Exercise training session-induced metabolic acidosis in barrel racing horses

Abstract

In horses, acid-base balance disorders are common after intense exercise, with metabolic acidosis being the most common after high intensity and short duration exercise. Understanding the processes that cause them is fundamental for procedures, which aimed to improve the physical fitness of horses for athletic purposes, with fewer changes in homeostasis. The present study assessed the effect of barrel racing on acid base balance in Quarter Horse, at the following times: T0 - immediately before training; T1 - immediately after the end of the second course; T2 - one hour after the end of the second course. In T1, there was decrease (P<0.05) in the pH, HCO3 -, pCO2, cBase, tCO2 and strong ion difference concentrations, while the plasma lactate and anion gap increased (P<0.05). It was concluded that barrel racing training caused transient metabolic acidosis in the horses, and hyperlactatemia was still present after an hour of rest.