1
|
Coelho CS, Silva ASBA, Santos CMR, Santos AMR, Vintem CMBL, Leite AG, Fonseca JMC, Prazeres JMCS, Souza VRC, Siqueira RF, Manso Filho HC, Simões JSA. Training Effects on the Stress Predictors for Young Lusitano Horses Used in Dressage. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12233436. [PMID: 36496958 PMCID: PMC9738668 DOI: 10.3390/ani12233436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate stressful responses during a 6-week training protocol in young Lusitano horses used for dressage. The hypothesis was that the proposed training protocol would improve fitness and ensure the welfare of the animals by reducing stress predictors. Nine 4-year-old horses were evaluated before (M1) and six weeks after (M2) beginning a training protocol. The training program was performed six times per week and included 40−80 min of individually intensity-adjusted preparatory exercises for dressage. For both moments, the horses were examined before (T0) and after (T1) dressage simulation tests (DST), and at 30 (T2) and 240 min (T3) during the recovery period. Blood samples were taken to determine the horses’ cortisol levels, total WBC, and neutrophil and lymphocyte counts. All variables were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests, with p ≤ 0.05. After training, there was a significant reduction in cortisol (p = 0.0133), HR (p = 0.0283), total WBC (p < 0.0001), and neutrophil (p < 0.0001) and lymphocyte (p = 0.0341) counts. Other findings included an increase in HRV parameters related to a cardiac vagal modulation. In conclusion, the chosen training protocol led to better fitness as the horses worked more intensively with lower cardiovascular requirements, and they showed blunted cortisol responses at M2. Such data can be used to evaluate performance, but also to predict the welfare of athletic horses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clarisse S. Coelho
- Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
- Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Universidade de Évora, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-935125059
| | - Ana Sofia B. A. Silva
- Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Catarina M. R. Santos
- Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Margarida R. Santos
- Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carolina M. B. L. Vintem
- Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Anderson G. Leite
- Center for Studies, Extension and Research in Equidae, Universidade Federal da Bahia (NEEPEq-UFBA), Salvador 40170-110, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Joana M. C. Fonseca
- Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José M. C. S. Prazeres
- Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Vinicius R. C. Souza
- Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Renata F. Siqueira
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria 97105-900, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Helio C. Manso Filho
- Núcleo de Pesquisa Equina, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife 51171-900, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Joana S. A. Simões
- Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
- CIISA-Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|