10th International Conference on Equine Exercise

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COMPARATIVE EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY

ISSN 1755-2540 – 2018 – VOLUME 14 – SUPPLEMENT 1

Wageningen Academic P u b l i s h e r s

Comparative Exercise Physiology, 2018; 14 Supplement 1

Wageningen Academic P u b l i s h e r s


Foreword and Acknowledgements The mission of the International Conference on Equine Exercise Physiology (ICEEP) is to advance the understanding of the physiology, function and health of athletic horses through the promotion of scientific research. The abstracts in this compilation represent a collation of novel research presented at the tenth quadrennial meeting, which returned to Australia after 24 years. Befitting current industry around the world, the abstracts cover a wide range of topics relevant to athletic horses with a particular emphasis on the major systems critical to excellent performance in the horse such as biomechanics, training, and cardiorespiratory phenomena. Reflecting progressive evolution in medicine and technology, the compiled abstracts also instruct on new findings in genomics, physiotherapy, drugs, nutrition and other salient issues. The goal of the International Committee of ICEEP in publishing these abstracts is to disseminate current scientific information to veterinarians, physiotherapists, trainers, owners, and riders. It is our sincerest wish that these actions will foster attention to and advances in equine health, welfare and performance. We hope to achieve this by promoting collaborative interdisciplinary research efforts, the mentoring of students and junior scientists, and the sharing of validated information to all who might benefit and in turn be better able to support these supreme athletes. Abstracts were compiled and edited by Erica McKenzie, who extends her sincere gratitude to all contributing expert reviewers, including the members of the international and editorial committees listed below, and to Wim Back, Filipe Serra Bragança, Catherine Delesalle, Ken Hinchcliff, Heli Hyytiäinen, Joe Pagan, Thilo Pfau, Marie Rhodin, Brandon Velie, and Chris Whitton. Thanks must also be expressed to the other members of the ICEEP 10 committees, and particularly to Sam Franklin and Chris Whitton for their extensive efforts in developing the ICEEP 10 programme and conference, and to René van Weeren, for steering the international committee the past four years. We are grateful to our premier 2018 sponsor, Racing Victoria, represented by Grace Forbes, and to our longstanding sponsors Kentucky Equine Research, represented by Joe Pagan, and WALTHAM, represented by Pat Harris. We greatly appreciate our partnership with Mike Jacobs and Wageningen Academic Publishers in providing the online abstract submission system and publication of this compilation. Erica McKenzie BSc, BVMS, PhD. DACVIM Diplomate American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation ICEEP 2018 Editorial Chair

ISSN 1755-2540 print, ISSN 1755-2559 online, DOI 10.3920/CEP2018.S1S1


ICEEP International Committee: Chair: René van Weeren (The Netherlands) Warwick Bayly (USA, ex-officio Treasurer) Jonathan Foreman (USA, Secretary) Sam Franklin (Australia) Anna Jansson (Sweden) Catherine McGowan (England) Ken McKeever (USA) Erica McKenzie (USA) Emmanuelle van Erck (Belgium) ICEEP National Committee: Chair: Sam Franklin (Adelaide) Ben Ahern (Queensland) Grace Forbes (Melbourne) Ken Hinchcliff (Melbourne) Brett Tennent-Brown (Melbourne) Lidwien (Elisabeth) Verdegaal (Adelaide) Chris Whitton (Melbourne) ICEEP Editorial Committee: Chair: Erica McKenzie (USA) Warwick Bayly (USA) Jonathan Foreman (USA) Anna Jansson (Sweden) Catherine McGowan (England) Ken McKeever (USA) Emmanuelle van Erck (Belgium) René van Weeren (The Netherlands)

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Comparative Exercise Physiology 14 Supplement 1


Abstracts – Applied Physiology – Training

Applied Physiology – Training

Recovery heart rates as a predictor of race position in National Hunt Racehorses G. Wilson1 and C.M. McGowan2 1Liverpool John Moores University, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Science, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, United Kingdom, 2The University of Liverpool, Equine Clinical Science, Institute of Veterinary Science, Leahurst Campus, CH64, 7TE Neston, United Kingdom; [email protected] Prediction of race fitness using the principles of excess post-exercise oxygen consumption is a potentially valuable applied exercise physiology tool. We hypothesised that horses with a lower recovery heart rate after a standardised field test would perform better in their subsequent race. Twenty mature, experienced National Hunt horses (15 geldings, 5 mares; 6.5±1.1 years; 489±33.5 kg), underwent 34 pre-race standardised 3-interval field exercise tests using telemetric heart rate (HR) and global positioning satellite (GPS) monitoring on a 1,400 m track inclined 32 m. Horses were classified into three groups based on 1 min post-exercise HR after interval 3 (>140 bpm; unfit [U]; 120140 bpm; fit-to-race [FR]; 13.3 m/s; 8,000 m/month (IQR 6,400-12,000 m/month)]. For gallops at speeds greater than 14.3 m/s, 50% of mature horse programs exceeded 6,400 m/month. Cluster analyses identified four workload programs: (1) low volume (4,800 m/month), (2) medium volume (8,000 m), (3) medium volume (12,800 m) with a higher proportion of high-speed workouts, and (4) high volume programs (19,200 m), with 23.4, 50.0, 17.2 and 9.4% of trainers predominately training racehorses under each of these programs respectively. There was substantial variation in workload volume between trainers and for different horse ages and targeted race distances (younger < older, sprinters < stayers). Australian Thoroughbred training programs include high volumes of galloping with more than half exceeding previously reported risk levels for MSI. Future work aims to determine injury risk and performance under different training programs.

Comparative Exercise Physiology 14 Supplement 1

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Abstracts – Applied Physiology – Training

A study of the gait and respiratory pattern of horses when swimming


S. Jones1, C. Whittaker1, S. Franklin2 and C. Steel1 1University of Melbourne, Equine Centre, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee 3030, Australia, 2University of Adelaide, Equine Health and Performance Centre, Mudla Wirra Road, Roseworthy 5371, Australia; [email protected] We aimed to describe the swimming gait of horses and to determine if respiration is coupled to swimming stride. Video and audio recordings were analysed for 18 race fit horses (14 Thoroughbreds and 4 Standardbreds) free swimming in a straight line without added resistance from current or tether, in three different pools. Limb timing, strides/min, time until first breath, breaths/min (RR) and mean stride to breath frequency when swimming were recorded and the correlation between strides/min and breaths/min determined using linear regression (P