Table 3.
Medians (range) of the physiological parameters obtained from all eight horses at T0 prior to the sessions, and ACTH and serum cortisol at T1 and heart rate, salivary cortisol and stress score at T2
| Heart rate (bpm) | ACTH (pg mL–1) | Serum cortisol (nmol mL–1) | Salivary cortisol (nmol mL–1) | Stress score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resting T0 | 35 (30-38) | 12.5 (8.6-21.0) | 70.4 (45.80-115.0) | 1.2 (0.8-2.9) | – |
| Resting T1/2 | 36 (28-48) | 11.5 (8.7-15.7) | 66.6 (32.0-99.3) | 1.3 (0.5-7.3) | – |
| T0 IR | 37 (33-60) | 13.9 (11.0-32.0) | 121.5 (61.8-171.0) | – | – |
| T0 BR | 38 (32-42) | 13.9 (5.3-47.7) | 81.8 (44.4-103.0) | – | – |
| T1 IR | – | 10.3 (7.2-15.1) | 88.3 (48.3-103.0) | – | – |
| T1 BR | – | 10.5 (2.3-19.8) | 93.1 (56.0-121.0) | – | – |
| T2 IR | 39 (33-60) | – | – | 0.8 (0.1-3.1) | 3.0 (0.3-4.3) |
| T2 BR | 38 (28-60) | – | – | 1.3 (0.4-4.2) | 3.8 (1.7-5.3) |
IR = impaired riders; BR = beginner riders.