Salivary cortisol levels in horses and their junior riders during show jumping

Abstract

The group of 22 warm-blooded half-breed horses (6 stallions, 6 mares, and 10 geldings) and their riders (12 women and10 men) who ended jumping competition for juniors, were selected for a study. The horses were aged from 7 to 17 years, while theriders were 15 to 18 years old. The saliva samples were collected before and after each jumping round. The cortisol concentration wasdetermined by using an immunoassay method. The following factors were considered: horses’ sex, age, and breeds, riders’ sex andage as well. In riders, significant correlation was found in the group of younger juniors (15–16 years old) between the level of cortisolconcentration before and after jumping round. High significant correlation coefficient was found due to influence of sex and age ofhorses on salivary cortisol concentration, but only for stallions and mares. Individual horses’ intensity of cortisol release in responseto participation in jumping competition is found to vary greatly. Therefore, the salivary cortisol test seems to be a useful and efficientmethod to evaluate the horses’ responses to competitions including the influence of the rider.