Infrared Thermographic Assessment of Exercise-Induced Changes in Local Surface Temperature in Horses Following Treadmill Training: Preliminary Findings

Background: Physical exercise induces physiological adaptations associated with increased muscular activity, metabolic heat production, and changes in body surface temperature. Infrared thermography has emerged as a non-invasive technique for assessing these thermal responses in horses. The present study aimed to evaluate the ability of infrared thermography to detect changes in mean local surface temperature and to qualitatively assess alterations in thermal distribution patterns following treadmill exercise. Methods: Three clinically healthy Warmblood horses were monitored over 10 consecutive training sessions. Thermographic examinations were performed before exercise (T1) and immediately after exercise (T2) in two anatomical regions: Bx1, corresponding to the deltoid musculature, and El1, corresponding to the gluteal musculature. Mean local surface temperatures were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Results: Exercise resulted in significant increases in mean local surface temperature in both evaluated regions. In the Bx1 region, mean temperature increased from 33.75 °C before exercise to 35.36 °C after exercise (F = 968.32, p < 0.001), whereas in the El1 region it increased from 32.37 °C to 33.33 °C (F = 296.31, p < 0.001). Qualitative evaluation of thermographic images revealed consistent alterations in thermal distribution patterns, characterized by a greater extent of high-temperature areas following exercise. Conclusions: Infrared thermography proved to be an effective method for detecting exercise-induced changes in local surface temperature and may serve as a valuable tool for monitoring training-related physiological adaptations in horses.