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Journal of equine science2016; 27(2); 37-48; doi: 10.1294/jes.27.37

Studies on exercise physiology of the racehorse performed in Japan during the period from the 1930s to the 1970s: respiration and heart rate during exercise and the effect of exercise on blood characteristics.

Abstract: After publication of the epic report on equine exercise physiology by Matsuba and Shimamura in 1933, papers on exercise physiology of the racehorse in Japan began appearing in scientific journals and increased in number. In 1944, respiration during exercise at a walk, trot, and canter was measured by recording expiratory sounds with a microphone attached near the nostril. Respiratory frequency during cantering was synchronized with stride frequency, and expiratory sounds were found to occur during the stance phase of the trailing forelimb. Development of a radiotelemetry system in 1964 for electrocardiogram recording enabled the first recording of an equine electrocardiogram during field exercise that included fast galloping and calculation of heart rate (HR) during exercise. During low intensity exercise including walking, trotting, cantering and extended cantering, HR increased from 45 beat/min during pre-exercise to 150 beat/min at an extended canter. HR increased to 200 beat/min or more in most horses during 100 m of high-intensity sprint galloping. When blood lactate was measured after 3 days of draft work in 12 warhorses in 1934, no increase in blood lactate was found. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was decreased by intense exercise and also decreased as training increased. It was suggested that measuring changes in ESR and body weight in relation to training might become useful as a screening index of training, condition, and fatigue. This evaluation method was named the "ESR-body weight method."
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Publication Date: 2016-06-21 PubMed ID: 27330397PubMed Central: PMC4914396DOI: 10.1294/jes.27.37Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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This research chronicles the development of studies on equine exercise physiology in Japan from the 1930s to the 1970s, detailing methods of studying respiration, heart rate during exercise, and the impact of exercise on blood characteristics in racehorses.

Evolution of Equine Exercise Physiology Research

  • The research began in 1933 with a seminal report by Matsuba and Shimamura on equine exercise physiology and gained momentum thereafter with more papers appearing in scientific journals. Research methods included studying respiration patterns during different types of exercise, employing sound recording methods, and evolving the use of cutting-edge technology such as radiotelemetry for electrocardiogram recording.

Respiration and Heart Rate during Exercise

  • In 1944, researchers began to study the respiration of horses during exercise at various paces. They found that the frequency of respiration was in sync with stride frequency during a canter, with expiration sounds occurring when the forelimb was in a stance phase.
  • With the introduction of a radiotelemetry system in 1964, the first recordings of equine electrocardiograms during field exercises were made. The studies revealed that a horse’s heart rate would increase from 45 beats per minute (pre-exercise) to 150 beats per minute during an extended canter. Furthermore, during high-intensity sprint galloping, most horses’ heart rate elevated to 200 beats per minute or more.

Impact of Exercise on Blood Characteristics

  • Research also delved into the effects of exercise on horses’ blood characteristics, focusing particularly on blood lactate levels and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Testing after three days of heavy work in warhorses showed no increase in blood lactate.
  • The ESR decreased both from intense exercise and consistent training. Due to these findings, there was a suggestion to use changes in ESR and weight as indicators of a horse’s training status, overall condition, and fatigue levels, leading to the development of “ESR-body weight method”.

Cite This Article

APA
Hiraga A, Sugano S. (2016). Studies on exercise physiology of the racehorse performed in Japan during the period from the 1930s to the 1970s: respiration and heart rate during exercise and the effect of exercise on blood characteristics. J Equine Sci, 27(2), 37-48. https://doi.org/10.1294/jes.27.37

Publication

Journal of equine science
ISSN: 1340-3516
NlmUniqueID: 9503751
Country: Japan
Language: English
Volume: 27
Issue: 2
Pages: 37-48

Researcher Affiliations

Hiraga, Atsushi
  • Hidaka Training and Research Center of The Japan Racing Association, Hokkaido 057-0171, Japan.
Sugano, Shigeru
  • Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 180-0004, Japan.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
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