Comparison of analyses of respiratory gases made with the K4b2 portable and Quark laboratory analysers in horses

Measurements of minute ventilation (V-E) and expired oxygen and carbon dioxide fractions (FeO2 and FeCO2) were measured at rest and during exercise in seven warmblood horses performing two consecutive standardised incremental treadmill exercise tests at submaximal speed, using the portable K4b(2) telemetric unit and the laboratory Quark metabolic cart in random order. Oxygen consumption (VCO2) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2) were estimated using the Haldane equation. There were no significant differences between the measurements made with the two devices. However, V-E was overestimated when the horses were cantering at 10 m/s in comparison with values available in the literature.