The aim of this study is to understand in detail recovery of heart rate and blood lactate concentration after a 250m pace race. Based on the results of how high the heart rate and lactate values rise and how long it takes for the lactate concentration to return to normal reference range, the minimum pause duration between 2 pace race runs will be re-evaluated.
After the preliminary research in Brunnadern, Switzerland in October 2023, the work continued in Iceland during the last week of August. The team, consisting of scientists from the Hólar University, Iceland and the University of Zurich, Switzerland, led by Guðrún Jóhanna Stefánsdóttir and Michael Weishaupt, examined the recovery times after 250m runs of some of the fastest horses in this discipline.
The weather was perfect at the venues in Hólar, Hella and Viðidalur in Reykjavik. And with the invaluable assistance from the Icelandic team leader Sigurbjörn Bárðarson with recruiting riders for participation in the research and the support of the veterinarians Gestur Júlíusson and Þóra Höskuldsdóttir, both from Dýraspítali Lögmannshlíð in Akureyri, and the participation of assistants and riders, it was a very successful week.
We are looking forward to the results of the study and the impact it will have on our pace race disciplines in terms of breaks between the different runs.
