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galloping speed, for instance every 400 m over a period of time of 2 - 3 minutes, until
exhaustion. The following table is a representative example but it must be remembered that
the speeds and distances chosen by you depend on
the type and fitness of your own horse! Untrained horses will start relatively slowly! All the
same, don’t start too low, otherwise the test will last a long time before reaching maximum
speed. Horses used to more training and thoroughbreds start straight away at a higher
departure speed of 500 - 700 metres per minute. The first tests serve to establish the
appropriate steps when to increase speed, and to set down your individually adapted test
requirements.
Only the last three steps should really be strenuous, and peak performance should only be
maintained for 5 to 10 seconds. In our example below highest performance lasts for 6.5 secs.
Maximum heart rate is reached at the last step which lasts only for a few seconds before the
end of the test.
TABLE 5: Speed test: example of a continuous progressive speed test, increased in 6
steps of 400 m each:
Step Speed
m./min.
Speed
min/km
time to cover
400 m
Accumulated
time
heart rate
per min.
1 500 m/min. 2.00 min/km 48.00 s 48.00 s 174
2 550 m/min 1.50 min/km 43.50 s 91.50 s 188
3 600 m/min 1.40 min/km 40.00 s 131.50 s 193
4 650 m/min 1.32 min/km 37.00 s 168.50 s 201
5 700m/min 1.26 min/km 34.00 s 202.50 s 210
Test c): hill test
In hilly country it is often difficult to find a suitable flat track, so a different test may be
helpful. However, the horse must be used to training in hilly environment before using such a
track for a test. Easy, regular climbs call for longer test tracks, steep climbs necessitate shorter
stretches. Preferably, you should reach the hill at a good basic speed which will be gradually
increased until you reach the top, or until your horse gets tired. It would be ideal if the top
value of the horse’s performance would coincide with reaching the top of the hill. The heart
rate at the end of the climb indicates HRmax.
It does not matter whether you decide to use one or the other test possibilities - it is much
more important to follow the following indications: To achieve standardization, rules
concerning warm-up and cool-down (see next chapter) must be kept to and the feeding
routine maintained, that is, the last feed should consist in the usual food and be given 3 to 5
hours prior to testing.
Only well-rested horses are able to reach their maximum heart rate. On the day before
the test, exercises should be easy; if your horse worked hard for one or two days before the
test, or if it even ran a race, there is little hope to establish the correct maximum heart rate
value.
If you have any doubts about the result, or if you want to be absolutely sure about your
horse’s Max HR, repeat the test under the same conditions some days later to double-check
the data.