Abstract

There is some evidence that appropriate warm-up and pacing are key to successful performance and injury risk reduction in equestrian endurance and horseracing. To date, only limited studies of warm-up for eventing cross-country have been reported, and to our knowledge, there has been no report of continuous cross-country speed and pacing strategy. The aim of the present study was to investigate how riders warm up and the pacing strategy they use on cross-country. Riders competing in CCI4* short (n = 11) and long (n = 7) competition were fitted with a Catapult Vector S7 sensor. Ten horses completed the CCI4*S, and all 7 completed the CCI4*L. Riders spent significantly longer warming up for the CCI4*L (30.2 ± 9.2 min; mean ± SD) than for the CCI4*S (20.7 ± 7.0 min; P = 0.029). Mean speed on the CCI4*S was 525 ± 15 m/min (range 500–544 m/min) and was slower than the CCI4*L 557 ± 21 m/min (range 533–584 m/min) (P = 0. 002). Variance in speed over the whole course for each individual horse (SD/mean*100) was 22 ± 3% for CCI4*S and 24 ± 3% for CCI4*L (P > 0.05). Mean jump speed was 404 ± 12 m/min (range 393–424 m/min) for CCI4*S and 393 ± 16 m/min (range 361–405 m/min) for CCI4*L and was not significantly different (P > 0.05). Differences were found in mean peak inter-fence/combination speed, 639 ± 20 m/min (range 615–674 m/min) for CCI4*S and 678 ± 28 m/min (range 634–703 m/min) for CCI4*L (P = 0.004). High vari-ance in speed over the course and very low or very high fence approach speeds may potentially play a role in fatigue and/or fall risk and warrant further study.