Course Description
Principles of equine exercise physiology, including basic function of all major physiological systems, adaptation of the horse to exercise, conditioning principles, disorders relating to or affecting exercise, and effect of environmental conditions.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be required to submit a research paper
based on current topics in equine exercise physiology. In
addition, exams for graduate students will contain a greater
number of essay-type questions. These questions will cover
conceptual information, requiring the students to develop
critical thinking. In addition, these students will be required
to research a topic of interest related to the course content.
This investigation will use current research in equine exercise
physiology, resulting in the development of a research paper
and class lecture on the topic. The research paper will consist
of a 5- to 10-page summary of work in the topic area. Emphasis
will be placed on thoroughness, writing skills, and writing
style. Finally, graduate students will be asked to prepare a
lecture for the entire class based on their topic.
Athena Title
EQUINE EXER PHYS
Undergraduate Pre or Corequisite
ADSC 3630-3630L
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
By the end of the semester, students should be able to: Describe and identify the physiological systems (cardiac, muscular, metabolic, respiratory, skeletal) of the horse as they relate to exercise. Explain the effects of a single exercise bout on the related physiological systems. Explain the effects of conditioning on the related physiological systems. Describe disorders associated with the individual systems that would impair performance and explain proper treatment or training protocols to deal with the issue. Explain thermoregulation in the horse. Develop training protocols for different disciplines. Describe how environmental conditions (humidity, altitude, etc.) can affect performance. Care for the horse as an athlete. The objectives of this course are: 1) to introduce the fundamentals of physiology using the horse as a model; 2) to enhance the student's knowledge of equine athletic performance and training; 3) to develop an understanding of equine physiological systems and adaptations to training/conditioning; and 4) to provide students the opportunity to evaluate equine athletic performance.
Topical Outline
This outline is for the course as a whole. Laboratory material will support and enhance lecture material, thus the outline is for lecture and lab. Functional Anatomy Cardiovascular System Respiratory System Energetics of Exercise Muscular System Skeletal System Disorders Lameness Diagnosis and Treatment Thermoregulation Conditioning and Training Principles Assessing Fitness Discipline-Specific Exercise/Conditioning Requirements