FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Br Vet J / Thermoregulation in the horse in response to exercise.
The British veterinary journal1994; 150(3); 219-235; doi: 10.1016/S0007-1935(05)80003-X

Thermoregulation in the horse in response to exercise.

Abstract: Conversion of stored energy into mechanical energy during exercise is relatively inefficient with approximately 80% of the energy being given off as heat. Relative to many species the horse suffers an apparent disadvantage by possessing a high metabolic capacity yet a small surface area for dissipation of heat, particularly as evaporation of sweat is the major method of heat dissipation. Under most conditions of exercise at least two-thirds of the metabolic heat load is dissipated via this means with sweat losses of more than 10 l h-1 reported. The remaining exercise-induced heat load must be stored (reflected by an increase in core temperature), dissipated across the respiratory tract or lost via other mechanisms. Respiratory heat loss can account for dissipation of more than 25% of the metabolic heat load during exercise. Under conditions where ambient temperature and humidity are high, evaporative heat loss will be limited thereby posing an increased risk of thermal stress if exercise is continued. Additionally, concurrent dehydration reduces conductance of heat from core to periphery, further increasing the risk of heat induced illness. A basic understanding of the thermoregulatory responses in the exercising horse is imperative if heat induced illnesses are to be avoided. If they do occur rapid recognition and effective management are essential.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 1994-05-01 PubMed ID: 8044664DOI: 10.1016/S0007-1935(05)80003-XGoogle 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
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

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.

This research article investigates how horses regulate their body temperature during exercise, highlighting the potential risks of heat-induced illnesses related to exercise.

Energy Conversion During Exercise in Horses

  • The paper begins by noting that the conversion of stored energy into mechanical energy during exercise in a horse is only about 20% efficient. The other 80% of that energy turns into heat.
  • The horse’s capacity to dissipate this heat is smaller than that of many other species due to their relatively small surface area compared to their high metabolic capacity.
  • This disadvantage makes it harder for a horse to cool down, especially since evaporating sweat, the primary method of heat dissipation, can only do so much.

Evaporative Heat Loss and Sweat Production

  • The researchers note that under normal conditions, at least two-thirds of the heat produced metabolically during exercise is dissipated through sweating. Sweat losses can be more than 10 liters per hour.
  • However, the remaining heat must be stored (causing the horse’s core temperature to increase), dissipated through the respiratory tract, or lost via other means.

Thermal Stress Risks During Prolonged Exercise

  • Respiratory heat loss can account for more than 25% of the total heat dissipation during exercise. But when the ambient temperature and humidity are high, the horse won’t be able to lose enough heat through evaporation, which increases the risk of thermal stress if exercise continues.
  • Dehydration can also increase this risk as it hinders the flow of heat from the horse’s core to its periphery, further disrupts temperature regulation, and increases the chance of heat-induced illnesses.

Understanding Thermoregulation in Horses

  • The authors emphasize that understanding how horses regulate their body temperature during exercise is critical to preventing heat-induced illnesses.
  • If these illnesses do occur, quick recognition and effective management are crucial for the horse’s health.

Cite This Article

APA
Hodgson DR, Davis RE, McConaghy FF. (1994). Thermoregulation in the horse in response to exercise. Br Vet J, 150(3), 219-235. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0007-1935(05)80003-X

Publication

The British veterinary journal
ISSN: 0007-1935
NlmUniqueID: 0372554
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 150
Issue: 3
Pages: 219-235

Researcher Affiliations

Hodgson, D R
  • Department of Animal Health University of Sydney, Camden, NSW, Australia.
Davis, R E
    McConaghy, F F

      MeSH Terms

      • Animals
      • Body Temperature Regulation / physiology
      • Horse Diseases / etiology
      • Horses / metabolism
      • Hot Temperature / adverse effects
      • Humidity / adverse effects
      • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
      • Physical Exertion / physiology
      • Stress, Physiological / etiology
      • Stress, Physiological / veterinary

