Acclimation to treadmill exercise. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 18, 453–456.
    doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1995.tb04972.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  15. Leleu C, Cotrel C, Courouce‐Malblanc A. Relationships between physiological variables and race performance in French standardbred trotters. The Veterinary Record 156, 339–342.
    doi: 10.1136/vr.156.11.339pubmed: 15789646google scholar: lookup
  16. Marc M, Parvizi N, Ellendorff F, Kallweit E, Elsaesser F. Plasma cortisol and ACTH concentrations in the warmblood horse in response to a standardized treadmill exercise test as physiological markers for evaluation of training status. Journal of Animal Science 78(7), 1936–1946.
    doi: 10.2527/2000.7871936xpubmed: 10907837google scholar: lookup
  17. Matsuura A, Irimajiri M, Matsuzaki K, Hiraguri Y, Nakanowatari T, Yamazaki A, Hodate K. Method for estimating maximum permissible load weight for Japanese native horses using accelerometer‐based gait analysis. Animal Science Journal 84, 75–81.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1740-0929.2012.01041.xpubmed: 23302086google scholar: lookup
  18. Matsuura A, Mano H, Irimajiri M, Hodate K. Maximum permissible load for Yonaguni ponies (Japanese landrace horses) trotting over a short, straight course. Animal Welfare 25(1), 151–156.
    doi: 10.7120/09627286.25.1.151google scholar: lookup
  19. Matsuura A, Sakuma S, Irimajiri M, Hodate K. Maximum permissible load weight of a Taishuh pony at a trot. Journal of Animal Science 91(8), 3989–3996.
    doi: 10.2527/jas.2012-5540pubmed: 23736046google scholar: lookup
  20. McKeever KH, Always SE, Farris JW, Hinchcliff KW, Lombardo JA. Acute progressive resistance exercise alters intracardiac pressure in ponies. Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology 2(2), 113–118.
    doi: 10.1079/ECP200556google scholar: lookup
  21. National Research Council. Nutrient Requirements of Horses (6th ed.). .
    doi: 10.17226/11653google scholar: lookup
  22. Nyman S, Jansson A, Lindholm A, Dahlborn K. Water intake and fluid shifts in horses: Effects of hydration status during two exercise tests. Equine Veterinary Journal 34, 133–142.
    doi: 10.2746/042516402776767213pubmed: 11902756google scholar: lookup
  23. Persson SGB. On blood volume and working capacity in horses. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 19, 1–189.
    pubmed: 4863601
  24. Persson SGB, Essén‐Gustavsson B, Lindholm A. Energy profile and the locomotor pattern of trotting on an inclined treadmill. In Persson S. G., Lindholm A., & Jeffcott L. (Eds.), Equine exercise physiology 3 (pp. 231–238).
  25. Powell DM, Bennett‐Wimbush K, Peeples A, Duthie M. Evaluation of indicators of weight‐carrying ability of light riding horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 28(1), 28–33.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2007.11.008google scholar: lookup
  26. Ringmark S, Roepstorff L, Hedenström U, Lindholm A, Jansson A. Reduced training distance and a forage‐only diet did not limit race participation in young standardbred horses. Comparative Exercise Physiology 13(4), 265–272.
    doi: 10.3920/CEP170017google scholar: lookup
  27. Robinson J, Roberts A, Irving S, Orr R. Aerobic fitness is of greater importance than strength and power in the load carriage performance of specialist police. International Journal of Exercise Science 11(4), 987–998.
    doi: 10.70252/IWXE4027pmc: PMC6102195pubmed: 30147827google scholar: lookup
  28. Seeherman HJ, Morris EA. Application of a standardised treadmill exercise test for clinical evaluation of fitness in 10 thoroughbred racehorses. Equine Veterinary Journal 22(9), 26–34.
    doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1990.tb04730.xpubmed: 9259802google scholar: lookup
  29. Sigurðardóttir I, Helgadóttir G. Riding high: Quality and customer satisfaction in equestrian tourism in Iceland. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism 15(1–2), 105–121.
    doi: 10.1080/15022250.2015.1015765google scholar: lookup
  30. Söderroos D, Stefánsdóttir GJ, Gunnarsson V, Rhodin M, Ragnarsson S, Jansson A. Body measurements in Icelandic horses used for two different purposes and the relationship to performance and usability. Comparative Exercise Physiology 20(1), 35–44.
    doi: 10.1163/17552559-20230034google scholar: lookup
  31. Söderroos D, Stefánsdóttir GJ, Ragnarsson S, Gunnarsson V, Jansson A. Weight carrying capacity and associations with conformation traits in Icelandic horses used for tour riding. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 67, 35.
    doi: 10.1186/s13028-025-00818-5pmc: PMC12180175pubmed: 40537779google scholar: lookup
  32. Stefánsdóttir GJ, Gunnarsson V, Roepstorff L, Ragnarsson S, Jansson A. The effect of rider weight and additional weight in Icelandic horses in tölt: Part I. Physiological responses. Animal 11(9), 1558–1566.
    doi: 10.1017/S1751731117000556pmc: PMC5561439pubmed: 28320488google scholar: lookup
  33. Stefánsdóttir GJ, Gunnarsson V Þ, Ragnarsson S, Jansson A. Physiological response to an experimental 100 m flying pace race in Icelandic horses and effect of rider. Comparative Exercise Physiology 13(4), 205–215.
    doi: 10.3920/CEP170015google scholar: lookup
  34. Stefánsdóttir GJ, Ragnarsson S, Gunnarsson V, Jansson A. Physiological response to a breed evaluation field test in Icelandic horses. Animal 8(3), 431–439.
    doi: 10.1017/S1751731113002309pmc: PMC3942816pubmed: 24387835google scholar: lookup
  35. Stefánsdóttir GJ, Ragnarsson S, Gunnarsson V, Roepstorff L, Jansson A. A comparison of the physiological response to tölt and trot in the Icelandic horse. Journal of Animal Science 93(8), 3862–3870.
    doi: 10.2527/jas.2015-9141pubmed: 26440166google scholar: lookup
  36. Van Oldruitenborgh‐Oosterbaan MMS, Barneveld A, Schamhardt HC. Effects of weight and riding on workload and locomotion during treadmill exercise. Equine Veterinary Journal 27, 413–417.
    doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1995.tb04963.xgoogle scholar: lookup

Citations

This article has been cited 0 times.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,030 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.