Respiratory and metabolic responses in the horse during moderate and heavy exercise

Thoroughbred horses were exercised to fatigue on a treadmill at 62% and 100% of their VO2max. Hypoxemia occurred at the onset of exercise under both exercise conditions. This hypoxemia persisted to fatigue during the heavy exercise but progressively diminished as the exercise continued and had disappeared by the end of exercise at the lighter load. As a result of the hypoxemia the oxygen content of arterial blood during exercise at VO2max was 17% below its carrying capacity. However, under both experimental conditions the CaO2 still exceeded that of rest owing to an elevation in hemoglobin concentration. The temperature of blood at the point of fatigue was similar, 41.0 +/- 0.2 degrees C and 41.1 +/- 0.2 degrees C, for exercise at 62% and 100% VO2max, respectively. Muscle samples collected at rest and at the termination of exercise did not demonstrate major differences between the exercise conditions except for a higher [lactate] and lower pH following the heavy exercise. From these results it can be suggested that the combined effects of an elevated body temperature, changes in muscle pH, and oxygen delivery may all be factors contributing to limit exercise capacity in the horse.