Reduced high intensity training distance had no effect on VLa4 but attenuated heart rate response in 2-3-year-old Standardbred horses

Table 3 Velocity at blood lactate concentration 4 mmol/l (V _La4 ) and haematocrit in V _La4 -tests

Month as 3-year-olds	N	V _La4 (m/s)	Hematocrit (%)
May	14	10.7 ± 0.1^a	54 ± 1^a
July	10	11.0 ± 0.1^b	55 ± 1^a
August	11	11.0 ± 0.1^b	56 ± 0^a
October	10	10.8 ± 0.1^ab	57 ± 1^b
December	9	10.6 ± 0.1^a	55 ± 1^a
P -value		0.0215	0.2504

^{a, b}Means within a column with different superscript letters differ (P < 0.05).
V_La4 (m/s) and hematocrit (%) after four intervals of 1000 m in 16 3-year-old horses trained in either a control (C-group) or reduced (by 30% distance, R-group) training program since March as 2-year-olds (lsmeans ± SE). N = number of horses participating in each test. There were no differences between groups within occasions.

ISSN: 1751-0147