Equine Exercise Physiology and Feeding Management: How to Keep Energy Balance

Dear Colleagues,

Horses are elite athletes with significant oxygen and nutritional demands to support their metabolic needs. Thus, maximum performance depends on the integrated and coordinated functioning of a set of body systems, and in most cases, peak performance requires these body systems to operate at or near their maximum capacity. Thorough knowledge of acute and chronical adaptations to exercise is essential to hone the athletes’ capacity and to minimize nefarious impacts on equine welfare.

Furthermore, nutritional needs must be met in order to ensure energy, muscle gain and recovery, whilst preventing fatigue and reducing the side effects of exercise-induced inflammation. The quest for an optimal nutritional regimen is still ongoing, though it must always be individualized (adapted to the individuals’ needs/metabolism) and contemplate the specificities of the animals’ training and the demands of the equestrian sport modality.

In order to improve athletic performance whilst ensuring welfare and an individualized medical care, further high-quality research on exercise physiology and nutrition, across all breeds and equestrian disciplines, is of utmost importance.

As such, we would like to invite you to share your recent findings in the Special Issue "Equine Exercise Physiology and Feeding Management: How to Maintain Energy Balance".

Prof. Dr. Clarisse Simões Coelho
Prof. Dr. Hélio Cordeiro Manso Filho
Dr. Joana de Sousa Azevedo Simões
Guest Editors

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