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Kingston, J.K.; Soppet, G.M.; Rogers, C.W.; Firth, E.C. |
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Title |
Use of a global positioning and heart rate monitoring system to assess training load in a group of thoroughbred racehorses |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2006 |
Publication |
Equine Veterinary Journal. Supplement |
Abbreviated Journal |
Equine Vet J Suppl |
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36 |
Pages |
106-109 |
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Analysis of Variance; Animals; Female; *Geographic Information Systems; Heart Rate/*physiology; Horses/*physiology; Male; Monitoring, Physiologic/veterinary; Physical Conditioning, Animal/*physiology; Satellite Communications; Telemetry/methods/*veterinary |
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REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Training is an important variable for determining athletic success. Nonetheless, there has been minimal scientific evaluation of racehorse training programmes. Training of racehorses focuses on running the horses at certain speeds using a combination of a stopwatch and rider's 'feel' for a horse's work intensity. Consequently, actual work intensity for individual horses is not clearly defined. OBJECTIVES: To 1) utilise a combined global positioning system (GPS) and heart rate monitor system to quantify training intensity and physiological responses of a group of racehorses undergoing training and racing; and 2) compare the workload measured by the GPS to that timed and recorded daily by a racehorse trainer. METHODS: Nineteen racehorses age 3 years were followed through a traditional training and racing programme over a 4 month period. Daily GPS and heart rate data together with the trainer's timing and distance data were collected while the horses were trained. Data were analysed using an ANOVA for repeated measures. RESULTS: The combined GPS/heart rate monitoring system detected different heart rate responses in individual horses subjected to the same training workouts. The average speeds detected with the GPS system were in agreement with average speeds timed by the trainer. However, peak speeds reached during training were significantly greater (P<0.05) than those estimated with stopwatch timing. The horses average training speeds increased significantly over the duration of the training period. CONCLUSIONS AND POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: The results from this study show that a GPS/heart rate monitor system provides a reliable measure of daily workload in horses during training. This technology provides a detailed picture of horses' training sessions and has the potential to provide a greater insight into the types of training that may predispose horses to injury. |
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Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand |
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PMID:17402402 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4014 |
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Author |
Leleu, C.; Cotrel, C. |
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Title |
Body composition in young standardbreds in training: relationships to body condition score, physiological and locomotor variables during exercise |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2006 |
Publication |
Equine Veterinary Journal. Supplement |
Abbreviated Journal |
Equine Vet J Suppl |
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36 |
Pages |
98-101 |
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Keywords |
Adipose Tissue/metabolism; Animals; Body Composition/*physiology; Body Constitution/*physiology; Body Weight/physiology; Exercise Test/veterinary; Female; Gait/physiology; Heart Rate/*physiology; Horses/*physiology; Lactates/blood; Male; Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism; Physical Conditioning, Animal/*physiology |
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REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Body composition is an essential factor in athletic performance of human sprinters and long distance runners. However, in horses, many questions remain concerning relationships between body composition and performance in the different equine activities. OBJECTIVES: To determine relationships between body composition, body score, physiological and locomotor variables in a population of young Standardbreds in training. METHODS: Twenty-four 2-year-old Standardbreds were studied, body condition on a scale 0-5 and bodyweight recorded, and height at withers measured. Percentage of fat (%F), fat mass (FM) and fat free mass (FFM) were estimated echographically. During a standardised exercise test on the track, velocity, heart rate, respiratory frequency and blood lactate concentrations were measured. V4 and V200 (velocity for a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol/l and velocity of 200 beats/min) calculated. Basic gait variables were measured at 3 different speeds with an accelerometric device. RESULTS: Body composition variables: %F and FM were significantly related to body condition score and physiological variables. Body score was highly correlated to %F (r = 0.64) and FM (r = 0.71). V4 was negatively correlated to %F (r = -0.59) and FM (r = -0.60), P<0.05. V200 was also negatively related to %F and FM, (r = -0.39 and r = -0.37, respectively, P<0.1). No relationships were found between body composition and gait characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Body composition was closely related to indirect measurements of aerobic capacity, which is a major factor of athletic performance in middle distance running horses. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: As in human athletes, trainers should take special note to evaluate optimal bodyweight and body composition of race horses to optimise performance. |
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Pegase Mayenne, Departement de Medecine du Sport, Centre Hospitalier, 53 015 Laval, France |
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PMID:17402400 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4015 |
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Harkins, J.D.; Kamerling, S.G.; Church, G. |
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Title |
Effect of competition on performance of thoroughbred racehorses |
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Year |
1992 |
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Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985) |
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J Appl Physiol |
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72 |
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3 |
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836-841 |
