Heart Rates and Blood Lactate Concentrations of Standardbred Horses During Training and Racing

SUMMARY Standardbred horses were examined during and after different types of work—at the track (25 horses), in the swimming pool (10 horses), free moving at pasture (3 horses), and during jogging on the track (7 horses). The heart rate during work was examined by a telemetric technique. At the same time, blood values of hemoglobin, packed cell volume, and lactic acid were determined. The heart rate of the horse during maximum work varied from 210 to 238 beats/minute. The interval training in horses, as in man, seemed to give the most effective circulatory training as judged from heart rate and lactic acid concentration in the blood. The work in a swimming pool was found to provide as good training of the oxygen-transporting system as submaximum trotting work. The value of this type of training was limited, however, due to low lactate production and inadequate muscle-training. This kind of training, therefore, was considered to be especially useful for horses with minor leg injuries.