Socializing speeds recovery for horses after exertion

We wanted to share this great article from our friends at Equus Magazine. Be sure to visit their website!

Socializing speeds recovery for horses after exertion

By Christine Barakat, Equus Magazine

𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤, 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐤𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬.

The best place for a horse to recover after strenuous exercise is with a group of companions rather than alone in a box stall, according to a new study from Sweden.

Researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala investigated the effects of housing on post-exercise recovery in eight mature trotting horses.

The horses were kept in either small herds in a group housing system or alone in box stalls for 21 days, then switched to the other housing method. On days 7 and 14 of each study period, the horses underwent a race-like exercise test. Researchers collected blood before, during and several times after exercise.

The data showed that after intense exercise, horses kept alone in box stalls ate less than horses living outdoors in groups. In addition, plasma non-esterified fatty acids, an important measure of post-exercise recovery, decreased more quickly in the horses living in groups.

The researchers conclude that a “free-range housing system hastened recovery in Standardbred trotters, contradicting anecdotal claims that it delays recovery. The free-range housing also had positive effects on appetite and recovery of energy balance.”

𝑅𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒: “𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐻𝑜𝑟𝑠𝑒 𝐻𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑆𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑚 𝑜𝑛 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝐵𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑡-𝐸𝑥𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑅𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦,” 𝐴𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑠, 𝑁𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 2019.

Thanks, Equus!!
https://equusmagazine.com/horse-care/friends-speed-recovery-from-exertion.

https://equusmagazine.com/