Muscles and Energy Production in Horses

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering equine muscular anatomy, metabolism types, respiratory and cardiovascular response to exercise, and conditioning principles.

Locomotion

The movement produced by skeletal muscles.

Muscle Fibers

Long, slender muscle cells that make up muscles.

Myofibrils

Thousands of tiny threadlike filaments contained within a muscle fiber.

Myosin and Actin Filaments

Two types of smaller protein filaments within myofibrils that produce contractions via a chemical reaction triggered by a motor nerve impulse.

Tendons

Tough bands of connective tissue that connect muscles to bones.

Fascia

A thin, tough connective tissue that encases muscle bundles and the muscles themselves.

Aerobic Metabolism

Energy production using oxygen and glycogen (derived from carbohydrates and fats) to create energy at a fairly low rate that can be sustained for long periods.

Anaerobic Alactic Metabolism

Energy production without oxygen or lactate that uses creatinine phosphokinase and glycogen to produce a short, intense burst of energy lasting only about $10$ to $20$ seconds.

Anaerobic Lactic Metabolism

Energy production without oxygen using glycogen as fuel, which produces lactate (lactic acid) as a toxic waste product.

Slow-Twitch Fibers

Muscle fibers best suited for aerobic metabolism and activities requiring endurance, such as distance riding.

Fast-Twitch Fibers

Muscle fibers that use anaerobic metabolism to produce contractions of great strength but short-lived energy, used for sprinting, jumping, and dressage.

Spleen

An organ that serves as a reservoir for extra red blood cells, releasing them during exercise to increase blood volume and oxygen transport.

Alveoli

Small blood vessels in the lungs where gas exchange (oxygen for carbon dioxide) takes place.

Training Effect

Physical development produced by conditioning that takes place at the cellular level.

Progressive Loading

A conditioning principle involving small, measured increases in exercise to create demand without causing injury or breakdown.

Peaking

The point at which a horse improves to an optimum level of condition through systematic training before it begins to decline.

Long, Slow Distance Work (LSD)

Aerobic conditioning involving trotting and slow cantering that lays the foundation for cardiovascular fitness and endurance.

Speed Play

An anaerobic training technique consisting of brief sprints and changes of speed and direction in a random pattern to develop strength and coordination.

Interval Training

A conditioning method based on the principle of progressive loading, consisting of several work intervals at a measured speed followed by short rest periods.

Azoturia (Equine Exertional Rhabdomyolysis)

Also known as "tying up," a serious metabolic disorder causing a breakdown of muscle tissue due to exertion and cellular electrolyte imbalance.

Overtraining

A condition occurring when a horse is subjected to too much stress, resulting in weight loss, lack of energy, a dull coat, and a compromised immune system.