Blood biomarkers of the horse after field Vaquejada test

“Vaquejada” is an important equine sport in Brazil, but there is little information about the metabolic adaptation in vaquejada horses and the absence of this information could be associated with a reduction in their performance. The aim of this paper was to determine blood biomarker responses in both types of horses used in vaquejada after a field test (VT). Ten pull horses and six helper horses were evaluated. Pull horses performed one cycle of exercise and helper horses performed two cycles. Blood samples were collected at pretest (control), immediately after the end of the first in both groups of horses, and second cycles in helper horses, corresponding to T01 and T02, respectively, and 15, 30, and 240 min after VT also in both horses. Significant changes were observed in [glucose], [lactate], [hematocrit], [total plasma protein], [alanine], [creatinine], and [magnesium] in pull horses and [potassium], [glucose], [lactate], [hematocrit], [total plasma protein], [glutamine], [total cholesterol], and [potassium] in helper horses. Changes in these biomarkers demonstrated different metabolic adaptation in pull horses and helper horses. This information should contribute to develop new nutritional and training programs in vaquejada horses.