Relationship Between Judges′ Comments on Pace and Horses′ Plasma Lactate Concentration in an Official Breed Evaluation Field Test in Icelandic Horses

Abstract

IntroductionIn an official breed evaluation field test (BEFT) for Icelandic horses, gaits are scored from 5–10 and there is an option for judges to add standardized comments on the gaits. The aim of this study was to test if comments given on pace were related to horses′ plasma lactate concentration (Lac) post BEFT, with the hypothesis that some of the comments would be related to Lac.MethodsData was collected from 157 horses (age 4–11 years) at a BEFT in Iceland in 2011. Venous blood samples were obtained after exercise and lactate concentration determined. Judges′ comments were obtained from Worldfengur. The comments that could be given were: ‘good speed’, ‘clear beat’, ‘sure’, ‘big movements’, ‘good suspension’, ‘long strides’ (positive comments); and ‘lack of speed’, ‘unsure’, ‘four‐beat’, ‘short strides’, ‘changing gait’ and ‘jumping out of gait’ (negative comments). Results were separated into two groups (within each comment); horses/pace with the comment and horses/pace without the comment. Data were analysed via ANOVA (Proc GLM, SAS) including sex, age group, comment, average speed and distance (P<0.05).ResultsLac was higher when pace had comments ‘good speed’ and ‘sure’ than when no comment was given (23.6 ± 1.2 vs. 17.9 ± 0.5, P<0.001; and 20.2 ± 0.9 vs. 18.1 ± 0.6, P<0.05) and was lower when pace had comments ‘lack of speed’ and ‘unsure’ (16.8 ± 1.0 vs. 19.2 ± 0.6; and 16.2 ± 1.0 vs. 19.3 ± 0.5, P<0.05). No other significant effects on Lac were observed.ConclusionsHorses with pace subjectively judged as fast and ‘sure’ had higher blood lactate concentration indicating that successful pace is more anaerobic than less successful pace.Ethical Animal ResearchThe study was approved by the National Animal Research Committee of Iceland. Explicit owner informed consent for participation in this study is not stated. Sources of funding: Developmental Fund of the Icelandic Horse Breeding, the Pálmi Jónsson Natural Conservation Fund and the Stock Protection Fund of the Icelandic Horse breed. Competing interests: none.