Effects of Pre-Cooling on Thermophysiological Responses in Elite Eventing Horses.
Authors: Klous Lisa, Siegers Esther, van den Broek Jan, Folkerts Mireille, Gerrett Nicola, van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan Marianne Sloet, Munsters Carolien
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Effects of Pre-Cooling on Thermophysiological Responses in Elite Eventing Horses Cold-water rinsing before exercise has shown promise in human athletics for delaying heat accumulation, yet its application in equine sport remains under-investigated, particularly during moderate-intensity work. Klous and colleagues measured core and skin temperature alongside cardiovascular, metabolic and sweat responses in ten international event horses performing canters under mild environmental conditions (mean wet bulb globe temperature 18.5°C), comparing pre-cooled animals (rinsed with 5–9°C water for 8 minutes) against controls with no pre-treatment. Pre-cooling produced a clinically meaningful 0.3°C reduction in rectal temperature at the 20-minute mark—the point of greatest thermal benefit—alongside substantial reductions in skin temperature at both shoulder (3.3°C lower) and rump (2.3°C lower); critically, this thermoregulatory advantage was achieved without altering heart rate, lactate accumulation, or sweat loss, suggesting the intervention does not compromise performance or create metabolic stress. For practitioners managing horses in warm climates or during intense competition phases, this work suggests that strategically timed cold-water rinsing could extend the thermal safety margin before dangerous core temperatures develop, though the moderate conditions tested mean further research is warranted in genuinely hot environments where such interventions might prove most valuable.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Cold-water rinsing prior to competition may help eventing horses maintain lower core temperatures during exercise in moderate conditions, enhancing welfare without affecting work capacity
- •Pre-cooling does not compromise performance indicators (HR, velocity, lactate) making it a low-risk welfare intervention for competition preparation
- •Consider implementing pre-cooling protocols before events to extend the thermal safety margin, particularly beneficial in warm weather or for horses with heat sensitivity
Key Findings
- •Pre-cooling with cold-water rinsing (5-9°C for 8±3 min) reduced rectal temperature by 0.3°C at 20 min of exercise compared to control
- •Shoulder skin temperature decreased by 3.30°C and rump skin temperature by 2.31°C following pre-cooling intervention
- •Velocity, heart rate, plasma lactate, gross sweat loss, local sweat rate, and sweat electrolyte composition were unaffected by pre-cooling
- •Pre-cooling increased heat storage capacity margin, potentially extending safe exercise duration before critical core temperature reached