Exercise-induced changes in the clotting times and fibrinolytic activity during official 1 600 and 2 000 meters trot races in standardbred horses

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of a training program and submaximal exercise on the clotting times (prothrombin time, PT, activated partial prothrombin time, aPTT, thrombin time, TT) and fibrinogen in the horse in order to assess the probable role of physical conditioning in haemostatic processes suggested in jumping and long-distance running horses. We therefore studied 14 Standardbred horses divided into group A (6 horses) and group B (8 horses). The horses had been separately and specifically trained to take part in official 1 600 and 2 000 meters trot races, respectively. Blood samples were taken before and after the training period and after the official 1 600 and 2 000 meters trot races, under the following experimental conditions: at rest, immediately after the trial (within 2 minutes) and 30 min after the trial. Student T-test for paired data to two groups of untrained and trained horses from groups A and B showed a statistically significant decrease in fibrinogen only (p < 0.006 in group A and p < 0.03 in group B). During the official 1 600 meters trot race (group A), from among the clotting times only fibrinogen showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.001); during the official 2 000 meters trot race (group B), the clotting times and fibrinogen, with the exception of TT, showed statistically significant differences (from p < 0.05 to < 0.001). Our results suggest that specific training programs (as submaximal exercise) could influence the haemostatic changes occurring during an athletic competition.