Determination of vertebral range of motion using inertial measurement units in 27 Franches‐Montagnes stallions and comparison between conditions and with a mixed population

Heim, Christine; Pfau, Thilo; Gerber, V.; Schweizer, Corinne; Doherr, Marcus G.; Schüpbach‐Regula, Gertraud; Witte, Stefan

doi:10.1111/evj.12455

Cited by 15 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 38 publications

(52 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Duty factor is higher for the inside leg on the straight and on the curve when the horse is on the correct lead for a left-hand bend, but no difference is seen when the horse is on the incorrect lead. The correct lead is likely to result in a lower peak vertical GRF for the inside leg [23] and is consistent with previous studies showing that at a slow gallop, the peak vertical ground reaction force experienced by the nonlead limb is higher than for the lead limb [24,25], and that horses cantering on curves of small radius have a longer stance duration for the inside…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

The effect of curve running on distal limb kinematics in the Thoroughbred racehorse

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

During racing, injury is more likely to occur on a bend than on a straight segment of track. This study aimed to quantify the effects of galloping at training speeds on large radius curves on stride parameters and limb lean angle in order to assess estimated consequences for limb loading. Seven Thoroughbred horses were equipped with a sacrum-mounted inertial measurement unit with an integrated GPS, two hoof-mounted accelerometers and retro-reflective markers on the forelimbs. Horses galloped 2–4 circuits anticlockwise around an oval track and were filmed at 120 frames per second using an array of ten cameras. Speed and curve radius were derived from GPS data and used to estimate the centripetal acceleration necessary to navigate the curve. Stride, stance and swing durations and duty factor (DF) were derived from accelerometer data. Limb markers were tracked and whole limb and third metacarpus (MCIII) angles were calculated. Data were analysed using mixed effects models with a significance level of p < 0.05. For horses galloping on the correct lead, DF was higher for the inside (lead) leg on the straight and on the curve. For horses galloping on the incorrect lead, there was no difference in DF between inside and outside legs on the straight or on the curve. DF decreased by 0.61% of DF with each 1 m s-2 increase in centripetal acceleration (p < 0.001). Whole limb inclination angle increased by 1.5° per 1 m s-1 increase in speed (p = 0.002). Limb lean angles increase as predicted, and lead limb function mirrors the functional requirements for curve running. A more comprehensive understanding of the effects of lean and torque on the distal limb is required to understand injury mechanisms.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

The effect of curve running on distal limb kinematics in the Thoroughbred racehorse

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This experiment quantified thoracolumbar kinematics during ridden exercise in trot and canter locomotion with the use of inertial measuring units. Following published protocols [19], this study positioned IMUs along the thoracolumbar spine beneath the saddle similar to previous methods [19,31,32,33,34]. In partial support of our hypothesis, in both trot and canter, a saddle that was fitted wide or narrow resulted in changes in thoracolumbar kinematics when compared with a saddle that was fitted following industry guidelines.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 57%

The Effect of Tree Width on Thoracolumbar and Limb Kinematics, Saddle Pressure Distribution, and Thoracolumbar Dimensions in Sports Horses in Trot and Canter

