Effect of show jumping training on the development of locomotory muscle in young horses.

Objective: To investigate whether training for show jumping that is commenced early after birth affects the characteristics of equine locomotory muscle.

Animals: 19 Dutch Warmblood horses.

Procedures: Horses were assigned to a trained or not trained (control) group.

Effect of exercise on development of capillary supply and oxidative capacity in skeletal muscle of horses.

Objective: To determine whether postnatal development of oxidative capacity and capillary supply of skeletal muscle is affected by various movement regimens in horses.

Animals: 35 foals.

Procedures: Dutch Warmblood foals were allocated into 3 groups (box stall rest, box stall rest with training, and free pasture exercise).

Myosin heavy chain isoforms in equine gluteus medius muscle: comparison of mRNA and protein expression profiles.

The major structural protein in skeletal muscle, myosin heavy chain (MyHC), is primarily transcriptionally controlled. We compared the expression of MyHC isoforms on the mRNA and protein level in biopsies from the m. gluteus medius from adult untrained horses.

Differential expression of equine myosin heavy-chain mRNA and protein isoforms in a limb muscle.

The horse is one of the few animals kept and bred for its athletic performance and is therefore an interesting model for human sports performance. The regulation of the development of equine locomotion in the first year of life, and the influence of early training on later performance, are largely unknown. The major structural protein in skeletal muscle, myosin heavy-chain (MyHC), is believed to be primarily transcriptionally controlled.