Mean V200 before training (M0) was 7.4☐.5m s-1 and 7.4☑.,2m s-1, for GA and GC, respectively, and after training (M1) was 7.8☐.8m s-1 and 7.0☐.7m s-1, for GA and GC, respectively. Horses were exercised once a day, for 5 days a week, on a 6% slope. Individual maximum oxygen uptake (VO2máx) was determined to establish speed during 9 weeks of training, being 35% of the VO2máx for 5 weeks, 50% for 2 weeks, and 100% for two additional weeks. V200 was achieved through linear regression analyses of heart rate vs. Five Arabian (GA) and five Crioulo (GC) adult horses were subjected to incremental exercise tests on a 6% slope, which consisted of 5 minutes at 1.8m s-1, 3 minutes at 4m s-1, 2 minutes at 6m s-1, then 1 minute steps at 8m s-1, 9m s-1, 10m s-1 and 11m s-1 or until the horse could not keep up the speed even being encouraged. The effects of a training program on V200, HRpeak and worked distance were evaluated in two horse breeds with distinct aptitudes. Therefore, we can conclude that the equine supplementation with a DMG product in the dosage of 30 g/day for a one-month period affects the lactate metabolisms, as well as increases the travelled distance during an incremental treadmill test.

It was verified that there was no effect from the DMG supplementation in horses on the heart rate and there was only a significant difference between treatments for the rectal temperature after exercise, where the supplementation for 30 days resulted in values statistically superior to the control group. Alterations of V200 (speed in which the horse reaches 200 heart beats/min) and VL4 (speed which corresponds to a blood lactate of 4 mmol/l) were not observed (P>0.05), however there was a travelled distance elevation in the tests in function of the increase on the days of supplementation, by linear regression (P<0.05) analysis. There was a significant effect of the DMG supplementation given during 30 days over the reduction in the lactate concentration after the test exercise.

The treatments consisted of periods of DMG (30 g of commercial product) administration: without supplementation, and with supplementation for 10, 20 and 30 days. The utilised experimental design was the 4×4 Latin square, constituted by four periods of four weeks of evaluation, intercalated with four weeks of wash-out periods. Four adult Arabian horses with a mean age of 8☑.5 years and a mean body weight of 340☑0.8 kg were used. Our objective was to verify the effect of the period of dimethylglycine (DMG) supplementation in horses subjected to incremental treadmill exercise, on the metabolic and physiologic variables and indices related to physical performance.

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