title: Monitoring training response in young Friesian dressage horses using two different standardised exercise tests (SETs).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most Friesian horses reach their anaerobic threshold during a standardized exercise test (SET) which requires lower intensity exercise than daily routine training.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to study strengths and weaknesses of an alternative SET-protocol. Two different SETs (SETA and SETB) were applied during a 2 month training period of 9 young Friesian dressage horses. SETB alternated short episodes of canter with trot and walk, lacking long episodes of cantering, as applied in SETA. Following parameters were monitored: blood lactic acid (BLA) after cantering, average heart rate (HR) in trot and maximum HR in canter. HR and BLA of SETA and SETB were analyzed using a paired two-sided T-test and Spearman Correlation-coefficient (p* < 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  BLA after cantering was significantly higher in SETA compared to SETB and maximum HR in canter was significantly higher in SETA compared to SETB. The majority of horses showed a significant training response based upon longitudinal follow-up of BLA. Horses with the lowest fitness at start, displayed the largest training response. BLA was significantly lower in week 8 compared to week 0, in both SETA and SETB. A significantly decreased BLA level after cantering was noticeable in week 6 in SETA, whereas in SETB only as of week 8. In SETA a very strong correlation for BLA and average HR at trot was found throughout the entire training period, not for canter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young Friesian horses do reach their anaerobic threshold during a SET which requires lower intensity than daily routine training. Therefore close monitoring throughout training is warranted. Longitudinal follow up of BLA and not of HR is suitable to assess training response. In the current study, horses that started with the lowest fitness level, showed the largest training response. During training monitoring HR in trot rather than in canter is advised. SETB is best suited as a template for daily training in the aerobic window.
authors.affiliation: Wolvega Equine Hospital, Stellingenweg 10, Oldeholtpade, 8474 EA, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cornelis Marinus
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: de Bruijn
authors.affiliation: Wolvega Equine Hospital, Stellingenweg 10, Oldeholtpade, 8474 EA, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Houterman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Margreet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ploeg
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ducro
authors.affiliation: Wolvega Equine Hospital, Stellingenweg 10, Oldeholtpade, 8474 EA, The Netherlands.|Department of Comparative Physiology and Biometrics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke, 9820, Belgium.
authors.forename: Berit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boshuizen
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Physiology and Biometrics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke, 9820, Belgium.
authors.forename: Klaartje
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goethals
authors.affiliation: Equine Health and Performance Centre, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Roseworthy Campus, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5371, Australia.
authors.forename: Elisabeth-Lidwien
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Verdegaal
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Physiology and Biometrics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke, 9820, Belgium. Catherine.Delesalle@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8969-1407
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delesalle
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000818:Animals; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000662:veterinary*; D005684:Gait; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006736:Horses / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019344:Lactic Acid
keywords: Friesian; Heart rate; Lactic acid; Longitudinal; Standardized exercise test; Trot