Heart rate variability before and after 14 weeks of training in Thoroughbred horses and Standardbred trotters with different training experience.

Changes in heart rate and heart rate variabilty (HRV) were investigated in untrained (UT; starting their first racing season) and detrained (DT; with 1-3 years of race experience) racehorses before and after 14-week conventional training. HRV was measured at rest over 1 h between 9:00 and 10:00 AM o...

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Main Authors: Zsófia Nyerges-Bohák, Krisztina Nagy, László Rózsa, Péter Póti, Levente Kovács
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2021-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259933
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author Zsófia Nyerges-Bohák
Krisztina Nagy
László Rózsa
Péter Póti
Levente Kovács
author_facet Zsófia Nyerges-Bohák
Krisztina Nagy
László Rózsa
Péter Póti
Levente Kovács
author_sort Zsófia Nyerges-Bohák
collection DOAJ
description Changes in heart rate and heart rate variabilty (HRV) were investigated in untrained (UT; starting their first racing season) and detrained (DT; with 1-3 years of race experience) racehorses before and after 14-week conventional training. HRV was measured at rest over 1 h between 9:00 and 10:00 AM on the usual rest day of the horses. The smallest worthwhile change (SWC) rate was calculated for all HRV parameters. UT horses had significantly higher heart rate compared to DT (P<0.001). There were no gender- or training-related differences in heart rate. The root-mean-square of successive differences (rMSSD) in the consecutive inter-beat-intervals obtained after the 14-week training period was lower compared to pre-training rMSSD (P<0.001). The rMSSD was not influenced by breed, age or gender. In DT horses, there was a significant decrease in the high frequency (HF) component of HRV (P≤0.05) as the result of the 14-week training. These results may reflect saturation of high-frequency oscillations of inter-beat intervals rather than the reduction in parasympathetic influence on the heart. The HF did not differ significantly between the two measurements in UT horses; however, 16.6% of the animals showed a decrease in HF below SWC (P≤0.05). This supports the likelihood of parasympathetic saturation. Although no significant decrease in heart rate was found for the post-training, 30.0% of DT and 58.3% of UT horses still showed a decrease in heart rate below the SWC. Also by individual examination, it was also visible that despite significant post-training decrease in rMSSD, 1 (4.6%) DT and 2 (6.7%) UT horses reached SWC increase in rMMSD. In the case of these horses, the possibility of maladaptation should be considered. The present results indicate that similar to as found in human athletes, cardiac ANS status of racehorses also changes during the physiological adaptation to training. To explore more precise links between HRV and training effectiveness in horses, a more frequent recording would be necessary. Detailed analysis of HRV parameters based on SWC will be able to highlight the importance of fitness evaluation at individual level.
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spelling doaj.art-c034c0cebc014c7397b23ff9b9fd132e2022-12-21T16:35:05ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032021-01-011612e025993310.1371/journal.pone.0259933Heart rate variability before and after 14 weeks of training in Thoroughbred horses and Standardbred trotters with different training experience.Zsófia Nyerges-BohákKrisztina NagyLászló RózsaPéter PótiLevente KovácsChanges in heart rate and heart rate variabilty (HRV) were investigated in untrained (UT; starting their first racing season) and detrained (DT; with 1-3 years of race experience) racehorses before and after 14-week conventional training. HRV was measured at rest over 1 h between 9:00 and 10:00 AM on the usual rest day of the horses. The smallest worthwhile change (SWC) rate was calculated for all HRV parameters. UT horses had significantly higher heart rate compared to DT (P<0.001). There were no gender- or training-related differences in heart rate. The root-mean-square of successive differences (rMSSD) in the consecutive inter-beat-intervals obtained after the 14-week training period was lower compared to pre-training rMSSD (P<0.001). The rMSSD was not influenced by breed, age or gender. In DT horses, there was a significant decrease in the high frequency (HF) component of HRV (P≤0.05) as the result of the 14-week training. These results may reflect saturation of high-frequency oscillations of inter-beat intervals rather than the reduction in parasympathetic influence on the heart. The HF did not differ significantly between the two measurements in UT horses; however, 16.6% of the animals showed a decrease in HF below SWC (P≤0.05). This supports the likelihood of parasympathetic saturation. Although no significant decrease in heart rate was found for the post-training, 30.0% of DT and 58.3% of UT horses still showed a decrease in heart rate below the SWC. Also by individual examination, it was also visible that despite significant post-training decrease in rMSSD, 1 (4.6%) DT and 2 (6.7%) UT horses reached SWC increase in rMMSD. In the case of these horses, the possibility of maladaptation should be considered. The present results indicate that similar to as found in human athletes, cardiac ANS status of racehorses also changes during the physiological adaptation to training. To explore more precise links between HRV and training effectiveness in horses, a more frequent recording would be necessary. Detailed analysis of HRV parameters based on SWC will be able to highlight the importance of fitness evaluation at individual level.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259933
spellingShingle Zsófia Nyerges-Bohák
Krisztina Nagy
László Rózsa
Péter Póti
Levente Kovács
Heart rate variability before and after 14 weeks of training in Thoroughbred horses and Standardbred trotters with different training experience.
PLoS ONE
title Heart rate variability before and after 14 weeks of training in Thoroughbred horses and Standardbred trotters with different training experience.
title_full Heart rate variability before and after 14 weeks of training in Thoroughbred horses and Standardbred trotters with different training experience.
title_fullStr Heart rate variability before and after 14 weeks of training in Thoroughbred horses and Standardbred trotters with different training experience.
title_full_unstemmed Heart rate variability before and after 14 weeks of training in Thoroughbred horses and Standardbred trotters with different training experience.
title_short Heart rate variability before and after 14 weeks of training in Thoroughbred horses and Standardbred trotters with different training experience.
title_sort heart rate variability before and after 14 weeks of training in thoroughbred horses and standardbred trotters with different training experience
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259933
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