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Age Factors; Animals; Anxiety/physiopathology; Competitive Behavior/*physiology; Exertion/*physiology; Fatigue/physiopathology; Female; Heart Rate; Horses/*physiology; Lactates/blood; Lactic Acid; Male; Sex Characteristics |
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The effect of competition and the influence of age and sex on performance were examined in a study of 18 Thoroughbred racehorses. The horses performed two solo and two competitive runs at 1,200 and 1,600 m for a total of eight runs. No group ran faster during competition, which may have been a reflection of the quality of horses used for this study and their susceptibility to stress-induced impairment of performance. Males showed no significant difference between competitive and solo run times, whereas females were consistently slower during competition. Males ran significantly faster than females in all runs. There was no difference in run times due to age, which may have been due to the high mean age (5.9 yr) of the group. The slower competitive run times may have occurred because of an earlier onset of fatigue when compared with solo runs. Plasma lactate was significantly greater for the 1,200-m competitive than for the solo runs. |
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Department of Veterinary Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge 70803 |
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8750-7587 |
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PMID:1568979 |
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refbase @ user @ |
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1947 |
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Herder, S.L. |
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More cardiac dressage: galop, gallop, gal(l)opitty glop |
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1989 |
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JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association |
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Jama |
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262 |
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3 |
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352 |
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Animals; Gait; *Heart Rate; Horses; Humans; Terminology; *Wit and Humor |
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0098-7484 |
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PMID:2739033 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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3757 |
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Voss, B.; Mohr, E.; Krzywanek, H. |
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Title |
Effects of aqua-treadmill exercise on selected blood parameters and on heart-rate variability of horses |
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Journal Article |
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2002 |
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Journal of Veterinary Medicine. A, Physiology, Pathology, Clinical Medicine |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med |
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49 |
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3 |
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137-143 |
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Animals; Electrocardiography/veterinary; Exercise Test/veterinary; Female; Heart Rate/*physiology; Hemoglobins/metabolism; Horses/*physiology; Lactic Acid/blood; Male; Physical Conditioning, Animal/*physiology; Water |
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The objectives of the present study were to investigate the effects of Aquatraining of horses (aqua-treadmill exercise; treadmill manufactured by Equitech – L.u.S. Equipment, Warendorf, Germany) on selected blood parameters [lactic acid concentration (mmol/l), haemoglobin content (g/l)] and on heart-rate variability (HRV) [heart rate (beats per min; b.p.m.), standard deviation of all NN-intervals (SDNN; ms), normalized power of the low and high frequency band (LFnorm, Hfnorm; au), % recurrence, % determinism and ratio(corr)]. Seven horses performed six exercise tests with different work loads (walking (x = 1.56 +/- 0.08 m/s) and trotting (x = 2.9 +/- 0.13 m/s): dry, water above the carpus and water above the elbow). The standardized test-protocol was: 5 min warm-up at walk while the water was pumped in, followed by the 20-min exercise period at walk or trot, followed by a 5-min walk while pumping out the water. Blood samples were taken prior to each test at rest in the stable, as well as exactly 5 min after the end of the 20-min exercise period. Electrocardiograms were recorded during rest and the 20-min exercise period. Compared to rest, neither the chosen velocities, the two water levels, nor the dry tests led to a significant increase of the lactic acid concentration in any horse. The haemoglobin content showed a significant increase as a result of exercise. Significant differences could be found between the heart rates at rest and the six exercise tests and between the mean of the levels 'walking' and the mean of the levels 'trotting'. An exercise-induced change of HRV was characterized by a decreasing SDNN, a significantly higher LFnorm (sympathetic influence) combined with a significantly lower HF(norm) power (parasympathetic activity) and a rising degree of order (significantly higher % determinism and nearly unchanged % recurrence) and stability (significantly rising ratio(corr)) of the recurrence plot. In conclusion, the used training-protocol for aqua-treadmill exercises only represents a medium-sized aerobic work load for horses, but the different levels of burden were indicated especially by changes in HRV. |
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Institute for Veterinary Physiology of the Free University Berlin, Germany |
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0931-184X |
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PMID:12019954 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4049 |
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Author |
Warren-Smith, A.K.; Greetham, L.; McGreevy, P.D. |
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Title |
Behavioral and physiological responses of horses (Equus caballus) to head lowering |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2007 |
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Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research |
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2 |
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3 |
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59-67 |
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behavior; head lowering; heart rate; horse; training |
