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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2025; 15(15); 2266; doi: 10.3390/ani15152266

Utility of Infrared Thermography for Monitoring of Surface Temperature Changes During Horses’ Work on Water Treadmill with an Artificial River System.

Abstract: Water treadmill (WT) exercise is used for horses' rehabilitation and training. Given that each training needs to be individualized for each horse, the goal is to assess whether infrared thermography (IRT) can serve as a non-invasive tool for daily monitoring of individual training and rehabilitation progress in horses undergoing WT exercise. Fifteen Polish Warmblood school horses were subjected to five WT sessions: dry treadmill, fetlock-depth water, fetlock-depth water with artificial river (AR), carpal-depth water, and carpal-depth water with AR. IRT images, collected pre- and post-exercise, were analyzed for the mean temperature (Tmean) and maximal temperature (Tmax) across 14 regions of interest (ROIs) representing the body surface overlying specific superficial muscles. While on a dry treadmill, Tmean and Tmax increased post-exercise in all ROIs; wetting of the hair coat limited surface temperature analysis in ROIs annotated on limbs. Tmax over the , , , and increased during walking in carpal-depth water, which therefore may be suggested as an indirect indicator of increased activity related to forelimb protraction and flexion-extension of the limb joints. Tmax over the and increased during carpal-depth WT exercise with active AR mode, which may be suggested as an indicator of increased workload including vertical displacement of the trunk.
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Publication Date: 2025-08-01 PubMed ID: 40805054PubMed Central: PMC12345463DOI: 10.3390/ani15152266Google 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 research article investigates if infrared thermography (IRT), a non-invasive imaging technology, is effective in monitoring individual training and rehabilitation progress in horses, specifically while they train on a water treadmill. This study involved a thorough thermal analysis of horses undergoing five types of treadmill workouts to understand how their body surface temperature changed.

Research Context and Objectives

  • This study was carried out to explore the application of IRT as a daily monitoring tool. IRT is a technique that measures surface temperature based on infrared radiation emitted by the target.
  • The authors conducted this research specifically on horses working on a water treadmill (WT), an exercise solution often used for their rehabilitation and training.
  • Given the individualised nature of horse training, the study aimed to understand if IRT could provide essential feedback about each animal’s condition and progress.

Research Methodology

  • The researchers used fifteen Polish Warmblood school horses for the study. Each of these horses underwent five different WT sessions—dry treadmill, fetlock-depth water, fetlock-depth water with an artificial river (AR), carpal-depth water, and carpal-depth water with AR.
  • IRT images were collected before and after each exercise, focusing on 14 specific ‘regions of interest’ (ROIs). These ROIs represented areas on the horses’ bodies where certain superficial muscles are situated.
  • The team analysed these IRT images for mean temperature (Tmean) and maximum temperature (Tmax) changes.

Research Findings

  • The study found that after exercise on a dry treadmill, both Tmean and Tmax increased in all ROIs. Meanwhile, in wet conditions, analysis of surface temperature in ROIs, especially on the limbs, was limited due to the wetting of the hair coat.
  • The study also observed that Tmax increased over certain body parts during walking in carpal-depth water, indicating that this kind of exercise could stimulate higher physical activity related to forelimb movement and joint flexion-extension of limbs.
  • Furthermore, when horses were exercising in carpal-depth water with the AR mode activated, an increase in Tmax was perceived over certain body areas, possibly indicating increased workload, including trunk’s vertical displacement.

Conclusions

  • The findings suggest that IRT can potentially be used as a monitoring tool for individual horse training and rehabilitation on a water treadmill. Taking IRT images before and after every workout could provide valuable insights about the horse’s physical responses to different types of exercise.
  • However, the researchers also note that hair wetting during water-based treadmill exercise can limit IRT measurement accuracy. Future studies might need to consider appropriate methodologies to overcome this limitation.

Cite This Article

APA
Sikorska U, Maśko M, Rey B, Domino M. (2025). Utility of Infrared Thermography for Monitoring of Surface Temperature Changes During Horses’ Work on Water Treadmill with an Artificial River System. Animals (Basel), 15(15), 2266. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15152266

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 15
PII: 2266

Researcher Affiliations

Sikorska, Urszula
  • Department of Animal Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS-SGGW), 02-787 Warsaw, Poland.
Maśko, Małgorzata
  • Department of Animal Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS-SGGW), 02-787 Warsaw, Poland.
Rey, Barbara
  • Scientific Circle of Biotechnologists KNBiotech, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS-SGGW), 02-787 Warsaw, Poland.
Domino, Małgorzata
  • Department of Large Animal Diseases and Clinic, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS-SGGW), 02-787 Warsaw, Poland.

Grant Funding

  • POIR.01.01.01-00-1001/20 / the National Centre for Research and Development

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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