MacKechnie-Guire

Mackechnie-Guire²,

Fairfax³

et al. 2019

Animals

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Simple SummaryDetermining the correct saddle fit is essential in order to optimise the interaction between the horse and rider dyad, and to reduce the risk of back-related problems or loss of performance as a result of incorrect saddle fit. Although there are industry guidelines (Society of Master Saddlers) on correct saddle fit, some saddle fitters (and others) choose to fit saddles that are wider than industry guidelines on the assumption that increased saddle width will enhance equine locomotion and allow the horses’ thoracolumbar spine to function unhindered. This study quantified the effect that a saddle that was one width fitting wider and narrower (based on the Society of Master Saddlers industry guidelines) had on the kinematics of the thoracolumbar spine, thoracolumbar epaxial musculature profiles, equine locomotion, and saddle pressure distribution. It was found that a saddle that was one width fitting wider and narrower affected the kinematics of the thoracolumbar spine, resulting in concavities in epaxial musculature at T13 when using the wide saddle and at T18 when using the narrow saddle. The wide saddle caused areas of high pressures in the cranial region of the saddle and the narrow saddle caused areas of high pressures in the caudal region of the saddle. It is essential that the correct saddle fit is achieved for each horse and rider combination in order to optimise the horse-rider system and reduce the risk of back-related problems or loss of performance that may occur as a result of incorrect saddle fit.AbstractThis study evaluated the effect of saddle tree width on thoracolumbar and limb kinematics, saddle pressure distribution, and thoracolumbar epaxial musculature dimensions. Correctly fitted saddles were fitted by a Society of Master Saddler Qualified Saddle Fitter in fourteen sports horses (mean ± SD age 12 ± 8.77 years, height 1.65 ± 0.94 m), and were altered to one width fitting wider and narrower. Horses were equipped with skin markers, inertial measurement units, and a pressure mat beneath the saddle. Differences in saddle pressure distribution, as well as limb and thoracolumbosacral kinematics between saddle widths were investigated using a general linear model with Bonferroni adjusted alpha (p ≤ 0.05). Compared with the correct saddle width, in trot, in the wide saddle, an 8.5% increase in peak pressures was found in the cranial region of the saddle (p = 0.003), a 14% reduction in thoracolumbar dimensions at T13 (p = 0.02), and a 6% decrease in the T13 range of motion in the mediolateral direction (p = 0.02). In the narrow saddle, a 14% increase in peak pressures was found in the caudal region of the saddle (p = 0.01), an 8% decrease in the range of motion of T13 in the mediolateral direction (p = 0.004), and a 6% decrease in the vertical direction (p = 0.004) of T13. Compared with the correct saddle width, in canter, in the wide saddle, axial rotation decreased by 1% at T5 (p = 0.03) with an 5% increase at T13 (p = 0.04) and a 5% increase at L3 (p = 0.03). Peak pressures increased by...

show abstract

“…Due to its important welfare implication many aspects of horse-rider interaction has been studied [ 7 ] but to a lesser extent the rider’s influence on vertical movement symmetry of the horse. The dorsoventral movement of the spine will be decreased with the presence of a rider in both sitting and rising trot [ 8 ]. In rising trot, also known as posting, the rider descends from the standing position to sit down in the saddle during the second part of the stance phase of one diagonal pair of limbs, to subsequently rise up during the end of that same stance to stand up in the stirrups during the stance phase of the other diagonal.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of seating styles on head and pelvic vertical movement symmetry in horses ridden at trot

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Detailed knowledge of how a rider’s seating style and riding on a circle influences the movement symmetry of the horse’s head and pelvis may aid rider and trainer in an early recognition of low grade lameness. Such knowledge is also important during both subjective and objective lameness evaluations in the ridden horse in a clinical setting. In this study, inertial sensors were used to assess how different rider seating styles may influence head and pelvic movement symmetry in horses trotting in a straight line and on the circle in both directions. A total of 26 horses were subjected to 15 different conditions at trot: three unridden conditions and 12 ridden conditions where the rider performed three different seating styles (rising trot, sitting trot and two point seat). Rising trot induced systematic changes in movement symmetry of the horses. The most prominent effect was decreased pelvic rise that occurred as the rider was actively rising up in the stirrups, thus creating a downward momentum counteracting the horses push off. This mimics a push off lameness in the hindlimb that is in stance when the rider sits down in the saddle during the rising trot. On the circle, the asymmetries induced by rising trot on the correct diagonal counteracted the circle induced asymmetries, rendering the horse more symmetrical. This finding offers an explanation to the equestrian tradition of rising on the ‘correct diagonal.’ In horses with small pre-existing movement asymmetries, the asymmetry induced by rising trot, as well as the circular track, attenuated or reduced the horse’s baseline asymmetry, depending on the sitting diagonal and direction on the circle. A push off hindlimb lameness would be expected to increase when the rider sits during the lame hindlimb stance whereas an impact hindlimb lameness would be expected to decrease. These findings suggest that the rising trot may be useful for identifying the type of lameness during subjective lameness assessment of hindlimb lameness. This theory needs to be studied further in clinically lame horses.

show abstract

Determination of vertebral range of motion using inertial measurement units in 27 Franches‐Montagnes stallions and comparison between conditions and with a mixed population

Cited by 15 publications

References 38 publications

The effect of curve running on distal limb kinematics in the Thoroughbred racehorse

The effect of curve running on distal limb kinematics in the Thoroughbred racehorse

The Effect of Tree Width on Thoracolumbar and Limb Kinematics, Saddle Pressure Distribution, and Thoracolumbar Dimensions in Sports Horses in Trot and Canter

Influence of seating styles on head and pelvic vertical movement symmetry in horses ridden at trot

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About