Physiological demands and changes resulting from effort in low handicap polo horses

Abstract

In order to understand the physiological demands and possible changes resulting from effort in horses and determine the type and intensity of exercise performed in equestrian polo of low handicap, we analyzed the negative logarithm of the activity of hydrogen ions (pH), carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO2), oxygen partial pressure (pO2), the concentration of plasma bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) and serum concentrations of Na+, Cl- and K+ of seven healthy horses after a polo match of low handicap. Variables pCO2, pO2 and HCO3- were the only parameters that were significantly different before and after the match, and there were no significant hydroelectrolytic changes. It was possible to classify the low handicap polo as an exercise of short duration and varying intensity, considering the lack of change in the hydroelectrolytic balance. The exercise to which the animals were subjected is compatible with their athletic fitness.