High-level competition exercise and related fatigue are associated with stride and jumping characteristics in eventing horses.
Authors: Burger Dominik, Vidondo Beatriz, Gerber Vinzenz, Deillon David, Müller Antonia, Scheidegger Milena, Käser Rebekka, Ramseyer Alessandra
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Elite eventing horses competing across multiple high-level cross-country courses demonstrated measurable changes in stride mechanics and jumping characteristics as fatigue accumulated during competition, findings that could improve early detection of dangerous fatigue states in the sport. Researchers used sternal accelerometry to analyse stride parameters in 54 cross-country runs involving 33 horses, whilst measuring blood lactate and heart rate recovery in the 10 minutes post-course, then correlating these physiological markers with kinematic changes between course start and finish. The most striking finding was that elevated blood lactate concentrations—a key fatigue indicator—correlated positively with increased maximal strike power during jumps in the final minute of the course (r = 0.41), whilst simultaneously showing a negative correlation with mean jump height (r = –0.41), suggesting horses are working harder biomechanically as they tire but jumping less efficiently as a consequence. This pattern of heightened impact forces coupled with reduced jump height represents a critical safety concern, as compromised jumping mechanics increase injury risk for both horse and rider. For practitioners, these results suggest that monitoring stride symmetry, jump trajectory and post-exertion lactate levels could provide objective markers of unsafe fatigue accumulation during competition—information that could inform real-time decisions about whether to continue or withdraw a horse from a course.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Monitor stride height and jumping mechanics during the final stages of cross-country courses as indicators of fatigue; reduced jump height combined with elevated lactate suggests significant metabolic stress and injury risk.
- •Blood lactate and heart rate measured 10 minutes post-finish correlate with biomechanical markers, providing objective benchmarks for identifying fatigued horses requiring rest or intervention.
- •Early detection of kinematic changes (particularly in strike power and stride characteristics) during competition offers potential for real-time fatigue assessment and safety decision-making for rider and horse welfare.
Key Findings
- •Stride characteristics and jumping parameters change significantly during cross-country courses, with measurable differences between course start and end.
- •Blood lactate concentration positively correlated with mean maximal strike power at jumps in the final minute of course (r=0.41, p<0.001).
- •Mean stride height over jumps negatively correlated with blood lactate levels (r=-0.41, p=0.003), indicating reduced jumping efficiency with fatigue.
- •Kinematic changes during cross-country tests are dependent on event difficulty, speed, and fatigue accumulation.