Effects of training on resting and postexercise ECG in standardbred horses, using a standardized exercise test

Five healthy, mature, previously trained Standardbred horses were given no exercise (left in a stall) for 4 months, then jogged (slow exercise) for 3 weeks, and placed in a 6-week training period. Cardiac variables were measured at the beginning of training and after 14, 20, 35, and 42 days of training before and at 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 minutes after a 1.8-km (in 3:12 +/- 2 seconds) standard, submaximal exercise test on a deep 0.53-km track. There was no significant change during the 6-week conditioning period in the following variables at rest or at any of the times observed during recovery from test exercise: heart rate, PQ-interval, QRS-duration, QT-interval, and ratio of electrical systole to diastole. It appeared that measuring heart rate by electrocardiogram at rest and during recovery from execise is not of significance in evaluating the fitness in the previously trained adult horse.