Exercise testing in Warmblood sport horses under field conditions.
Authors: Munsters Carolien C B M, van Iwaarden Alexandra, van Weeren René, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan Marianne M
Journal: Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Exercise Testing in Warmblood Sport Horses Under Field Conditions Regular fitness assessment protocols have long underpinned equine racing management, yet their application to Olympic disciplines remains inconsistent and poorly standardised across eventing, dressage and show jumping. Munsters and colleagues reviewed the current state of exercise testing methodology in these three disciplines, identifying that event horses are most reliably assessed using four-step incremental tests measuring heart rate, blood lactate and velocity, whilst dressage and general riding horses employ a diverse range of approaches including lunging tests and ridden protocols, and show jumpers benefit from both incremental testing and discipline-specific fatigue evaluations. Velocity at 4 mmol/L plasma lactate (VLA4) emerged as the single most useful predictor of performance and injury risk in eventers, alongside heart rate recovery patterns during submaximal work. The authors emphasise that implementing regular exercise testing and training session monitoring could substantially improve injury prevention and performance prediction in sport horses, but highlight a critical gap: the field currently lacks agreed protocols and standardised output measures, making cross-study comparisons and evidence-based practice guidelines impossible. Equine professionals would benefit from advocating for consensus-driven testing standards within their disciplines to enable meaningful fitness profiling and evidence-based training optimisation.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Implement regular exercise testing in your competition horses to identify fitness levels and predict injury risk before problems develop
- •Monitor VLA4 and heart rate recovery as practical field indicators—these parameters best predict performance capacity and injury susceptibility in sport horses
- •Until testing protocols are standardised, work with your veterinarian to establish consistent baseline measurements for your individual horses rather than comparing across different testing systems
Key Findings
- •Four-step incremental exercise tests measuring heart rate, lactate concentration, and velocity are most commonly used in event horses
- •Velocity at plasma lactate of 4 mmol/L (VLA4) and heart rate recovery during submaximal exercise are the best predictive parameters for performance and impending injuries in event horses
- •Dressage and riding horses use diverse testing methodologies including incremental tests, indoor riding tests, and lunging tests
- •Standardisation of exercise testing methodologies and outcome parameters is urgently needed to enable comparable results across studies