      Citations

      This article has been cited 34 times.
      1. Ebisuda Y, Mukai K, Takahashi Y, Yoshida T, Kawano A, Matsuhashi T, Miyata H, Kuwahara M, Ohmura H. Acute exercise in a hot environment increases heat shock protein 70 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α mRNA in Thoroughbred horse skeletal muscle.. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1230212.
        doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1230212pubmed: 37671280google scholar: lookup
      2. Bukhari SSUH, Parkes RSV. Assessing the impact of draught load pulling on welfare in equids.. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1214015.
        doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1214015pubmed: 37662986google scholar: lookup
      3. Lisboa BRF, da Silva JAR, da Silva WC, Barbosa AVC, Silva LKX, Lourenço-Júnior JB. Evaluation of thermoregulation of horses (Equus caballus) submitted to two methods of post-exercise cooling, in hot and humid climate conditions, in the Eastern Amazon.. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1150763.
        doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1150763pubmed: 37138916google scholar: lookup
      4. Kang H, Zsoldos RR, Sole-Guitart A, Narayan E, Cawdell-Smith AJ, Gaughan JB. Heat stress in horses: a literature review.. Int J Biometeorol 2023 Jun;67(6):957-973.
        doi: 10.1007/s00484-023-02467-7pubmed: 37060454google scholar: lookup
      5. Trigg LE, Lyons S, Mullan S. Risk factors for, and prediction of, exertional heat illness in Thoroughbred racehorses at British racecourses.. Sci Rep 2023 Mar 14;13(1):3063.
        doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-27892-xpubmed: 36918525google scholar: lookup
      6. Spinella G, Galimberti A, Casagrande G, Maffi S, Musella V, Valentini S. Ocular and Superficial Body Thermographic Findings in Sled Dogs before and after Competition.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 26;13(5).
        doi: 10.3390/ani13050854pubmed: 36899711google scholar: lookup
      7. Pratt-Phillips S, Munjizun A. Impacts of Adiposity on Exercise Performance in Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 14;13(4).
        doi: 10.3390/ani13040666pubmed: 36830453google scholar: lookup
      8. Brownlow M, Mizzi JX. An Overview of Exertional Heat Illness in Thoroughbred Racehorses: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment Rationale.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 9;13(4).
        doi: 10.3390/ani13040610pubmed: 36830397google scholar: lookup
      9. Lindinger MI. Oral Electrolyte and Water Supplementation in Horses.. Vet Sci 2022 Nov 10;9(11).
        doi: 10.3390/vetsci9110626pubmed: 36356103google scholar: lookup
      10. Ayo JO, Ake AS. Modulatory roles of melatonin on respiratory and heart rates and their circadian rhythmicity in donkeys (Equus asinus) subjected to packing during the hot-dry season.. Curr Res Physiol 2022;5:381-388.
        doi: 10.1016/j.crphys.2022.09.002pubmed: 36185817google scholar: lookup
      11. Verdegaal EJMM, Howarth GS, McWhorter TJ, Delesalle CJG. Is Continuous Monitoring of Skin Surface Temperature a Reliable Proxy to Assess the Thermoregulatory Response in Endurance Horses During Field Exercise?. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:894146.
        doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.894146pubmed: 35711810google scholar: lookup
      12. Mazan M. Equine exercise physiology-challenges to the respiratory system.. Anim Front 2022 Jun;12(3):15-24.
        doi: 10.1093/af/vfac035pubmed: 35711503google scholar: lookup
      13. Bukhari SSUH, Rosanowski SM, McElligott AG, Parkes RSV. Welfare Concerns for Mounted Load Carrying by Working Donkeys in Pakistan.. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:886020.
        doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.886020pubmed: 35692297google scholar: lookup
      14. Kang H, Zsoldos RR, Skinner JE, Gaughan JB, Mellor VA, Sole-Guitart A. The Use of Percutaneous Thermal Sensing Microchips to Measure Body Temperature in Horses during and after Exercise Using Three Different Cool-Down Methods.. Animals (Basel) 2022 May 14;12(10).
        doi: 10.3390/ani12101267pubmed: 35625113google scholar: lookup
      15. Janczarek I, Wiśniewska A, Tkaczyk E, Wnuk-Pawlak E, Kaczmarek B, Liss-Szczepanek M, Kędzierski W. Effect of Different Water Cooling Treatments on Changes in Rectal and Surface Body Temperature in Leisure Horses after Medium-Intensity Effort.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Feb 21;12(4).
        doi: 10.3390/ani12040525pubmed: 35203233google scholar: lookup
      16. Domino M, Borowska M, Kozłowska N, Trojakowska A, Zdrojkowski Ł, Jasiński T, Smyth G, Maśko M. Selection of Image Texture Analysis and Color Model in the Advanced Image Processing of Thermal Images of Horses following Exercise.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Feb 12;12(4).
        doi: 10.3390/ani12040444pubmed: 35203152google scholar: lookup
      17. Domino M, Borowska M, Trojakowska A, Kozłowska N, Zdrojkowski Ł, Jasiński T, Smyth G, Maśko M. The Effect of Rider:Horse Bodyweight Ratio on the Superficial Body Temperature of Horse's Thoracolumbar Region Evaluated by Advanced Thermal Image Processing.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Jan 13;12(2).
        doi: 10.3390/ani12020195pubmed: 35049815google scholar: lookup
