SAEVA Congress 2018 Proceedings | 12-15 February 2018 | ATKV Goudini Spa
We have recently developed a mask that appears to allow horses the opportunity to
breathe normally while galloping with the mask on. The results using this mask have
been compared with those measured in the same horses on a treadmill and found to
be no different. Limited testing has been conducted on thoroughbreds in work and
polo horses and findings are very promising in terms of repeatability of results, the
horses’ tolerance of the mask and the riders’ responses. The mask also allows
breath by breath recording of airflow from each nostril, respiratory rate and
calculation of tidal volumes and minute ventilation. The ability to measure VO 2 max
in horses under saddle offers a new perspective in evaluating the aerobic capacity of
horses. It also provides a means assess responses to training and to monitor horses
for reductions in performance.
Assessing anaerobic energy capacity This is not something that has been widely
practiced in the field or on treadmills. Ideally, anaerobic capacity is determined by
running a horse at a speed that has an oxygen demand greater than VO 2 max until it
is no longer able to keep up with the treadmill. Providing the relative intensity of the
exercise is the same for 2 or more horses, the horse that runs longest probably has
the highest anaerobic capacity. This can actually be quantitated if a facemask is
worn and VO 2 is measured.
Field assessment of anaerobic capacity is still a work in progress. The most
promising protocol involves having horses repeat intervals of work at high speed and
taking into account the speed at which they do these intervals and the lactate
concentrations following each interval. Interpretation of the results is also difficult as
there are both aerobic and anaerobic factors involved in these tests, but generally
speaking, the horses with the lower lactates over a given distance and speed are
going to be the best athletes.
Using sound to evaluate the upper airway Analysis of sound has been shown to be a
useful tool in detecting upper airway pathology in exercising horses using a process
called spectral analysis. The process has been developed by Equine Analysis of
Midway, KY. Recordings are obtained with an omni-directional lavalier microphone
attached to a micro-cassette recorder mounted on the horse’s head utilizing a
modified blinker type hood without eye cups
Power spectral density (PSD) graphs are used to assess
sounds associated with laryngeal structures by plotting the
frequency of the sound on the x-axis and the amplitude or
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