Results · 5 min
Recovery clearance: what the 5-, 15- and 30-minute samples tell you
How quickly lactate falls after exercise gives you a second view of fitness.
18 July 2026
Peak lactate shows how hard the horse worked. Clearance shows how well it recovers. A fitter horse usually brings lactate down faster after the same effort.
How to express it
Record the peak, then the 5, 15 and 30 minute values, and work out the percentage cleared by 30 minutes. Only compare horses or tests that used the same recovery routine, because walking clears lactate faster than standing still.
Using it alongside heart rate
Heart-rate recovery and lactate clearance usually move together. When they don't, for example fast heart-rate recovery but slow clearance, it's worth raising with your vet.
Ready to put the numbers to work?
Log your horse's step tests and recovery checks, and get VLa2, VLa4 and clear training zones on one curve.