*4.3. Animals*

We used one adult horse, gelding, crossbreed, weighing 350 kg, 15 years old, from the didactic herd of the Laboratory of Equine Exercise Physiology and Pharmacology (LAFEQ/DMFA/FCAV), UNESP. The animal was kept in a paddock, fed with corn silage, water, and mineral salt ad libitum, in addition to 0.2% of body weight of a mash feed once a day. Before study commencement, the horse underwent a complete physical examination, in addition to hematological and biochemical tests, to determine its health status. The horse was previously treated with anthelmintic (repeated every four months) and vaccinated against rabies, tetanus toxoid, east and west equine encephalomyelitis, and equine influenza types A1 and A2.
