Hydration status and biochemical profile of Quarter Horses in vaquejada training

Abstract

The hydration status and biochemical profile were assessed and compared in two Quarter Horses groups (pull and helper), at three times (T) of a vaquejada training: at rest, before exercise (T0); after three sprints or races (T1); after an hour of rest from sprints (T2). There was no significant difference between the evaluation times in each group nor between the groups in the times evaluated for the parameters: capillary refill time, skin turgor, color and humidity of the mucosa, total plasma proteins, creatinine, urea and osmolarity, creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase, total calcium, phosphorus, and total magnesium. There was increase in the hematocrit and plasma glucose in both groups at T1, but without differences among the groups. The plasm lactate increased in T1. Only for plasma lactate there were changes between the groups, being higher in the pull at T1. It was concluded that, in response to the imposed exercise, the pull and helper groups showed similar hydration status with only slight dehydration, and maintained their biochemical rates preserved, except lactatemia which increased in both, but higher in the pull, suggesting that this group performs more intense anerobic metabolism in the vaquejada.