Exercise testing in the equine athlete

Abstract

Summary In the last decade there have been significant technological advances and increases in the availability of portable diagnostic equipment for use in the assessment of athletic performance. The design and application of appropriate exercise tests are critical factors for the diagnosis of conditions affecting equine performance and it is therefore necessary for veterinary surgeons using such equipment to develop an understanding of appropriate exercise testing methods. This is the first in a series of three papers covering exercise testing in the equine athlete, interpretation of heart rate and rhythm during exercise and interpretation of dynamic upper respiratory tract function. In this first paper, both performance and clinical exercise testing in the equine athlete are reviewed.

Frequencies of dynamic obstructions of the upper respiratory tract in 135 Thoroughbreds during on-board exercise endoscopy

“…The horse can be ridden by its jockey and worked in its training group together with other horses. Thus, the horses do not have to be familiarized with a treadmill (Franklin et al 2008, Pollock and Reardon 2009, Demaizieres et al 2009, Sloet van OldruitenborghOosterbaan and Clayton 1999, Tamzali et al 2008, Courouce et al 1999, Franklin and Allen 2017, Allen et al 2016). …”

Standardised exercise testing in 17 reining horses: Musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiac and clinicopathological findings

“…Exercise testing can be useful to evaluate poor performance, optimise training or as part of preventative medicine programmes aimed to decrease injury occurrence in sport horses (Allen et al . ). There are few studies reporting exercise testing in western performance horses and these describe specific aspects such as acid base alterations (Brito et al .…”

“…For this reason, comprehensive standardised exercise tests (SETs) that evaluate fitness and all body systems potentially involved in poor performance, have been suggested as useful diagnostic aids (Allen et al . ).…”

“…Exercise testing can be useful to evaluate poor performance, optimise training or as part of preventative medicine programmes aimed to decrease injury occurrence in sport horses (Allen et al 2016). There are few studies reporting exercise testing in western performance horses and these describe specific aspects such as acid base alterations (Brito et al 2014), changes in muscle enzyme activities (Caiado et al 2011), response to different feeding (Rammerstorfer et al 2001) or training (Webb et al 1988) regimes, and heat acclimation (Rammerstorfer et al 1998).…”

“…Musculoskeletal disease is the most common cause of poor performance in horses including western disciplines (Dabareiner et al 2005) but it has been demonstrated that in most poorly performing horses, several problems are simultaneously involved (Morris and Seeherman 1991;Martin et al 2000;Fraipont et al 2011). For this reason, comprehensive standardised exercise tests (SETs) that evaluate fitness and all body systems potentially involved in poor performance, have been suggested as useful diagnostic aids (Allen et al 2016).…”