Effect of a 14-Day Period of Heat Acclimation on Horses Using Heated Indoor Arenas in Preparation for Tokyo Olympic Games

Autor: Carolien Munsters, Esther Siegers, Marianne Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Animals, Vol 14, Iss 4, p 546 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2076-2615
47789425
DOI: 10.3390/ani14040546
Popis: To optimise the performance and welfare of horses during equestrian competitions in hot climates, it is advised to acclimate them to the heat. The effects of training in a heated indoor arena were studied. Four Olympic horses (13.3 ± 2.2 years; three eventers, one para-dressage horse) were trained for 14 consecutive days in a heated indoor arena (32 ± 1 °C; 50–60% humidity) following their normal training schedule in preparation for the Tokyo Olympic games. Standardised exercise tests (SETs) were performed on Day 1 and Day 14, measuring heart rate (HR; bpm), plasma lactate concentration (LA; mmol/L), deep rectal temperature (Trec; °C), sweat loss (SL; L), and sweat composition (K+, Cl− and Na+ concentration). The data were analysed using linear mixed models. The Trec and HR were significantly decreased after acclimation (estimate: −0.106, 95% CI −0.134, −0.078; estimate: −4.067, 95% CI −7.535, −0.598, respectively). Furthermore, for all the horses, the time taken to reach their peak Trec and heat storage increased, while their LA concentrations decreased. The SL, Cl−, and Na+ concentrations decreased in three out of the four horses. Conclusions: Fourteen days of normal training in a heated indoor arena resulted in a reduction in cardiovascular and thermal strain. This is advantageous because it shows that elite sport horses can be acclimated while training as usual for a championship.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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