Comparison between the robo-horse and real horse movements for hippotherapy

Abstract

While the novel robotic hippotherapy system has gradually gained clinical application for therapeutic intervention on postural and locomotor control in individuals with neurological or musculoskeletal impairments, the system's validity and reliability for the robotic hippotherapy system has not been well established. The objective of the current study was to investigate the validity and test-retest reliability of the robotic hippotherapy system by comparing with real horse movements. The 3-axis accelerometer sensors attached on the robotic and real horse saddles were used to collect 3-dimensional acceleration data at a preferred walking velocity. Linear regression analysis showed an excellent correlation in the time-topeak acceleration (TPA) (R 2 =0.997), but little correlation in X-axis acceleration between the real and robotic horses (R 2 =0.177), thus confirming consistent time control and a certain degree of variability between the robotic and real horse movements. The mean resultant accelerations for a real horse and robotic horse were 3.22 m/s 2 and 0.67 m/s 2 , respectively, accounting for almost five times greater acceleration in the real horse than the robotic horse.

Equine Exercise in Younger and Older Adults: Simulated Versus Real Horseback Riding

“…The similarity between HR and HRS was confirmed by expert riders with more than five years experience with previous research involving HR and HRS similarity (Park et al, 2014). This previous research showed a high HR/HRS correlation (R 2 ¼ 0.997) in time-to-peak acceleration for evaluating movement patterns and obtaining accurate information about spatiotemporal parameters (Park et al, 2014). Figures 1 and 2 show HR and HRS arrangements.…”

“…Core muscle activation was evaluated for three gait speeds selected by three experts (two professors from the School of Equine Science, Department of Physical Therapy, and one research professor in motor control and development): (a) walk ¼ 80 m/minute, (b) slow trot ¼ 135 m/minute, and (c) fast trot ¼ 159 m/minute. The similarity between HR and HRS was confirmed by expert riders with more than five years experience with previous research involving HR and HRS similarity (Park et al, 2014). This previous research showed a high HR/HRS correlation (R 2 ¼ 0.997) in time-to-peak acceleration for evaluating movement patterns and obtaining accurate information about spatiotemporal parameters (Park et al, 2014).…”

“…Although our methods precluded recording of hip adductor muscles during riding, the greater RF activation among younger adults suggests their use of hip flexion to control their posture, while older individuals rely more on IO. Interestingly, this agedependent difference in RF activation was identified with HRS, but not with HR, suggesting that HRS requires greater RF activation than HR for postural control even though this simulator was known to imitate movement patterns similar to a real horse (Park et al, 2014). This phenomenon might be a specific characteristic of this simulator's hardware system, but the simulator differs from HR in that it lacks the soft living tissue and fluid muscle and respiratory functioning of a living organism, perhaps creating a limitation in its ability to absorb any impact from motorized simulation or coordinate interactions between the animal and human as during real-horse riding.…”

“…HR was performed using two trained Halla horses (height: 154-156 cm, weight: 380-400 kg). HRS was performed using a FORTIS-102 simulator (Daewon FORTIS, South Korea), which provides a similar movement pattern of native gait patterns of real horses (Park et al, 2014) for both HR and HRS, the three gait patterns were performed in 15-minute blocks, presented randomly, with an 8-minute rest between blocks. For HR, the Horse Gym 2000 treadmill (Horse Gym, USA) was used to regulate the gait speed, and gait pattern, with two expert riders facilitating the session.…”

A new robotic horseback-riding simulator for riding lessons and equine-assisted therapy

“…8 Even though horseback-riding simulators have successfully been used as a substitute for real horses, recent research studies have highlighted significant differences in motion between a real horse and simulators. [9][10][11] Walker et al measured the displacement at the saddle and found that a simulator had smaller movements than a real horse in specific directions. 9 This difference may not be a problem if the simulator is just used for entertainment or fitness.…”