Table 2 Data from 10 young two-year-old Thoroughbred horses undergoing introductory track-based training. Mean maximal heart rate (HR_max, bpm), peak speed (V_max, m/s) and maximal HR at maximal speed (HR_Vmax) and time to complete each furlong (sec) during the early-training (week 4) HSET and late-training (week 12) HSET. Data presented as mean ± SD

HR_max (bpm)

221.0 ± 7.9

225.8 ± 6.9

0.030

V_max (m/s)

13.3 ± 0.5

16.0 ± 0.6

< 0.001

HR_Vmax (bpm)

219.3 ± 8.5

222.7 ± 7.8

0.045

1st furlong (s)

20.2 ± 2.3

16.9 ± 1.3

< 0.001

2nd furlong (s)

18.6 ± 2.0

16.0 ± 0.9

0.0016

3rd furlong (s)

17.0 ± 1.2

15.0 ± 1.3

0.007

4th furlong (s)

15.5 ± 0.7

13.4 ± 0.6

< 0.001

5th furlong (s)

15.3 ± 0.5

12.7 ± 0.5

< 0.001

Final two furlongs (avg)

30.9 ± 1.2

26.1 ± 0.9

< 0.001