KER ClockIt Sport: Changing the Face of Equine Fitness

Preliminary research report, April 2015

In a study that lasted from February to mid-April, over 2,000 exercise sessions were recorded with KER ClockIt Sport using more than 100 event horses based primarily in Ocala, Aiken, and Southern Pines. A concentrated study group consisted of 34 horses at different levels, all of which were measured daily for six to eight weeks (five Novice, five Training, five Preliminary, eight Intermediate, and eleven Advanced). Included in this study were horses that competed in the Advanced, CIC2*, and CIC3* divisions of a prestigious spring competition.

Results indicated that horses spent much of their time on course with heart rates over 180 bpm, which is the point when lactate accumulation begins the exponential climb from 4 mmol/l to 18 mmol/l or more. High lactate causes increased fatigue during cross-country, which in turn may translate to disobediences, time faults, or falls. In addition to fatigue, horses will use more glycogen for energy, depleting stores necessary for stadium jumping on the third day of competition. Horses replace muscle glycogen slowly, often requiring three days for complete replenishment.

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