Anna Stachurska

The effect of relaxing massage on heart rate and heart rate variability in purebred Arabian racehorses.

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of relaxing massage on the heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) in young racehorses during their first racing season. In the study, 72 Purebred Arabian racehorses were included. The study was implemented during the full race season. The horses from control and experimental groups were included in regular race training 6 days a week. The horses from the experimental group were additionally subject to the relaxing massage 3 days a week during the whole study. HR and HRV were assumed as indicators of the emotional state of the horses. The measurements were taken six times, every 4-5 weeks. The HRV parameters were measured at rest, during grooming and saddling the horse and during warm-up walking under a rider. The changes of the parameters throughout the season suggest that the relaxing massage may be effectively used to make the racehorses more relaxed and calm. Moreover, the horses from the experimental group had better race performance records.

Emotional reactions of horses and trainers during natural method training.

Abstract The first aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the trainer factor and the sex of the horse affect the heart rate (HR) of the trainer-horse pair. The second aim was to estimate the level of the trainer-horse pair’s emotions and to find the relationship of the HR between the trainer and the horse during the preliminary, natural-method training. The animals used in the study were 40 three-year-old purebred Arabian horses trained by two trainers from the Silversand Horsemanship School. Each trainer worked with 20 randomly selected horses, equally grouped by sex. The study was carried out during the first day of the training cycle. The aim was to have a horse accept a rider. The following items were subject to analysis: deconcentration, concentration, desensitizing, putting on the lungeing surcingle, and saddling. The emotional status of the horses and the trainers was evaluated based on HR variations which were measured by applying Polar S810 telemetric devices. The device produced continuous measurements with readings every 60 seconds. Two-factor analysis of variance and Pearson correlations were determined with the use of SAS software. Significance of differences between mean values was verified using Tukey’s test. The results obtained revealed that the sex of the trained horses was not an important factor in the evaluation of trainer’s emotions, despite the fact that fillies were characterized as having a more uniform HR. The trainer is very responsible for the emotions of a trained horse, especially at the beginning of training and during saddling. From a trainer’s point of view, it is important to complete the horse concentration task as quickly as possible. The lack of an emotional relationship in the trainer-horse pair during some training elements, suggests that it is not only the trainer’s experience, but mainly the trainer’s personality that determines the probable success in naturalmethod work. Streszczenie Celem pracy stała się ocena wpływu czynnika płci konia i czynnika trenera na liczbę skurczów serca (HR) pary człowiek - koń oraz określenie poziomu emocji wspomnianej pary i wzajemnego powiązania ich HR podczas wstępnego szkolenia młodych koni metodami naturalnymi. Materiał do badań stanowiły zapisy HR 40 trzyletnich koni czystej krwi oraz 2 trenerów szkoły Silversand Horsemanship, z których każdy pracował z 20 losowo wybranymi końmi, reprezentującymi w równej liczbie ogierki i klaczki. Badania przeprowadzono podczas pierwszego dnia cyklu treningowego, którego celem było przyjęcie jeźdźca przez konia. Analizie poddano elementy treningu opisane jako: dekoncentracja, koncentracja, odczulanie, zakładanie pasa do lonżowania oraz zakładanie siodła. Stan emocjonalny koni i trenerów oceniono na podstawie zmian HR mierzonych za pomocą urządzeń telemetrycznych Polar S810. Zapis pracy serca odbywał się w sposób ciągły z odczytem w interwałach co 60 s. W programie SAS zastosowano dwuczynnikową analizę wariancji oraz korelacje Pearsona. Istotność między średnimi określono testem t - Tukeya. Na podstawie uzyskanych wyników stwierdzono, że płeć szkolonych koni nie ma większego wpływu na emocje trenera, mimo iż klaczki charakteryzują się bardziej wyrównanym HR. Zaobserwować można natomiast znaczny wpływ osoby trenera na emocje konia, szczególnie w początkowej fazie treningu oraz w czasie zakładania siodła, istotne z punktu widzenia człowieka może być jak najszybsze uzyskanie koncentracji przez konia. Brak relacji emocjonalnych pary człowiek - koń w niektórych elementach szkolenia sugeruje, iż o sukcesie w pracy metodami naturalnymi będzie decydowało nie tylko wyszkolenie trenera, ale przede wszystkim cechy jego osobowości.

Can Releasing Racehorses to Paddocks be Beneficial? Heart Rate Analysis – Preliminary Study

Abstract The aim of the study was to assess the effect of allowing racehorses to use paddocks, on the heart rate (HR). HR was used as a measure of horses’ psychosomatic response to environment effect. The study involved 90 Purebred Arabian horses divided into three groups of equal numbers of stallions and mares. The control group (C) was trained at the racetrack. The other two groups were trained in an off-the-racetrack centre and therefore, they were regularly transported to the races. One of those groups (T) was maintained in the same manner as horses at the racetrack, without access to paddocks. Horses from the other group (TP) were additionally released into a paddock every day. Each horse was examined within five three-week measuring periods, during one training season. HR was registered at rest, during saddling, and while walking with a rider. A multivariate analysis of variance (ANOVA, GLM) was used to compare HR. The significance of differences between means was determined using Tukey’s test. HR registered from 2nd to 5th measuring periods during saddling and walking was generally lower in TP than in C. For example, in stallions during saddling, HR amounted to: 54.4±14.7 vs 65.3±12.1, 53.2±13.5 vs 64.4±13.1, 55.4±12.2 vs 65.0±11.0 and 53.4±14.0 vs 66.5±13.8 beats/min, respectively. In T stallions and mares, HR tended to increase when the transportation began which was particularly pronounced at rest. The study revealed that the possibility of turnout into paddocks reduced HR in racehorses, in comparison to horses trained at racetrack. Training for horse racing in an off-the-racetrack centre with the use of paddocks was assessed as beneficial, provided the horses were used to being transported.

