Wavelet transformation of gait data extracts information that is important for the detection and differentiation of forelimb lameness of horses. All of the necessary information to detect lameness and differentiate the side of lameness can be obtained by observation of vertical head movement in concert with movement of the foot of 1 forelimb.
Summary
Reasons for performing study: Subjective neurological evaluation in horses is prone to bias. An objective method of spinal ataxia detection is not subject to these limitations and could be of use in equine practice and research.
Hypothesis: Kinematic data in the walking horse can differentiate normal and spinal ataxic horses.
Methods: Twelve normal and 12 spinal ataxic horses were evaluated by kinematic analysis walking on a treadmill. Each body position signal was reduced to a scalar measure of uncertainty then fuzzy clustered into normal or ataxic groups. Correct classification percentage (CCP) was then calculated using membership values of each horse in the 2 groups. Subsequently, a guided search for measure combinations with high CCP was performed.
Results: Eight measures of body position resulted in CCP≥70%. Several combinations of 4–5 measures resulted in 100% CCP. All combinations with 100% CCP could be obtained with one body marker on the back measuring vertical and horizontal movement and one body marker each on the right fore‐ and hindlimb measuring vertical movement.
Conclusions and potential relevance: Kinematic gait analysis using simple body marker combinations can be used objectively to detect spinal ataxia in horses.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.