Iron profile in Thoroughbreds during a standard training program

Area of Science:

• Equine Sports Medicine
• Exercise Physiology
• Animal Science

Background:

• Understanding physiological adaptations to training is crucial for optimizing athletic performance in horses.
• Iron metabolism plays a vital role in oxygen transport and energy production, impacting exercise capacity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate alterations in haematological parameters and iron profile during an 80-day training regimen.
• To correlate these changes with athletic performance indicators in Thoroughbred horses.

Main Methods:

• Twenty Thoroughbred horses underwent a standardized exercise test at T0, T30, T60, and T90 days.
• Athletic performance was assessed by calculating velocities at specific blood lactate concentrations (V2, V4) and heart rate (V200).
• Blood samples were collected every 20 days to analyze haematological and iron-related markers.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant effect of training duration was found on iron, ferritin, transferrin, total iron-binding capacity, transferrin saturation, and unsaturated iron-binding capacity (P < 0.001).
• These findings indicate that exercise intensity and duration influence iron metabolism in horses.

Conclusions:

• Changes in iron metabolism are directly influenced by exercise load during training.
• Monitoring these haematological and iron profile modifications can help assess a horse's athletic status and training adaptability.
• This information can inform training schedule adjustments to enhance equine athletic performance.