ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2016 September;175(9):349-54

Copyright © 2016 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Differences in physiological responses to stress according to the place in horse riding

Ok D. KANG

Horse Resources Research Institute, Jeju, South Korea

BACKGROUND: This study aims to measure the salivary concentration level of horses and riders during horse riding (indoor and horse trekking) in order to confirm their stress level.
METHODS: Nineteen horses (ten geldings, nine mares) and their riders (eight males, eleven females) participated exercise inside the riding facilities (IR) and seventeen horses (eight geldings, nine mares) and their riders (eight males, nine females) participated exercise outside the riding facilities that is called horse trekking (OR). Saliva samples were collected for basal values early morning and then before and after the exercise using Salivette cotton wool swab. Data were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA for repeated measures using SPSS 12.0 program.
RESULTS: The results, the cortisol level of rider and horse were no difference during exercise between the groups. The salivary cortisol concentration of total riders and horses in IR and OR groups were significantly decreased after the exercise compared to before (P<0.001). In conclusion, it was found that the two-hour exercise at the horse riding club and the horse trekking exercise did not influence the cotisol levels of horses and riders, and led to a huge reduction of the cortisol concentration of the riders and the horses compared to that before the exercise and of the morning sample.
CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, this study suggests that appropriate exercise may assist horses in getting rid of stress and that trekking in a familiar environment can be more effective than an exercise at the horse riding club.