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Horse trainers often report that lowering the height of a horse's head so the poll is below the height of the withers can induce a calming effect during training. Four groups of horses were used in a 2-part study to investigate the behavioral and physiological effects of head lowering in horses. In Part 1, Group A had no experimental stimuli applied and horses in Group B were trained to lower their heads when presented with a specific stimulus by the handler. The stimulus for head lowering was the application of downward pressure on the headcollar via the lead rope until the horse lowered its head such that its lips were approximately at mid-cannon (third metacarpal) height, whereupon the pressure was released. The stimulus was applied again if the horse raised its head during the 300-second test period. In Part 2, Groups C and D were aroused until their heart rates exceeded 100 beats per minute (bpm). Group C had no further experimental stimuli applied whereas Group D lowered their heads as a response to the above stimulus for a period of 300 seconds. Repeated measures analysis showed that there was no difference between the heart rate of Groups A and B or Groups C and D but that the heart rate of Groups A and B were lower than Groups C and D during the 300-second post-arousal (P < 0.001). The horses in Groups A and B were more likely to contact the handler (P < 0.001), exhibit licking and chewing (P < 0.001), rest a hindleg (P < 0.001), and sniff the ground (P < 0.001) than those in Groups C and D. The number of stimuli required to maintain the head in a lowered position was greatest during the first 30 seconds (P = 0.012 and P < 0.001, Parts 1 and 2, respectively). The current study has shown that head lowering in horses does not influence cardiac responses, even after the horses had been aroused to have their heart rates above 100 bpm. Therefore, it is not a method that will aid in calming an aroused horse in training. Contrary to popular belief, there was no association with licking-and-chewing and head lowering, nor with these behaviors and response acquisition. |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4201 |
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Schmidt, A.; Biau, S.; Möstl, E.; Becker-Birck, M.; Morillon, B.; Aurich, J.; Faure, J.-M.; Aurich, C. |
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Title |
Changes in cortisol release and heart rate variability in sport horses during long-distance road transport |
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Journal Article |
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2010 |
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Domestic Animal Endocrinology |
Abbreviated Journal |
Domest Anim Endocrinol |
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38 |
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3 |
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179-189 |
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Horse; Transport; Cortisol; Heart rate variability |
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It is widely accepted that transport is stressful for horses, but only a few studies are available involving horses that are transported regularly and are accustomed to transport. We determined salivary cortisol immunoreactivity (IR), fecal cortisol metabolites, beat-to-beat (RR) interval, and heart rate variability (HRV) in transport-experienced horses (N = 7) in response to a 2-d outbound road transport over 1370 km and 2-d return transport 8 d later. Salivary cortisol IR was low until 60 min before transport but had increased (P < 0.05) 30 min before loading. Transport caused a further marked increase (P < 0.001), but the response tended to decrease with each day of transport. Concentrations of fecal cortisol metabolites increased on the second day of both outbound and return transports and reached a maximum the following day (P < 0.001). During the first 90 min on Day 1 of outbound transport, mean RR interval decreased (P < 0.001). Standard deviations of RR interval (SDRR) decreased transiently (P < 0.01). The root mean square of successive RR differences (RMSSD) decreased at the beginning of the outbound and return transports (P < 0.01), reflecting reduced parasympathetic tone. On the first day of both outbound and return transports, a transient rise in geometric HRV variable standard deviation 2 (SD2) occurred (P < 0.01), indicating increased sympathetic activity. In conclusion, transport of experienced horses leads to increased cortisol release and changes in heart rate and HRV, which is indicative of stress. The degree of these changes tended to be most pronounced on the first day of both outbound and return transport. |
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0739-7240 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5386 |
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König von Borstel, U.; Euent, S.; Graf, P.; König, S.; Gauly, M. |
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Equine behaviour and heart rate in temperament tests with or without rider or handler |
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Journal Article |
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2011 |
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Physiology & Behavior |
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Physiol. Behav. |
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104 |
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3 |
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454-463 |
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Equine; Temperament; Human–animal interaction; Horseback riding; Heart rate variability; Reactivity |
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The aim of the present study was to compare horses' heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (RMSSD, pNN50) and behaviour in the same temperament test when being ridden, led, and released free. Behavioural measurements included scores and linear measurements for reactivity (R), activity (A), time to calm down (T) and emotionality (E), recorded during the approach (1) and/or during confrontation with the stimulus (2). Sixty-five horses were each confronted 3 times (1 ridden, 1 led, 1 free running in balanced order) with 3 novel and/or sudden stimuli. Mixed model analysis indicated that leading resulted in the lowest (P < 0.05 throughout) reactions as measured by A1, A2, E1, E2, R2, and pNN50 while riding produced the strongest (A1, T2, HR, RMSSD, pNN50) or medium (E1, E2, R2) reactions. Free running resulted either in the strongest (A2, E1, E2, R2) or in the lowest (A1, T2, HR, RMSSD, pNN50) reactions. The repeatability across tests for HR (0.57), but not for RMSSD (0.23) or pNN50 (0.25) was higher than for any behavioural measurement: the latter ranged from values below 0.10 (A1, A2, T2) to values between 0.30 and 0.45 (E1, E2, R2). Overall, the results show that a rider or handler influences, but not completely masks, the horses' intrinsic behaviour in a temperament test, and this influence appeared to be stronger on behavioural variables and heart rate variability than on the horses' heart rates. Taking both practical considerations and repeatabilities into account, reactivity appears to be the most valuable parameter. Emotionality and heart rate can also yield valid results reflecting additional dimensions of temperament although their practical relevance may be less obvious. If a combination of observed variables is chosen with care, a valid assessment of a horse's temperament may be possible in all types of tests. However, in practice, tests that resemble the practical circumstances most closely, i.e. testing riding horses under a rider, should be chosen. |
