Swimming exercise and race performance in thoroughbred racehorses (2024)

Klomp, M., Munsters, C. C. B. M. (2014). Swimming exercise and race performance in thoroughbred racehorses. Pferdeheilkunde, 30(4), 403-406.

Klomp, Mariet ; Munsters, Corolien C B M ; Sloet van Oldruitenborgh - Oosterbaan, Marianne. / Swimming exercise and race performance in thoroughbred racehorses. In: Pferdeheilkunde. 2014 ; Vol. 30, No. 4. pp. 403-406.

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title = "Swimming exercise and race performance in thoroughbred racehorses",

abstract = "Swimming has become an accepted part of the training programme of race horses. The purpose of this study was to establish whether it was possible to perform a standardized swimming test in race horses and to evaluate whether exercise variables calculated from this test were related to race track performance. Fifty- Two Thoroughbred racehorses (4.6 ±1.4 years; 50 geldings and 2 stallions) participating in races at the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), were used in the study. All horses underwent a swimming test consisting of two laps of an oval shaped swimming pool (1 lap= ±60m). During the swimming test, heart rate (HR; beats/min) and speed (V; m/s) of the horses were monitored. Additionally, 10 of the 52 horses were tested a second time (after 1 -21 days), to evaluate the repeatability of the swimming test and after the second swimming test plasma lactate concentration (LA; mmol/L) was estimated. 'Performance Rating' of horses was defined by the rating score determined by the HKJC, based upon race performance. For a second performance parameter ('Performance Category'), horses were divided into 'good performers' (placed in 1 to 5 rank at competition in the period between 1 month before to 1 month after the swimming test) and 'average performers' (placed at lower rankings). Mean HR during the first swimming test was 178 ± 14 bpm, the mean V was 1.06 ± 0.10m/s. There was a significant correlation between HR and V (r = 0.720, P < 0.001, n = 52), but HR was not repeatable between tests (r = 0.390, P = 0.265, n = 10). No significant correlation was found between racing performance and heart rate, speed or plasma lactate concentration. Under the existing circ*mstances it was not possible to perform a repeatable standar-dised swimming test. The results of the swimming test were not a useful predictor of either Performance Rating or Performance Category. Some horses reached high heart rates during the swimming test and one horse also showed a plasma lactate concentration above anaerobic threshold, indicating that the exercise of swimming may not be always as mild as some trainers think.",

keywords = "Exercise physiology, Heart rate, Performance, Speed, Swimming test, Thoroughbred racehorse",

author = "Mariet Klomp and Munsters, {Corolien C B M} and {Sloet van Oldruitenborgh - Oosterbaan}, Marianne",

year = "2014",

month = jan,

day = "1",

language = "English",

volume = "30",

pages = "403--406",

journal = "Pferdeheilkunde",

issn = "0177-7726",

publisher = "Hippiatrika Verlagsgesellschaf",

number = "4",

}

Klomp, M, Munsters, CCBM 2014, 'Swimming exercise and race performance in thoroughbred racehorses', Pferdeheilkunde, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 403-406.

Swimming exercise and race performance in thoroughbred racehorses. / Klomp, Mariet; Munsters, Corolien C B M; Sloet van Oldruitenborgh - Oosterbaan, Marianne.
In: Pferdeheilkunde, Vol. 30, No. 4, 01.01.2014, p. 403-406.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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T1 - Swimming exercise and race performance in thoroughbred racehorses

AU - Klomp, Mariet

AU - Munsters, Corolien C B M

AU - Sloet van Oldruitenborgh - Oosterbaan, Marianne

PY - 2014/1/1

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N2 - Swimming has become an accepted part of the training programme of race horses. The purpose of this study was to establish whether it was possible to perform a standardized swimming test in race horses and to evaluate whether exercise variables calculated from this test were related to race track performance. Fifty- Two Thoroughbred racehorses (4.6 ±1.4 years; 50 geldings and 2 stallions) participating in races at the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), were used in the study. All horses underwent a swimming test consisting of two laps of an oval shaped swimming pool (1 lap= ±60m). During the swimming test, heart rate (HR; beats/min) and speed (V; m/s) of the horses were monitored. Additionally, 10 of the 52 horses were tested a second time (after 1 -21 days), to evaluate the repeatability of the swimming test and after the second swimming test plasma lactate concentration (LA; mmol/L) was estimated. 'Performance Rating' of horses was defined by the rating score determined by the HKJC, based upon race performance. For a second performance parameter ('Performance Category'), horses were divided into 'good performers' (placed in 1 to 5 rank at competition in the period between 1 month before to 1 month after the swimming test) and 'average performers' (placed at lower rankings). Mean HR during the first swimming test was 178 ± 14 bpm, the mean V was 1.06 ± 0.10m/s. There was a significant correlation between HR and V (r = 0.720, P < 0.001, n = 52), but HR was not repeatable between tests (r = 0.390, P = 0.265, n = 10). No significant correlation was found between racing performance and heart rate, speed or plasma lactate concentration. Under the existing circ*mstances it was not possible to perform a repeatable standar-dised swimming test. The results of the swimming test were not a useful predictor of either Performance Rating or Performance Category. Some horses reached high heart rates during the swimming test and one horse also showed a plasma lactate concentration above anaerobic threshold, indicating that the exercise of swimming may not be always as mild as some trainers think.

AB - Swimming has become an accepted part of the training programme of race horses. The purpose of this study was to establish whether it was possible to perform a standardized swimming test in race horses and to evaluate whether exercise variables calculated from this test were related to race track performance. Fifty- Two Thoroughbred racehorses (4.6 ±1.4 years; 50 geldings and 2 stallions) participating in races at the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), were used in the study. All horses underwent a swimming test consisting of two laps of an oval shaped swimming pool (1 lap= ±60m). During the swimming test, heart rate (HR; beats/min) and speed (V; m/s) of the horses were monitored. Additionally, 10 of the 52 horses were tested a second time (after 1 -21 days), to evaluate the repeatability of the swimming test and after the second swimming test plasma lactate concentration (LA; mmol/L) was estimated. 'Performance Rating' of horses was defined by the rating score determined by the HKJC, based upon race performance. For a second performance parameter ('Performance Category'), horses were divided into 'good performers' (placed in 1 to 5 rank at competition in the period between 1 month before to 1 month after the swimming test) and 'average performers' (placed at lower rankings). Mean HR during the first swimming test was 178 ± 14 bpm, the mean V was 1.06 ± 0.10m/s. There was a significant correlation between HR and V (r = 0.720, P < 0.001, n = 52), but HR was not repeatable between tests (r = 0.390, P = 0.265, n = 10). No significant correlation was found between racing performance and heart rate, speed or plasma lactate concentration. Under the existing circ*mstances it was not possible to perform a repeatable standar-dised swimming test. The results of the swimming test were not a useful predictor of either Performance Rating or Performance Category. Some horses reached high heart rates during the swimming test and one horse also showed a plasma lactate concentration above anaerobic threshold, indicating that the exercise of swimming may not be always as mild as some trainers think.

KW - Exercise physiology

KW - Heart rate

KW - Performance

KW - Speed

KW - Swimming test

KW - Thoroughbred racehorse

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Klomp M, Munsters CCBM, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh - Oosterbaan M. Swimming exercise and race performance in thoroughbred racehorses. Pferdeheilkunde. 2014 Jan 1;30(4):403-406.