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Cardiac morphologic changes induced by a 10-week water treadmill training for show jumping horses: A preliminary
Carolina Nascimento1, Ana Laura Braz2, Inês Barbosa2
1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University, Campo Grande 376, Lisbon 1749-024, Portugal; Hidrovet - Centro de Reabilitação Equina, Sintra, Portugal.
Veterinary Journal (London, England : 1997)
|March 14, 2026
Summary
Water treadmill training improved show jumping horses' cardiac function and efficiency. This enhanced cardiovascular performance led to increased speed and reduced energy expenditure during performance tests.
Area of Science:
- Equine Sports Medicine
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Animal Exercise Science
Background:
- Show jumping horses require high levels of cardiovascular fitness for optimal performance.
- Traditional training methods may not fully address all aspects of cardiovascular adaptation.
- Water treadmill (WT) training is increasingly used as a complementary modality in equine conditioning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cardiac adaptations and energy expenditure in trained horses following a 10-week water treadmill (WT) training program.
- To assess the impact of WT training on cardiac structure, function, and exercise physiology in show jumping horses.
Main Methods:
- Six trained horses underwent a 10-week WT training program (20 min, twice weekly, water at carpus height).
- Transthoracic echocardiography was performed pre- and post-training to measure cardiac dimensions and function (e.g., IVSd, LVIDs, EF%, FS%).
- Horses completed a show jumping field test (SJT) with heart rate monitoring to calculate energy expenditure (EE), cost of transport (COT), and metabolic power (Pmet); cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels were also measured.
Main Results:
- WT training induced significant increases in interventricular septal thickness (IVSd), posterior wall thickness (LVPWs), ejection fraction (EF%), fractional shortening (FS%), cardiac output (CO), and heart rate (HR).
- A significant decrease in left ventricular internal diameter in systole (LVIDs) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels was observed post-training.
- Significant improvements in energy expenditure (EE) and cost of transport (COT) were noted, with horses achieving higher speeds during the SJT.
Conclusions:
- Water treadmill training promotes significant cardiac structural and functional adaptations in show jumping horses.
- The training enhances myocardial contractility and overall cardiac efficiency, leading to improved physiological responses during exercise.
- WT training is an effective modality for improving the cardiovascular fitness and performance capacity of equine athletes.
