Salivary cortisol concentration in western performance horses and riders: Associations with performance

Competition stress is a common factor influencing the success of performing athletes. However, few studies have quantified the physiological stress responses in horses and riders surrounding an equestrian event.

The objectives of the current study were to determine salivary cortisol concentrations (SCC) as an indicator of stress in fifteen horse and rider pairs competing in western stock horse events and to investigate the relationship between SCC and performance.

Subjects included male and female Quarter horses aged 3-15 years and equestrians aged 18-22 years. Salivary samples were taken at rest, during practice, during four stock horse classes (pleasure, trail, reining, and working cow horse) in a Stock Horse of Texas sanctioned event, and at a maximal exercise test for riders only. Saliva samples were collected 20 min pre- and 20 min post-test.

Rider mean SCC following stock horse pleasure (6.42±1.73 nmol/L) was lower (p < 0.05) than reining (13.53±1.87 nmol/L), cow work (12.85±1.60 nmol/L), and maximal exercise tests (10.05±1.77 nmol/L). There was no significant impact of event on horse SCC (p > 0.05). Novice riders had a greater SCC (10.26+4.73 nmol/L) than non-pro riders (8.92+3.74 nmol/L) post cow work. Rider pre-competition SCC was inversely related to overall placing (p = 0.016, r²=0.397) and scores in the reining class (p = 0.044, r²=0.239). Horse SCC before reining was also inversely related to score (p = 0.034, r²=0.348).

An increased rider SCC before competition, negatively impacted the outcome of horse and rider performance; indicating that competition stress may impact equestrian performance in western stock horse events.