Monitoring training response in young Friesian dressage horses using two different standardised exercise tests (SETs).
Authors: de Bruijn Cornelis Marinus, Houterman Willem, Ploeg Margreet, Ducro Bart, Boshuizen Berit, Goethals Klaartje, Verdegaal Elisabeth-Lidwien, Delesalle Catherine
Journal: BMC veterinary research
Summary
# Editorial Summary Young Friesian dressage horses characteristically reach their anaerobic threshold during standardised exercise testing at intensities lower than typical daily training demands, raising questions about which testing protocol best reflects training adaptations and fitness development. De Bruijn and colleagues compared two different 15-minute standardised exercise tests (SETA: continuous canter phases; SETB: alternating short cantering episodes with trot and walk) on nine young Friesians across eight weeks, measuring blood lactate accumulation (BLA) and heart rate responses to track training-induced changes. Both protocols demonstrated significant reductions in BLA by week eight, with horses exhibiting the lowest baseline fitness showing the most substantial improvements; notably, BLA decreased by week six in SETA but only by week eight in SETB, and maximum heart rate and post-canter lactate were significantly higher in SETA than SETB. For practitioners monitoring young Friesians during foundation training, longitudinal lactate sampling provides a more reliable indicator of aerobic development than heart rate measurements, whilst SETB's intermittent structure better mimics the aerobic training window appropriate for young horses and offers earlier detection of fitness gains compared to continuous-canter protocols. These findings support closer attention to objective metabolic monitoring rather than relying on resting or exercise heart rates alone when assessing whether young dressage horses are developing aerobic capacity appropriately.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Use blood lactate measurement (not heart rate alone) to track your young horse's training progress—it's the most reliable indicator of fitness improvement over time.
- •Design training protocols with alternating gaits (SETB pattern) rather than prolonged cantering to keep horses in the aerobic zone and match daily training intensity better.
- •Horses starting with lower fitness levels show the greatest improvement, so don't be discouraged by slow starters—they often make the most dramatic gains.
Key Findings
- •Blood lactic acid (BLA) after cantering decreased significantly from week 0 to week 8 in both exercise test protocols, with the largest improvements in horses with lowest initial fitness.
- •SETA (continuous canter episodes) produced significantly higher BLA and maximum heart rates than SETB (alternating canter/trot/walk), indicating greater anaerobic stress.
- •BLA showed significant correlation with average trot heart rate throughout the 8-week training period, making it a more reliable fitness marker than canter heart rate.
- •Young Friesian horses reach anaerobic threshold during standardized exercise testing at intensities lower than daily routine training, requiring regular monitoring.