Authors: Sides R H, Kirkpatrick R, Renner E, Gough K, Katz L M, Evans D L, Bayly W M
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Measuring maximal oxygen consumption (V̇O₂ max) in horses has historically required laboratory-based equipment incompatible with ridden work, limiting assessment under realistic field conditions. Sides and colleagues designed and validated two facemask configurations fitted with pneumotachometers and an electronic control module to enable breath-by-breath measurement of airflow and expired oxygen content during exercise, with Mask R specifically engineered to accommodate a bit for ridden assessment. Testing across six horses revealed no significant differences in V̇O₂ max values between the two masks and an established open flow-through system (approximately 150 ml/kg/min across all three methods), whilst measurements proved highly reproducible between independent raters (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.99). Although some rebreathing of dead space air occurred, Mask R represents a genuine advance for practitioners seeking to quantify aerobic capacity during field-based or ridden exercise testing, moving beyond treadmill-dependent protocols and enabling fitness assessment more closely aligned with actual performance demands. This development should facilitate more practical cardiovascular evaluation for equine athletes across diverse disciplines and training environments.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Mask R enables accurate field measurement of horse aerobic capacity during ridden exercise, replacing previous laboratory-only testing requirements
- •The high reproducibility (ICC 0.99) makes this system reliable for longitudinal fitness assessment and performance monitoring in training programs
- •Practitioners can now quantify maximal oxygen consumption in working conditions, enabling data-driven decisions about training intensity and workload management
Key Findings
- •Two facemask designs successfully measured VO2 max on treadmill with values of 151.9±7.0 ml/kg/min (open system), 151.5±9.6 (Mask B), and 149.5±7.5 (Mask R) showing no significant differences
- •Mask R design allows unrestricted jaw movement compatible with bit and bridle for field use applications
- •VO2 max measurements were highly reproducible between masks with intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.99 between raters
- •Minor rebreathing of expired air from mask dead space was observed but did not significantly affect accuracy of measurements