Physiological variables measured under field conditions according to age and state of training in French Trotters.
Authors: Couroucé A, Chrétien M, Valette J P
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Over a six-year period, researchers tracked 194 French Trotters undergoing standardised field exercise tests on sand tracks to establish how physiological markers of aerobic fitness—specifically the velocities at blood lactate thresholds of 2 and 4 mmol/l (V2 and V4), corresponding heart rates (HR2 and HR4), and velocity at 200 bpm heart rate (V200)—responded to both age and training intensity across 1105 test occasions. Both age and training state independently influenced these variables, with V2, V4 and V200 all increasing significantly as horses progressed through endurance and sprint training phases and matured from yearlings through to six years and beyond; heart rate at the 4 mmol/l lactate threshold also improved with age. These findings validate the use of field-based lactate threshold testing as a reliable, objective method for monitoring training adaptation in working trotters, offering practitioners a practical alternative to laboratory assessment. For farriers, vets and coaches managing competition horses, this suggests that standardised track-based fitness tests using portable lactate analysers can provide meaningful data on cardiovascular conditioning and help inform training periodisation decisions without requiring expensive laboratory facilities.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Objective fitness indices (V2, V4, V200) measured during routine track training can serve as practical tools to monitor fitness progression and training effectiveness without laboratory access
- •Training type significantly influences key fitness parameters, enabling trainers to assess whether current training protocols are effectively improving aerobic capacity and lactate threshold
- •Younger horses (1-2 years) will naturally show lower fitness variables than mature horses; fitness assessments should account for age when comparing individuals or planning progression
Key Findings
- •V2, V4, HR2, HR4 and V200 all increased significantly with age across 6 age groups over 6 years
- •V2, V4 and V200 improved significantly with training progression from beginning through endurance, sprint to racing training
- •Both age and training state had significant independent effects on physiological variables, with interaction effects observed
- •Field-based standardised exercise tests on sand track produced reproducible physiological indices consistent with laboratory studies