Hostname: page-component-cb9f654ff-65tv2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-09-05T21:44:03.304Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Physical, acid–base and electrolyte changes in horses competing in Training, Preliminary and Intermediate horse trials

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

JH Foreman ,
JK Waldsmith  and
RB Lalum
JH Foreman*
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61802, USA
JK Waldsmith
Affiliation:
The Equine Center, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, USA
RB Lalum
Affiliation:
The Equine Center, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, USA
*
*jforeman@cvm.uiuc.edu
Get access

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to compare the physiological changes that occurred in horses competing in the cross-country portion of Training, Preliminary and Intermediate horse trials. The hypothesis was that temperature (T), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and on-site acid–base and electrolyte monitoring would allow differentiation between difficulty levels in horse trials. Sixteen client-owned horses competing at the Trojan-Horse Spring Horse Trials in Cave Creek, Arizona, USA, were studied. T, HR, RR and anaerobic lithium-heparinized jugular venous samples were obtained before, and 1–2 min after, cross-country exercise. Samples were analysed for blood gases (body temperature-corrected) and concentrations of sodium ([Na+]), potassium ([K+]), chloride ([Cl−]), ionized calcium ([Ca2+]i), blood urea nitrogen ([BUN]) and glucose ([GLC]) using a point-of-care analyser. Results were compared using analysis of variance with the level of significance set at P<0.05. In all groups, exercise increased T, HR, RR, packed cell volume and haemoglobin concentration, and decreased partial pressure of CO2 (PCO2), [total CO2 concentration], bicarbonate concentration ([HCO3−]) and [Ca2+]i (P<0.05). Post-exercise RR was higher, and pH, PCO2, [tCO2], [HCO3−] and base excess were lower, in Intermediate and sometimes Preliminary horses compared with Training horses (P<0.05). It was concluded that horse trials caused milder, but otherwise similar, physical, blood gas and electrolyte changes to those observed in complete three-day events. Physical and point-of-care plasma acid–base and electrolyte monitoring allowed differentiation between horses competing at various levels of difficulty in a horse trial.

