Veterinary/zoology session

The aim of this study is about testing of the poor performance diagnostic protocoll which was developed for driving horses. The physical and mental stress were the essential respects of the test. We compared the work of horses inside and outside (in the field in the carriage and on the treadmill). The heart rate and blood lactate level were monitored during the training.

There are many publication about the poor performance diagnostic methods, and many authors noticed the different between the effects of inside and outside training of the horse. We wanted to know that our treadmill protocoll presents the real physical and mental status of the equine athlete.

All horses were lipizzaner driving horse. They are competing at the same (international top) level, and are distant relatives. After 2 days practice on the treadmill the horses were traind with the same protocoll inside and outside. The heart rate was monitored by Holter-ECG and Equine Polar. The blood lactate concentrations were detected in the laboratory (inside work) and by a mobile lactate analizer (outside).

We analiezed the trott- period to evaulate the heart rate changes, and the blood lactate level was tested 5 times during the training. We didn’t find significant differences between the inside and outside training.

Our conclusion is, that there is no significant differnce in the determining values between the inside and outside training of the horses. It means that we can use our treadmill protocoll, because it gives real information about the loadability of the equine athletes.