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0031-9384 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5641 |
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Minero, M.; Zucca, D.; Canali, E. |
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A note on reaction to novel stimulus and restraint by therapeutic riding horses |
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Journal Article |
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2006 |
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Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. |
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97 |
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2-4 |
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335-342 |
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Horse; Therapeutic riding; Behavioural indicators; Heart rate; Lymphocyte proliferation |
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Little research has been done to measure reactivity objectively in therapeutic riding horses (TRH). As individual reactivity and chronic stress could be assessed by exposing animals to acute, novel stressors, the authors of this work aimed at comparing reactions of TRHs and jumping horses (JH) to two challenges. Four TRHs and four JHs were exposed to a restraint covering their head with a hood for 1 h and to a startling stimulus (a 40 cm long, red and white synthetic holiday garland shaken with a rustling noise inside the box). Heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) were recorded continuously and telemetrically, the reaction was video-recorded and analysed with a software for behavioural analysis. Blood samples were collected before and after each challenge to determine lymphocyte proliferation and other biochemical parameters. Horses spent most of the time immobile, during the challenges (p < 0.05). TRHs had a significantly higher average basal HR than JH (p < 0.05), probably due to their better condition. HR varied among different behaviours during the restraint (p < 0.05): the average HR during “pawing” was higher than during other behaviours (p < 0.005). A significant decrease in the proliferation of lymphocytes in samples taken after the removal of the hood (p < 0.05) was found, while the other stress related parameters did not vary significantly after the challenges. The authors conclude that TRHs did not react less than JHs to the new stimuli and this should be taken into consideration while planning their daily work and management. |
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279 |
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Simpson, B.S. |
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Neonatal foal handling |
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Journal Article |
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2002 |
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Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
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Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. |
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78 |
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2-4 |
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303-317 |
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Neonatal foal handling; Imprint training; Learning in foals; Heart rate; Serum cortisol concentrations |
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Recent interest has focused on the advantage of intensively handling young foals as a means of producing more tractable horses, accustomed to humans and receptive to training. To date, the effect of this intensive handling, dubbed “imprint training” in the popular literature, has not been tested. The present study compares seven foals handled intensively as neonates with eight untreated controls. The handling protocol started from 2-8 h after birth and continued daily for a total of 5 days. The protocol consisted of a series of stimuli and experiences that were each repeated until the foal no longer resisted or reacted negatively. Subsequently, foals were tested before weaning, at 4 months of age. Results indicated that handled foals (HF) ranked higher than control foals (CF) in subjective ratings of calmness (*P<0.0117) and friendliness (*P<0.0001) and in several specific handling tasks (venipuncture *P<0.0220; placing in stock *P<0.0128). Although, in approach tests all foals but one allowed approach of a person to 4 m, significantly more HF approached the person than CF (P<0.0080). In stimulus tests, foals were presented specific stimuli to which they had been tested as neonates. Two of eight CF were too unruly and dangerous to test. Of foals that could be tested, CF required significantly more time to hook-up a heart rate monitor (**P<0.0055). Split-plot analysis indicated that HF had lower heart rates to initial left-sided stimuli, presented first, than CF (*P<0.0421). In response to right-sided stimuli, heart rate scores of CF were not significantly different from HF (P<0.2259), suggesting reduced reactivity over time due to a learning effect. Behavioral responses to specific stimuli did not differ between CF and HF, suggesting that neonatal handling has a general rather than specific effect on subsequent behavior. Cortisol concentrations were measured before and after testing and the difference calculated. All foals had higher post-testing levels than pre-testing levels. There was a significant difference between HF and CF, indicating greater reactivity among the CF (*P<0.050). In general, the results indicated that foals handled as neonates were more tractable and less reactive. Specific neonatal handling tasks, such as sticking a finger up the foal's nose or patting the bottom of the foot, seemed to have no beneficial effect on related tasks such as passing a nasogastric tube or tapping with a farrier's hammer at 4 months of age. Mechanisms for the observed effect of neonatal handling require further investigation. |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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3623 |
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