Keywords

equineeventingexercisecross-countryblood gaspoint-of-care analyser

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology , Volume 1 , Issue 2 , May 2004 , pp. 99 - 105
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1Andrews, FM, Ralston, SL, Sommardahl, CS, Maykuth, PL, Green, EM, White, SL, et al. (1994). Weight, water, and cation losses in horses competing in a three-day event. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 205: 721–724.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2Andrews, FM, Ralston, SL, Williamson, LH, Maykuth, PL, White, SL and Provenza, M (1995). Weight loss, water loss and cation balance during the endurance test of a three-day event. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 18: 294–297.Google Scholar
3Andrews, FM, Geiser, DR, White, SL, Williamson, LH, Maykuth, PL and Green, EM (1995). Hematologic and biochemical changes in horses competing in a 3 Star horse trial and 3-day-event. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 20: 57–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4Bradbury, G and Allen, AK (1994). Equi-mist fan/mist system evaluation. In: Clarke, AF and Jeffcott, LB (eds), On To Atlanta '96. Guelph, Ontario: Equine Research Center, pp. 75–78.Google Scholar
5Foreman, JH, Grubb, TL, Benson, GJ, Frey, LP, Foglia, RA and Griffin, RL (1995). Physiological effects of shortening steeplechase in a 3-day-event. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 20: 73–77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6Foreman, JH, Grubb, TL, Benson, GJ, Frey, LP, Foglia, RA and Griffin, RL (1996). Acid–base and electrolyte effects of shortening steeplechase in a three-day event. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 22: 85–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7Foreman, JH (1995). Thermoregulation in the horse exercising under hot and humid conditions. Pferdeheilkunde 12: 405–408.Google Scholar
8Geiser, DR, Andrews, FM, Rohrbach, BW, White, SL, Maykuth, PL, Green, EM, et al. , (1995). Blood ionized calcium concentrations in horses before and after the cross-country phase of three-day event competition. American Journal of Veterinary Research 52: 1502–1505.Google Scholar
9Geor, RJ, McCutcheon, LJ, Ecker, GL and Lindinger, MI (1995). Thermal and cardiorespiratory responses of horses to submaximal exercise under hot and humid conditions. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 20: 125–132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10Geor, RJ and McCutcheon, LJ (1996). Exercise in the heat: beneficial effects of fluid administration. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 10: 152.Google Scholar
11Geor, RJ, McCutcheon, LJ and Lindinger, MI (1996). Adaptations to daily exercise in hot and humid ambient conditions in trained Thoroughbred horses. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 22: 63–69.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12Harris, PA, Marlin, DJ, Mills, PC, Roberts, CA, Scott, CM, Harris, RC, et al. , (1995). Clinical observations made in non heat-acclimated horses performing treadmill exercise in cool (20°C/40% RH), hot, dry (30°C/40% RH) or hot, humid (30°C/80% RH) conditions. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 20: 78–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13Harris, PA, Marlin, DJ, Scott, CM, Harris, RC, Mills, PC, Michell, AR, et al. , (1995). Electrolyte and total protein changes in non heat-acclimated horses performing treadmill exercise in cool (20°C/40% RH), hot, dry (30°C/40% RH) or hot, humid (30°C/80% RH) conditions. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 20: 85–96.Google Scholar
14Hinchcliff, KW, Kohn, CW, Geor, R, McCutcheon, LJ, Foreman, J, Andrews, FM, et al. (1995). Acid:base and serum biochemistry changes in horses competing at a modified 1 Star 3-day event. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 20: 105–110.Google Scholar
15Kohn, CW, Hinchcliff, KW and McKeever, K (1999). Effect of ambient temperature and humidity on pulmonary artery temperature of exercising horses. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 30: 404–411.Google Scholar
16Kohn, CW and Hinchcliff, KW (1995). Physiological responses to the endurance test of a three-day event during hot and cool weather. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 20: 31–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17Kohn, CW, Hinchcliff, KW, McCutcheon, LJ, Geor, R, Foreman, J, Allen, AK, et al. (1995). Physiological responses of horses competing at a modified 1 star 3-day event. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 20: 97–104.Google Scholar
18Schroter, RC and Marlin, DJ (1995). An index of the environmental thermal load imposed on exercising horses and riders by hot weather conditions. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 20: 16–22.Google Scholar
19White, SL, Williamson, LH, Maykuth, PL, Cole, SP, Andrews, FM. and Geiser, DR (1995). Heart rate response and plasma lactate concentrations of horses competing in the cross-country phase of combined training events. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 20: 47–51.Google Scholar
20White, SL, Williamson, LH, Maykuth, PL, Cole, SP, Andrews, FM and Geiser, DR (1995). Heart rate response and plasma lactate concentrations of horses competing in the cross-country phase of 3-day combined training events. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 20: 47–51.Google Scholar
21Williamson, L, White, S, Maykuth, P, Andrews, F, Sommerdahl, C and Green, E (1995). Comparison between post-exercise cooling methods. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 18: 337–340.Google Scholar
22Williamson, LH, Andrews, FM, Maykuth, PL, White, SL and Green, EM (1996). Biochemical changes in three-day event horses at the beginning, middle and end of Phase C and after Phase D. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 22: 92–98.Google Scholar
23Foreman, JH (1996). Modifications to the 1996 Olympic three-day events to optimize safety under hot and humid conditions. Pferedheilkunde 12: 397–400.Google Scholar
24Jeffcott, LB and Kohn, CW (1999). Contributions of equine exercise physiology research to the success of the 1996 Equestrian Olympic Games: a review. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 30: 347–355.Google Scholar
25Foreman, JH, Waldsmith, JK and Lalum, RB (1999). Environmental stress and three-day eventing: effects of altitude. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 30: 347–355.Google Scholar
26Singer, ER, Saxby, F and French, NP (2003). A retrospective case-control study of horse falls in the sport of horse trials and three-day eventing. Equine Veterinary Journal 35: 139–145.Google Scholar
27Grosenbaugh, DA, Gadawski, JE and Muir, WW (1998). Evaluation of a portable clinical analyser in a veterinary hospital setting. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 213: 691–694.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28Silverman, SC and Birks, EK (2002). Evaluation of the I-STAT hand-held chemical analyser during treadmill and endurance exercise. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 34: 551–554.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
29Rose, RJ and Ilkiw, JE (1980). Changes in blood gas, acid–base and metabolic parameters in horses during three-day event competition. Research in Veterinary Science 28: 393–395.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
30Rose, RJ, Ilkiw, JE, Arnold, KS, Backhouse, JW and Sampson, D (1980). Plasma biochemistry in the horse during 3-day event competition. Equine Veterinary Journal 12: 132–136.Google Scholar
31Aguilera-Tejero, E, Garfia, B, Estepa, JC, Lopez, I, Mayer-Valor, R and Rodriguez, M (1998). Effects of exercise and EDTA administration on blood ionized calcium and parathyroid hormone in horses. American Journal of Veterinary Research 59: 1605–1607.Google Scholar
32Beard, LA and Hinchcliff, KW (2002). Effect of NaCl and NaHCO3 on serum ionised calcium and blood gas status during sprinting. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 34: 519–523.Google Scholar
33Kohn, CW and Brooks, CL (1990). Failure of pH to predict ionized calcium percentage in healthy horses. American Journal of Veterinary Research 51: 1206–1210.Google Scholar
34Foreman, JH (1996). Metabolic causes of equine exercise intolerance. Veterinary Clinics of North America. Equine Practice 12: 537–554.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35Foreman, JH (1998). The exhausted horse syndrome. Veterinary Clinics of North America. Equine Practice 14: 205–219.Google Scholar
36Marlin, DJ, Harris, PA, Schroter, RC, Harris, RC, Roberts, CA, Scott, CM, et al. , (1995). Physiological, metabolic and biochemical responses of horses competing in the speed and endurance phase of a CCI***** 3-day event. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 20: 37–46.Google Scholar
37Jacobs, E, Vadasdi, E, Sarkozi, L and Colman, N (1993). Analytical evaluation of I-Stat portable clinical analyser and use by nonlaboratory health-care professionals. Clinical Chemistry 39: 1069–1074.Google Scholar
38Hicks, JM (1996). Near patient testing: is it here to stay? Journal of Clinical Pathology 49: 191–193.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
39Koterba, AM and Carlson, GP (1982). Acid–base and electrolyte alterations in horses with exertional rhabdomyolysis. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 80: 303–306.Google Scholar