Biomechanical variables in Icelandic horse riders and the effect on tölt performance: A pilot study.

Aim: To identify how riding rein direction (left and right) and rider asymmetry affect tölt performance in Icelandic horses.

Methods: Two horses were ridden in tölt by four riders on both left and right reins. Riders wore pressure insoles that measured the total absolute force (FAbs) and absolute force difference (FDiff) in their left and right feet in the stirrups.

Rein tension in harness trotters during on-track exercise.

Horseracing is under public scrutiny with increasing demands to safeguard horse welfare. It is accepted that, as a result of bit pressure and/or equipment, mouth lesions accompany many types of horse use, including racing. However, there are currently no data available on the range of bit pressures in driven trotters.

Effects of Horse Housing System on Energy Balance during Post-Exercise Recovery.

This study examined the effects of two housing systems (free-range and box stalls) on recovery of energy balance after competition-like exercise in Standardbred horses. Eight adult geldings (mean age 11 years) were used. The study had a change-over design, with the box stall (BOX) and free-range group housing (FreeR) treatments each run for 21 days.

Road transport and diet affect metabolic response to exercise in horses.

This study investigated the effects of transport and diet on metabolic response during a subsequent race-like test in Standardbred horses in training fed a forage-only diet and a 50:50 forage:oats diet. Six trained and raced Standardbred trotter mares were used. Two diets, 1 forage-only diet (FONLY) and 1 diet with 50% of DM intake from forage and 50% from oats (FOATS), were fed for two 29-d periods in a crossover design.

Effects of crude protein intake from forage-only diets on muscle amino acids and glycogen levels in horses in training.

Reasons For Performing Study: There is little information about the influence of crude protein (CP) intake on glycogen and free pool amino acid concentrations in the muscle of horses in training. High energy forage-only diets may be an alternative to concentrate rich diets and may provide high levels of CP.

Objective: To study the effect of feeding 2 forage-only diets, containing either high or moderate CP concentrations on glycogen and free pool amino acid concentrations in the muscle.