Wonghanchao Thita, Huangsaksri Onjira, Sanigavatee Kanokpan, Poochipakorn Chanoknun, Chanprame Sarisa, Wongkosoljit Sirapatch, Chotiyothin Wanlapa, Rattanayanon Nontaruj, Kiawwan Ratsamin, Chanda Metha
Veterinary Clinical Study Program, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Kamphangsaen, Thailand.
Department of Large Animal and Wildlife Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Kamphangsaen, Thailand.
Front Vet Sci. 2024 Oct 22;11:1456733. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1456733. eCollection 2024.
Animal welfare is of great concern in equestrian sports and has been evaluated in athletic horses competing at different levels. However, the impact of consecutive days of jumping competition and the extent of resultant stress responses remains unclear. To address this point, the present study compared the changes in stress response via heart rate variability (HRV) in horses participating in two national jumping events on consecutive days.
The study involved six experienced horses equipped with heart rate monitoring devices. HRV variables were measured before, during, and after jumping at 10-min intervals for 60 min on each competition day.
Multiple HRV variables decreased to varying degrees on both days from warm-up until 30 min post-jumping. Meanwhile, the mean heart rate increased during jumping and returned to normal levels at 50 min post-jumping on the first day (for all intervals, < 0.05-0.001), while it remained elevated beyond 60 min post-jumping on the second day (for all intervals, < 0.01-0.001). Additionally, maximum heart rate and respiratory rate were higher on the second day than in the first round during the warm-up phase ( < 0.05 for both variables). The proportion of the HRV low-frequency band was higher during riding on the second day ( < 0.05), while the proportion of the high-frequency band was reduced during warm-up on the first day ( < 0.05) and during course riding on the second ( < 0.01). Meanwhile, the sympathetic nervous system index took longer to return to baseline on the second day than on the first.
These results suggest that autonomic regulation differed in horses between jumping rounds on two consecutive days, with horses experiencing higher sympathetic activity and potentially increased stress in the second round. This information is important for riders, highlighting the need to be mindful of potential stress that could, at least in part, impact the welfare of horses participating in the same jumping competition on consecutive days.
动物福利在马术运动中备受关注，并且已经在参加不同级别比赛的竞技马匹中进行了评估。然而，连续数日的跳跃比赛所产生的影响以及由此引发的应激反应程度仍不明确。为了解决这一问题，本研究比较了连续两日参加两项全国性跳跃赛事的马匹通过心率变异性（HRV）所反映的应激反应变化。
该研究涉及六匹配备了心率监测设备的经验丰富的马匹。在每个比赛日，以10分钟的间隔在跳跃前、跳跃期间和跳跃后测量HRV变量，持续60分钟。
在两个比赛日中，从热身到跳跃后30分钟，多个HRV变量均有不同程度的下降。与此同时，平均心率在跳跃期间升高，并在第一天跳跃后50分钟恢复到正常水平（所有时间段，<0.05 - 0.001），而在第二天跳跃后60分钟仍保持升高（所有时间段，<0.01 - 0.001）。此外，在热身阶段，第二天的最高心率和呼吸频率高于第一轮（两个变量均<0.05）。第二天骑行期间HRV低频带的比例较高（<0.05），而第一天热身期间（<0.05）和第二天场地骑行期间（<0.01）高频带的比例降低。同时，第二天交感神经系统指数恢复到基线的时间比第一天更长。
这些结果表明，连续两日的跳跃轮次中马匹的自主调节存在差异，马匹在第二轮中经历了更高的交感神经活动，并且可能压力增加。这一信息对骑手很重要，凸显了需要留意潜在的压力，这种压力可能至少在一定程度上影响连续两日参加同一跳跃比赛的马匹的福利。
