Effects of Draft Loaded Training on Circulatory and Blood Lactate Responses During Exercise in Horses

Five Standardbred trotters were trained on a treadmill 3 times as week for 12 weeks by intervals of draft loaded exercise. The draft load was 34 kilopond and the velocity approximately 7 m/sec -1. Standardized exercise tests with sequentially increasing speed were performed before, and after 4, 8 and 11 weeks of training. No significant effects of training were seen on heart rate response to exercise or on total blood volume, red cell volume and plasma volume when related to bodyweight, whereas less blood lactate (p<0.05) was accumulated. Blood lactate response to exercise may therefore be valuable for monitoring metabolic adaptations to training by draft loaded exercise.