      18. Soroko M, Górniak W, Howell K, Zielińska P, Dudek K, Eberhardt M, Kalak P, Korczyński M. Changes in Body Surface Temperature Associated with High-Speed Treadmill Exercise in Beagle Dogs Measured by Infrared Thermography.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Oct 15;11(10).
        doi: 10.3390/ani11102982pubmed: 34680001google scholar: lookup
      19. Li S, Hart K, Norton N, Ryan CA, Guglani L, Prausnitz MR. Administration of pilocarpine by microneedle patch as a novel method for cystic fibrosis sweat testing.. Bioeng Transl Med 2021 Sep;6(3):e10222.
        doi: 10.1002/btm2.10222pubmed: 34589599google scholar: lookup
      20. Verdegaal EJMM, Howarth GS, McWhorter TJ, Boshuizen B, Franklin SH, Vidal Moreno de Vega C, Jonas SE, Folwell LE, Delesalle CJG. Continuous Monitoring of the Thermoregulatory Response in Endurance Horses and Trotter Horses During Field Exercise: Baselining for Future Hot Weather Studies.. Front Physiol 2021;12:708737.
        doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.708737pubmed: 34512382google scholar: lookup
      21. Poškienė I, Gruodytė R, Autukaitė J, Juozaitienė V, Antanaitis R. Speed and Blood Parameters Differ between Arabian and Žemaitukai Horses during Endurance Racing.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Apr 1;11(4).
        doi: 10.3390/ani11040995pubmed: 33916255google scholar: lookup
      22. Janczarek I, Stachurska A, Wilk I, Wiśniewska A, Różańska-Boczula M, Kaczmarek B, Łuszczyński J, Kędzierski W. Horse Preferences for Insolation, Shade or Mist Curtain in the Paddock under Heat Conditions: Cardiac and Behavioural Response Analysis.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Mar 25;11(4).
        doi: 10.3390/ani11040933pubmed: 33805989google scholar: lookup
      23. Kang H, Zsoldos RR, Woldeyohannes SM, Gaughan JB, Sole Guitart A. The Use of Percutaneous Thermal Sensing Microchips for Body Temperature Measurements in Horses Prior to, during and after Treadmill Exercise.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Dec 2;10(12).
        doi: 10.3390/ani10122274pubmed: 33276500google scholar: lookup
      24. Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O, Maśko M, Domino M, Winnicka A. Infrared Thermography Correlates with Lactate Concentration in Blood during Race Training in Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Nov 9;10(11).
        doi: 10.3390/ani10112072pubmed: 33182281google scholar: lookup
      25. Klous L, Siegers E, van den Broek J, Folkerts M, Gerrett N, van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MS, Munsters C. Effects of Pre-Cooling on Thermophysiological Responses in Elite Eventing Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Sep 16;10(9).
        doi: 10.3390/ani10091664pubmed: 32947831google scholar: lookup
      26. Soroko M, Śpitalniak-Bajerska K, Zaborski D, Poźniak B, Dudek K, Janczarek I. Exercise-induced changes in skin temperature and blood parameters in horses.. Arch Anim Breed 2019;62(1):205-213.
        doi: 10.5194/aab-62-205-2019pubmed: 31807631google scholar: lookup
      27. Nomura M, Shiose T, Ishikawa Y, Mizobe F, Sakai S, Kusano K. Prevalence of post-race exertional heat illness in Thoroughbred racehorses and climate conditions at racecourses in Japan.. J Equine Sci 2019 Jul;30(2):17-23.
        doi: 10.1294/jes.30.17pubmed: 31285689google scholar: lookup
      28. Kim DH, Lee HG, Sp N, Kang DY, Jang KJ, Lee HK, Cho BW, Yang YM. Validation of exercise-response genes in skeletal muscle cells of Thoroughbred racing horses.. Asian-Australas J Anim Sci 2021 Jan 1;34(1):134-142.
        doi: 10.5713/ajas.18.0749pubmed: 31011008google scholar: lookup
      29. Redaelli V, Luzi F, Mazzola S, Bariffi GD, Zappaterra M, Nanni Costa L, Padalino B. The Use of Infrared Thermography (IRT) as Stress Indicator in Horses Trained for Endurance: A Pilot Study.. Animals (Basel) 2019 Mar 7;9(3).
        doi: 10.3390/ani9030084pubmed: 30866503google scholar: lookup
      30. Mellor DJ, Beausoleil NJ. Equine Welfare during Exercise: An Evaluation of Breathing, Breathlessness and Bridles.. Animals (Basel) 2017 May 26;7(6).
        doi: 10.3390/ani7060041pubmed: 28587125google scholar: lookup
      31. Ememe MU, Abdullahi US, Sackey AK, Ayo JO, Mshelia WP, Edeh RE. Effects of a joint supplement whose main components are resveratrol and hyaluronic acid on some biochemical parameters in aged lame horses.. J Equine Sci 2016;27(1):19-22.
        doi: 10.1294/jes.27.19pubmed: 27073333google scholar: lookup
      32. Padalino B, Zaccagnino P, Celi P. The effect of different types of physical exercise on the behavioural and physiological parameters of standardbred horses housed in single stalls.. Vet Med Int 2014;2014:875051.
        doi: 10.1155/2014/875051pubmed: 24587940google scholar: lookup
      33. Larsson J, Pilborg PH, Johansen M, Christophersen MT, Holte A, Roepstorff L, Olsen LH, Harrison AP. Physiological parameters of endurance horses pre- compared to post-race, correlated with performance: a two race study from scandinavia.. ISRN Vet Sci 2013;2013:684353.
        doi: 10.1155/2013/684353pubmed: 24167733google scholar: lookup
      34. Castanheira M, Paiva SR, Louvandini H, Landim A, Fiorvanti MC, Paludo GR, Dallago BS, McManus C. Multivariate analysis for characteristics of heat tolerance in horses in Brazil.. Trop Anim Health Prod 2010 Feb;42(2):185-91.
        doi: 10.1007/s11250-009-9404-xpubmed: 19579053google scholar: lookup
      Subscribe to our newsletter
      Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.