Veterinary session

As veterinary science progressed, awareness training methods became more and more popular in Hungarian Thoroughbred industry. Due to the lack of a standardized reference database, greater part of laboratory results of field exercise testing could not be evaluated correctly. The aim of our present study was to prepare such a reference table to avoid any further similar difficulties.

Our study partially based on physical examinations and diagnostic imaging methods during the rest phase and exercise test on racetrack were also carried out. After warming up, four gallop sections were fulfilled by nine Thoroughbred racehorses with increasing velocity. Blood samples were collected seven times during training from the jugular vein. A “Polar” heart rate monitor and a GPS were applied during the whole training period. Hematological, biochemical and acid-base balance examinations were conducted from blood samples.

The results of our blood plasma measurements were mainly in agreement with the standard data from treadmill studies. The hematocrit value, hemoglobin and lactate concentration of the blood plasma increased significantly in proportion with the intensity of training. Plasma glucose concentration – following the initial glucose depletion during warming up – also showed a similar increasing tendency. Significantly elevated activity of creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase was measured in the blood plasma after the intensive last gallop section. However, significantly elevated pO2 value was detected, confirming the arterial hypoxaemia caused by work.

The results of the present study and their comparison with data from treadmill examinations confirmed the effectivity and accuracy of the performance studies in general, conducted during training and may provide useful data to facilitate the evaluation of the results of further training performance studies. However, it is impossible to create standardized circumstances like treadmill on field, exercise tests on racetrack can be repeatable and comparable complied with basic rules (weather, soil, etc.) and performed with experienced jockey.

The present work was supported by the grants NKB 2011/15961 and TÁMOP-4.2.2.B-10/1-10/1-2010-0011.