Which Horses are Most Susceptible to the Initial Natural Training

Abstract The objective of the study was to estimate the horses’ susceptibility to the initial natural training by one mark regarding both the time of training and the heart rate, as well as to verify whether the time of internalizing a task and the heart rate are strictly correlated. the material included 69 thoroughbred, purebred arabian and angloarabian horses. three-day training consisted of consecutive stages-tasks: the concentration on the trainer, desensitizing, preparation for saddling, and saddling. The individual training times and heart rates were classified into three kinds of sections: low, intermediate, and high. the breeds were scored on a three-point scale according to the number of representatives in a section. pearson’s correlations for particular tasks were found between the data in the training time sections and the heart rate. the estimate resulting from the study demonstrates that thoroughbreds are the most susceptible to the natural training. purebred arabians rank second and angloarabians rank lowest. the angloarabians need more time to internalize the training tasks. the short time of internalizing a task by the horse is negatively correlated with the heart rate. however, in horses which need a longer time for the training, the hr is often heightened as well. that suggests the training time should be adjusted to the level of emotional arousal in a horse.

Offtrack training ameliorates emotional excitability in purebred Arabian racehorses

Abstract: The aim of this study was to compare emotional excitability in purebred Arabian racehorses trained either with a standard method or with additional off-racetrack training. The study was carried out on 46 horses that were trained for racing in a home stud. The control group (CN, n = 23) was trained only on the training racetrack, whereas for the experimental group (EX, n = 23), the training schedule was alternated between work on the training track and off-racetrack training in a forest. The emotional excitability in horses was determined according to the heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). The measurements (six times every 30 d) were taken at rest, during grooming and saddling, and during mounting and walking with a rider. The behavior of horses was also assessed. Higher activity of the parasympathetic nervous systems was found in EX horses during procedures preceding the training. This effect disappeared and the results paralleled those of CN horses once the training session with a rider began. The tested modification of the race training had a positive impact on the horse behavior of the horse during grooming, saddling, mounting, and walking with a rider. However, the modification influenced the autonomic system activity of horses only at rest and during the procedures preceding training sessions, whereas the effect was not seen during mounting and walking.

Changes in blood lymphocyte subpopulations and expression of MHC-II molecules in wild mares before and after parturition

Abstract Introduction: Pregnancy is a physiological state in which the immune system undergoes certain changes. On the one hand, by depleting cell defence mechanisms, it favours development and maintenance of the pregnancy. At the same time cells of the immune system ensure resistance to many risk factors, including infectious agents. Material and Methods: The study was carried out on 24 Polish Konik breed mares which were divided into two equal groups. The first group (group I) included mares living in the reserve. The second group (group II) comprised mares maintained under conventional conditions in the stables. The blood samples were collected for the first time in the perinatal period, i.e. 2 weeks before parturition (trial 0), then within the first 24 h after delivery, and then on 7th and 21st day after foaling. Flow cytometric analysis of lymphocyte expressing TCD4+, TCD8+, CD2+, and MHC class II antigens was performed. Results: Before the delivery, in group I there was a significantly higher CD4:CD8 ratio compared to group II (P ≤0.05). Similarly, significantly increased CD4:CD8 ratio in group I was noted within 24 h after parturition (P ≤0.001) and it was also observed on 7th day (P ≤0.03) and 21st day after foaling (P ≤0.02). In the first 24 h after parturition, a significant decline of lymphocytes CD8+ (P ≤0.02) was noted. No significant differences in terms of lymphocytes CD2+ and CD3+ were observed. Expression of MHC-II molecules before and after the parturition was higher in group I compared to group II; however, the difference between the groups was not significant. Conclusion: The results obtained indicate that mares living in the reserve display higher activity of cell defence mechanisms.

Correlation between kinematic parameters of the free jumping horse in the first approach stride

Abstract The objective of the study was to compare the horses body parts in position at the first approach stride, with the size of the jump. The size of the jump was accepted as the measure of the horses performance. The experiment included the filming of 540 young warmblood stallions free jumping a 120 cm high oxer. Ten traits assumed to be connected with the size of the jump were measured by digital image analysis. Pearsons correlations between the parameters were calculated. Our results demonstrated the four traits that are most important in judgement of the young horses jumping ability at the approach stride 1. The low angle of bending at poll positively influences the size of the jump. Angles of the positions of neck and trailing hindlimb cannon have a positive effect only up to 100° and up to 40°, respectively. The poll–obstacle distance should not exceed 120 cm.