Seung-Ho Ryu, Kyung-Eun Lee, Eliot Forbes, Sung-Jun An, Joon Gyu Kim, Hang Lee, Byung Sun Kim
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Importance: Equine behavioral traits are important criteria to assess the suitability of retired Thoroughbred racehorses for equestrian sports.
Objective: This study aims to develop a practical procedure to assess retired Thoroughbreds for their suitability for equestrian sports or leisure purposes and to assess if horses identified as having reactive temperaments in response to a standardized startle test, will have improved test results following a period of transition training.
Methods: Behavioral reactivity data and cardiac autonomic responses to a startle test (comprising of a plastic bag applied to the neck area) were collected from twelve retired Thoroughbred racehorses (6 males and 6 females; average age: 4.33 ± 0.89 years old; average body weight 465.17 ± 25.33 kg), before and after the three-month transition training for equestrian sports. A priori power calculation indicated a requirement of 12 individuals for a power of 80%.
Results: Following the training, there was a significant reduction in the behavioral score (BS), peak heart rate (HR), and response duration (RD) of all horses compared to their pre-training scores. However, 25% of horses (3/12) retained a BS of 2 or above post-training, exhibiting significantly higher peak HR and longer RD compared to those with a BS below 2. Post-training, the females demonstrated a significant increase in the root mean square of the successive differences between normal heartbeats compared to their pre-training levels.
Conclusions and relevance: Transition training of retired Thoroughbreds can assist in improving horses' suitability for equestrian sports, based on their successive responses to a novel startle test.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Veterinary Science (J Vet Sci) is devoted to the advancement and dissemination of scientific knowledge concerning veterinary sciences and related academic disciplines. It is an international journal indexed in the Thomson Scientific Web of Science, SCI-EXPANDED, Sci Search, BIOSIS Previews, Biological Abstracts, Focus on: Veterinary Science & Medicine, Zoological Record, PubMed /MEDLINE, Index Medicus, Pubmed Central, CAB Abstracts / Index Veterinarius, EBSCO, AGRIS and AGRICOLA. This journal published in English by the Korean Society of Veterinary Science (KSVS) being distributed worldwide.