Continuous Monitoring of the Thermoregulatory Response in Endurance Horses and Trotter Horses During Field Exercise: Baselining for Future Hot Weather Studies
Establishing proper policies regarding the recognition and prevention of equine heat stress becomes increasingly important, especially in the face of global warming. To assist this, a detailed view of the variability of equine thermoregulation during field exercise and recovery is essential. 13 endu...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.708737/full |
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| author | Elisabeth-Lidwien J. M. M. Verdegaal Elisabeth-Lidwien J. M. M. Verdegaal Elisabeth-Lidwien J. M. M. Verdegaal Gordon S. Howarth Todd J. McWhorter Berit Boshuizen Samantha H. Franklin Samantha H. Franklin Carmen Vidal Moreno de Vega Stacey E. Jonas Louise E. Folwell Catherine J. G. Delesalle |
| author_facet | Elisabeth-Lidwien J. M. M. Verdegaal Elisabeth-Lidwien J. M. M. Verdegaal Elisabeth-Lidwien J. M. M. Verdegaal Gordon S. Howarth Todd J. McWhorter Berit Boshuizen Samantha H. Franklin Samantha H. Franklin Carmen Vidal Moreno de Vega Stacey E. Jonas Louise E. Folwell Catherine J. G. Delesalle |
| author_sort | Elisabeth-Lidwien J. M. M. Verdegaal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Establishing proper policies regarding the recognition and prevention of equine heat stress becomes increasingly important, especially in the face of global warming. To assist this, a detailed view of the variability of equine thermoregulation during field exercise and recovery is essential. 13 endurance horses and 12 trotter horses were equipped with continuous monitoring devices [gastrointestinal (GI) pill, heartrate (HR) monitor, and global positioning system] and monitored under cool weather conditions during four endurance rides over a total of 80 km (40 km loops) and intense trotter track-based exercise over 1,540 m. Recordings included GI temperature (Tc), speed, HR and pre- and post-exercise blood values. A temperature time profile curve of Tc was constructed, and a net area under the curve was calculated using the trapezoidal method. Metabolic heat production and oxygen cost of transport were also calculated in endurance horses. Maximum Tc was compared using an independent samples t-test. Endurance horses (mean speed 14.1 ± 1.7 km h–1) reached mean maximum Tc (39.0 ± 0.4°C; 2 × 40 km in 8 horses) during exercise at 75% of completion of Tc exercise and Tc returned to baseline within 60 min into recovery. However, the mean Tc was still 38.8 ± 0.4°C at a HR of 60 bpm which currently governs “fit to continue” competition decisions. Trotters (40.0 ± 2.9 km h–1) reached a comparable mean max Tc (38.8 ± 0.5°C; 12 horses) always during recovery. In 30% of trotters, Tc was still >39°C at the end of recovery (40 ± 32 min). The study shows that horses are individuals and thermoregulation monitoring should reflect this, no matter what type of exercise is performed. Caution is advised when using HR cut-off values to monitor thermal welfare in horses since we have demonstrated how Tc can peak quite some time after finishing exercise. These findings have implications for training and management of performance horses to safeguard equine welfare and to maximize performance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T14:55:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0d59c747fdea48eebb5c09d91bbcc5d9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T14:55:23Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-0d59c747fdea48eebb5c09d91bbcc5d92022-12-21T20:16:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2021-08-011210.3389/fphys.2021.708737708737Continuous Monitoring of the Thermoregulatory Response in Endurance Horses and Trotter Horses During Field Exercise: Baselining for Future Hot Weather StudiesElisabeth-Lidwien J. M. M. Verdegaal0Elisabeth-Lidwien J. M. M. Verdegaal1Elisabeth-Lidwien J. M. M. Verdegaal2Gordon S. Howarth3Todd J. McWhorter4Berit Boshuizen5Samantha H. Franklin6Samantha H. Franklin7Carmen Vidal Moreno de Vega8Stacey E. Jonas9Louise E. Folwell10Catherine J. G. Delesalle11Equine Health and Performance Centre, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaSchool of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Roseworthy Campus, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaResearch Group of Comparative Physiology, Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumSchool of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Roseworthy Campus, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaSchool of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Roseworthy Campus, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaResearch Group of Comparative