Effect of weight carriage on work effort in horses
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Abstract
Excessive adiposity in horses is associated with equine metabolic syndrome and laminitis, and additional weight due to fat accumulation may cause further stress on the horse. This study aimed to determine the effect of additional weight carriage on work effort in horses, as estimated by changes in heart rate (HR) and body temperature (Temp). Eight mature mixed-breed horses were paired based on body size in a randomised crossover study. Each day tested a pair of horses with one horse carrying additional weight (15% of body weight; to represent approximately 3 body condition scores) and the other horse serving as a control, with treatments reversed the following week. Heart rate was determined before adding the weight, after a 2 h period of stall rest (prior to the exercise bout), and at the end of a 34 min exercise challenge of walking and trotting on an automated exerciser. Temp was recorded prior to exercise and after the horses were removed from the exerciser. Two-way ANOVA was conducted to determine the effect of exercise and weight carriage on HR and Temp, and paired t-tests were used to compare differences in HR and Temp pre- and post-exercise. HR increased with exercise (
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Effect of weight carriage on work effort in horses
In: Comparative Exercise PhysiologySearch for other papers by A. Munjizun in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by C. Gluck in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by L. Walston in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by K. High in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by R. Hunter in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by S. Pratt-Phillips in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
Excessive adiposity in horses is associated with equine metabolic syndrome and laminitis, and additional weight due to fat accumulation may cause further stress on the horse. This study aimed to determine the effect of additional weight carriage on work effort in horses, as estimated by changes in heart rate (HR) and body temperature (Temp). Eight mature mixed-breed horses were paired based on body size in a randomised crossover study. Each day tested a pair of horses with one horse carrying additional weight (15% of body weight; to represent approximately 3 body condition scores) and the other horse serving as a control, with treatments reversed the following week. Heart rate was determined before adding the weight, after a 2 h period of stall rest (prior to the exercise bout), and at the end of a 34 min exercise challenge of walking and trotting on an automated exerciser. Temp was recorded prior to exercise and after the horses were removed from the exerciser. Two-way ANOVA was conducted to determine the effect of exercise and weight carriage on HR and Temp, and paired t-tests were used to compare differences in HR and Temp pre- and post-exercise. HR increased with exercise (
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 689 | 152 | 22 |
| Full Text Views | 45 | 24 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 79 | 33 | 0 |
