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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Training Effects on the Stress Predictors for Young Lusitano...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2022; 12(23); doi: 10.3390/ani12233436

Training Effects on the Stress Predictors for Young Lusitano Horses Used in Dressage.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate stressful responses during a 6-week training protocol in young Lusitano horses used for dressage. The hypothesis was that the proposed training protocol would improve fitness and ensure the welfare of the animals by reducing stress predictors. Nine 4-year-old horses were evaluated before (M1) and six weeks after (M2) beginning a training protocol. The training program was performed six times per week and included 40−80 min of individually intensity-adjusted preparatory exercises for dressage. For both moments, the horses were examined before (T0) and after (T1) dressage simulation tests (DST), and at 30 (T2) and 240 min (T3) during the recovery period. Blood samples were taken to determine the horses’ cortisol levels, total WBC, and neutrophil and lymphocyte counts. All variables were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests, with p ≤ 0.05. After training, there was a significant reduction in cortisol (p = 0.0133), HR (p = 0.0283), total WBC (p < 0.0001), and neutrophil (p < 0.0001) and lymphocyte (p = 0.0341) counts. Other findings included an increase in HRV parameters related to a cardiac vagal modulation. In conclusion, the chosen training protocol led to better fitness as the horses worked more intensively with lower cardiovascular requirements, and they showed blunted cortisol responses at M2. Such data can be used to evaluate performance, but also to predict the welfare of athletic horses.
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Publication Date: 2022-12-06 PubMed ID: 36496958PubMed Central: PMC9738668DOI: 10.3390/ani12233436Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

The researchers carried out a study on nine young Lusitano horses to assess any changes in their stress levels after six weeks of intensive dressage training. The findings suggested that the training resulted in increased fitness and reduced stress markers, indicating it could be beneficial for the welfare of athletic horses.

Study Design and Work Protocol

  • Nine 4-year-old Lusitano horses were selected for the study.
  • Each horse was inspected before (M1) and six weeks after (M2) the commencement of the training routine.
  • The training routine was designed to be carried out six times a week. It consisted of 40−80 minutes of individually intensity-adjusted preparatory exercises suitable for dressage.

Assessment Parameters

  • Assessments were conducted at four instances: before (T0) and after (T1) dressage simulation tests (DST), and at 30 minutes (T2) and 240 minutes (T3) into the recovery phase.
  • Parameters including blood cortisol levels, total white blood cell (WBC) count, and counts of neutrophil and lymphocyte were examined for each horse.
  • Statistical techniques such as one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests were used for analyzing these variables. The significance level was set at p ≤ 0.05.

Findings of the Study

  • The results post-training exhibited a significant reduction in stress indicators such as cortisol (p = 0.0133), heart rate (p = 0.0283), total WBC (p < 0.0001), and neutrophil (p < 0.0001) and lymphocyte (p = 0.0341) counts.
  • Enhancements in heart rate variability (HRV) parameters associated with cardiac vagal modulation were also noted.

Conclusion and Implications

  • The study found that the training protocol applied not only led to enhanced fitness levels in these horses but also led to diminished cortisol responses at M2.
  • This protocol allows horses to work intensively with lower cardiovascular demands, which is indicative of improved physical fitness.
  • Such findings can be effectively used not only in gauging performance but also in predicting the welfare of athletic horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Coelho CS, Silva ASBA, Santos CMR, Santos AMR, Vintem CMBL, Leite AG, Fonseca JMC, Prazeres JMCS, Souza VRC, Siqueira RF, Manso Filho HC, Simões JSA. (2022). Training Effects on the Stress Predictors for Young Lusitano Horses Used in Dressage. Animals (Basel), 12(23). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12233436

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 23

Researcher Affiliations

Coelho, Clarisse S
  • Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal.
  • Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Universidade de Évora, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal.
Silva, Ana Sofia B A
  • Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal.
Santos, Catarina M R
  • Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal.
Santos, Ana Margarida R
  • Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal.
Vintem, Carolina M B L
  • Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal.
Leite, Anderson G
  • Center for Studies, Extension and Research in Equidae, Universidade Federal da Bahia (NEEPEq-UFBA), Salvador 40170-110, Bahia, Brazil.
Fonseca, Joana M C
  • Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal.
Prazeres, José M C S
  • Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal.
Souza, Vinicius R C
  • Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal.
Siqueira, Renata F
  • Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria 97105-900, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Manso Filho, Helio C
  • Núcleo de Pesquisa Equina, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife 51171-900, Pernambuco, Brazil.
Simões, Joana S A
  • Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal.
  • CIISA-Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal.
  • Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
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