Physiology, Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumEquine Health and Performance Centre, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaSchool of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Roseworthy Campus, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaResearch Group of Comparative Physiology, Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumSchool of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Roseworthy Campus, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaSchool of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Roseworthy Campus, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaResearch Group of Comparative Physiology, Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumEstablishing proper policies regarding the recognition and prevention of equine heat stress becomes increasingly important, especially in the face of global warming. To assist this, a detailed view of the variability of equine thermoregulation during field exercise and recovery is essential. 13 endurance horses and 12 trotter horses were equipped with continuous monitoring devices [gastrointestinal (GI) pill, heartrate (HR) monitor, and global positioning system] and monitored under cool weather conditions during four endurance rides over a total of 80 km (40 km loops) and intense trotter track-based exercise over 1,540 m. Recordings included GI temperature (Tc), speed, HR and pre- and post-exercise blood values. A temperature time profile curve of Tc was constructed, and a net area under the curve was calculated using the trapezoidal method. Metabolic heat production and oxygen cost of transport were also calculated in endurance horses. Maximum Tc was compared using an independent samples t-test. Endurance horses (mean speed 14.1 ± 1.7 km h–1) reached mean maximum Tc (39.0 ± 0.4°C; 2 × 40 km in 8 horses) during exercise at 75% of completion of Tc exercise and Tc returned to baseline within 60 min into recovery. However, the mean Tc was still 38.8 ± 0.4°C at a HR of 60 bpm which currently governs “fit to continue” competition decisions. Trotters (40.0 ± 2.9 km h–1) reached a comparable mean max Tc (38.8 ± 0.5°C; 12 horses) always during recovery. In 30% of trotters, Tc was still >39°C at the end of recovery (40 ± 32 min). The study shows that horses are individuals and thermoregulation monitoring should reflect this, no matter what type of exercise is performed. Caution is advised when using HR cut-off values to monitor thermal welfare in horses since we have demonstrated how Tc can peak quite some time after finishing exercise. These findings have implications for training and management of performance horses to safeguard equine welfare and to maximize performance.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.708737/fullthermoregulationhyperthermiagastrointestinal pillendurancetrottersmetabolic heat (H) |
| spellingShingle | Elisabeth-Lidwien J. M. M. Verdegaal Elisabeth-Lidwien J. M. M. Verdegaal Elisabeth-Lidwien J. M. M. Verdegaal Gordon S. Howarth Todd J. McWhorter Berit Boshuizen Samantha H. Franklin Samantha H. Franklin Carmen Vidal Moreno de Vega Stacey E. Jonas Louise E. Folwell Catherine J. G. Delesalle Continuous Monitoring of the Thermoregulatory Response in Endurance Horses and Trotter Horses During Field Exercise: Baselining for Future Hot Weather Studies Frontiers in Physiology thermoregulation hyperthermia gastrointestinal pill endurance trotters metabolic heat (H) |
| title | Continuous Monitoring of the Thermoregulatory Response in Endurance Horses and Trotter Horses During Field Exercise: Baselining for Future Hot Weather Studies |
| title_full | Continuous Monitoring of the Thermoregulatory Response in Endurance Horses and Trotter Horses During Field Exercise: Baselining for Future Hot Weather Studies |
| title_fullStr | Continuous Monitoring of the Thermoregulatory Response in Endurance Horses and Trotter Horses During Field Exercise: Baselining for Future Hot Weather Studies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Continuous Monitoring of the Thermoregulatory Response in Endurance Horses and Trotter Horses During Field Exercise: Baselining for Future Hot Weather Studies |
| title_short | Continuous Monitoring of the Thermoregulatory Response in Endurance Horses and Trotter Horses During Field Exercise: Baselining for Future Hot Weather Studies |
| title_sort | continuous monitoring of the thermoregulatory response in endurance horses and trotter horses during field exercise baselining for future hot weather studies |
| topic | thermoregulation hyperthermia gastrointestinal pill endurance trotters metabolic heat (H) |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.708737/full |
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