Abstract
The study was conducted on 30 clinically healthy Arabian horses and 28 Žemaitukai horses that competed in endurance race over the same distance (40 km). Blood samples were taken before and immediately after the exercise. The environmental conditions during the competitions varied, with a mean temperature of 22.5 °C and a mean relative humidity of 73.20%. The Žemaitukai horses showed lower haematological values and increased muscle catabolism after exercise. Arabian horses have higher aerobic capacity compared to the Žemaitukai horses which probably contributes to their superior low- to moderate-intensity exercise performance. Serum activity of muscle enzymes suggested that the muscle tissue of the Arabian horses has higher tolerance for exercise-induced muscle catabolism and lower muscle catabolism than that of muscle tissue of the Žemaitukai horses. Further studies need to be carried out to identify the diferences in muscle tissue of both breeds.
Highlights
The study was conducted on 30 clinically healthy Arabian horses and 28 Žemaitukai horses that competed in endurance race over the same distance (40 km)
Arabian horses have higher aerobic capacity compared to the Žemaitukai horses which probably contributes to their superior low- to moderate-intensity exercise performance
The analysis of blood morphological indices before endurance competitions revealed that the values of MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW, PLT, and platelet distribution width (PDW) in horses were significantly different in both groups and depended on the breed (P < 0.01)
Summary
The study was conducted on 30 clinically healthy Arabian horses and 28 Žemaitukai horses that competed in endurance race over the same distance (40 km). Arabian horses have higher aerobic capacity compared to the Žemaitukai horses which probably contributes to their superior low- to moderate-intensity exercise performance. Serum activity of muscle enzymes suggested that the muscle tissue of the Arabian horses has higher tolerance for exercise-induced muscle catabolism and lower muscle catabolism than that of muscle tissue of the Žemaitukai horses. The infusion of Arabian blood created two subtypes of the Žemaitukai: those with Arabian ancestry were considered suitable for riding, whereas the others, more closely related to the indigenous horses, were better adapted to farm work (Hendricks and Dent 1995). The Arabian horse and Arabian crosses are the predominant breeds used for endurance riding. This distinction is probably based on the muscle fibre composition and preferential ability to utilize lipids during sub-maximal exercise (Wickler and Foss 2004).
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