title: Cardio-metabolic responses during horse riding at three different speeds.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present investigation was to study the metabolic demand and cardiovascular response during a typical horse riding session.
  
  
  METHODS
  To this aim, 19 (9 male, 10 female) riders, regularly participating in competitions, were enrolled. They underwent a preliminary, incremental exercise test on a cycle-ergometer to assess their anaerobic threshold (AT) and VO2max. Then, participants underwent a riding training session, which comprised periods of walking, trotting, and cantering for a total of 20 min. Oxygen uptake (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), and heart rate (HR) were obtained throughout the preliminary and riding test by means of a portable metabolic system. Moreover, excess of CO2 production (CO2excess) and oxygen pulse (OP) were also calculated to obtain an estimate of anaerobic glycolysis and stroke volume.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main result was that all collected parameters remained below the AT level throughout the riding session, with the exception of HR that approached the AT level only during cantering. In detail, during cantering, average VO2, VCO2, HR, CO2excess, and OP values were 1289 ± 331 mL min(-1), 1326 ± 266 mL min(-1), 158 ± 22 bpm, 215 ± 119 mL min(-1), and 7.8 ± 1.6 mL/bpm, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was concluded that riding imposes only light to moderate stress on the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. Moreover, cardiovascular reserve is only moderately recruited in terms of inotropism, while chronotropism can be stimulated more.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Sports Physiology Laboratory, University of Cagliari (Italy), Via Porcell 4, 09124, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianmarco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sainas
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Sports Physiology Laboratory, University of Cagliari (Italy), Via Porcell 4, 09124, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Melis
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Sports Physiology Laboratory, University of Cagliari (Italy), Via Porcell 4, 09124, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Corona
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Sports Physiology Laboratory, University of Cagliari (Italy), Via Porcell 4, 09124, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Sports Physiology Laboratory, University of Cagliari (Italy), Via Porcell 4, 09124, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ghiani
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Sports Physiology Laboratory, University of Cagliari (Italy), Via Porcell 4, 09124, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Milia
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Sports Physiology Laboratory, University of Cagliari (Italy), Via Porcell 4, 09124, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tocco
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Sports Physiology Laboratory, University of Cagliari (Italy), Via Porcell 4, 09124, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marongiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Sports Physiology Laboratory, University of Cagliari (Italy), Via Porcell 4, 09124, Cagliari, Italy. crisafulli@tiscali.it.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1933-2841
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crisafulli
mesh_terms: D015308:Anaerobic Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D056147:Equine-Assisted Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange / Q000502:physiology*; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
keywords: Anaerobic threshold; Carbon dioxide production; Heart rate; Oxygen pulse; Oxygen uptake