The effect of coat clipping on thermoregulation during intense exercise in trotters.

The research study investigated the impact of coat clipping on the thermoregulation of trotters during intense exercise. The findings suggest that clipped horses experience less stress on their thermoregulatory system due to improved heat loss, potentially resulting in more efficient power output.

Research Methodology

• Six Standardbred trotters were chosen for the study.
• Both before and after clipping their coats, the horses performed high-intensity treadmill exercise tests involving incremental incline, while their recovery was closely monitored.
• The study used Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for in-depth statistical analysis of the observed data.

Key Findings

• The clipped horses showed significantly different responses during exercises when compared to the horses with their winter coats.
• These differences were reflected in lower increases in central venous blood temperature, higher skin surface temperature, greater differences between skin and ambient temperature, and a higher rate of non-evaporative heat loss.
• The total cutaneous evaporative heat loss from walk to the end of peak exercise was significantly lower in clipped horses, suggesting improved heat regulation.
• Clipped horses also recovered more quickly in terms of respiratory rate.
• The study also found a tendency (P = 0.059) towards decreased oxygen consumption during the gradual increase in workload for the clipped horses.

Conclusion and Implications

• The researchers concluded that clipped horses experienced less strain on their thermoregulatory system due to enhanced heat loss, which may result in more efficient power output.
• This observation suggests potential advantages for the performance of horses during intense exercise, if their coats are clipped.
• However, the researchers also noted that some clipped horses showed increased power efficiency, indicating potential additional factors influencing performance.
• The researchers suggest that future studies should focus on the areas of respiration and oxygen demand in order to better understand these observations.