Liedtke Anna M, Meijer Hans, Horstmann Stephanie, von Reitzenstein Caroline, Rump Insa, Kirsch Katharina
German Olympic Equestrian Committee (DOKR), Freiherr-von-Langen-Str. 15, 48231 Warendorf, Germany.
Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behaviour and Laboratory Animal Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, 14163 Berlin, Germany.
Animals (Basel). 2025 Jun 17;15(12):1775. doi: 10.3390/ani15121775.
Eventing is an Olympic equestrian discipline comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping, with the cross-country phase imposing the greatest physical demands on horses. This study presents a composite model to estimate energy expenditure during the cross-country phase, integrating physiological data (heart rate-derived VO2 and lactate-based anaerobic estimates) with external workload indicators (GPS-derived speed, elevation, and course complexity). Model development was based on 691 rides from 256 horses across 232 events at 2-star to 5-star competition levels. The analysis showed that terrain, speed variability, and acceleration, largely shaped by course design, significantly affect energy expenditure. Aerobic and anaerobic contributions to power output varied by speed, format, and competition level. The model explained 29% of variance in power output and 91% when accounting for random effects, demonstrating the influence of both external and individual factors. Short-format events exhibited higher anaerobic contributions than long-format events. While the competition level had a modest effect, it reflected increasing technical difficulty and jump size. These findings underline the importance of incorporating both physiological responses and course characteristics in energy assessments. The model supports more targeted conditioning, enhances performance monitoring, and contributes to improved equine welfare by providing a more accurate understanding of workload in cross-country competitions.
三日赛是一项奥运会马术项目，包括盛装舞步、越野赛和场地障碍赛，其中越野赛阶段对马匹的体能要求最高。本研究提出了一个综合模型，用于估算越野赛阶段的能量消耗，该模型将生理数据（心率衍生的摄氧量和基于乳酸的无氧估计值）与外部工作量指标（全球定位系统衍生的速度、海拔和赛道复杂度）相结合。模型开发基于来自256匹马在2星级至5星级比赛水平的232场赛事中的691次骑行。分析表明，主要由赛道设计决定的地形、速度变化和加速度，对能量消耗有显著影响。有氧和无氧对功率输出的贡献因速度、赛制和比赛水平而异。该模型解释了功率输出中29%的方差，在考虑随机效应时解释了91%的方差，表明了外部因素和个体因素的影响。短赛制赛事的无氧贡献高于长赛制赛事。虽然比赛水平的影响较小，但它反映了技术难度和跳跃高度的增加。这些发现强调了在能量评估中纳入生理反应和赛道特征的重要性。该模型支持更有针对性的训练，加强性能监测，并通过更准确地了解越野赛中的工作量，有助于改善马匹福利。
