Kinetics and kinematics of the passage

Abstract

An understanding of load distribution between fore- and hindlimbs in relation to different riding techniques is crucial to prevent wear-and-tear on the locomotor apparatus.

Ground reaction forces of elite dressage horses in collected trot and passage

“…Detailed knowledge of GRFs is needed to evaluate the musculoskeletal effects of postural modifications shown by dressage horses performing highly collected movements. In accordance with our first hypothesis, all four limbs contributed significantly to the higher vertical impulse in passage compared with collected trot but the increase was relatively greater in the hindlimbs (+32%) than the forelimbs (+17%), which is similar to the increases (forelimbs: +24.8%; hindlimbs: +39.9%) reported by Weishaupt et al (2009). The smaller vertical impulses in the Lusitanos at trot were associated with smaller COM vertical oscillations (unpublished data) which may explain why riders find Iberian horses easy to sit at trot.…”

“…For collected trot and passage (Fédération Equestre Internationale, 2016) vertical GRFs have been compared in horses ridden on a treadmill (Weishaupt et al, 2009), but treadmill locomotion differs from overground physiologically and kinematically (Barrey et al, 1993;Sloet van Oldruitenberg-Oosterbaan and Barneveld, 1995). This study advances knowledge by comparing vertical and longitudinal GRFs and impulses of collected trot and passage in elite dressage horses ridden overground.…”

“…At least three stance phases for a forelimb and hindlimb were analyzed per horse/gait. Since trot and passage are symmetrical gaits, left and right limbs were grouped (Weishaupt et al, 2009 Fig. 1).…”

“…The COM moves forward continuously during trotting at fairly constant speed relative to the diagonal base 6 of support (Hobbs and Clayton, 2013). On a treadmill, the forelimbs provided 57.4% of the vertical impulse in collected trot and 54.0% in passage, which was interpreted as moving the COM closer to the hindlimbs in passage (Weishaupt et al, 2009). In the present study, the decrease in forelimb impulse contribution and the resulting change in fore:hind vertical GRF ratio, was interpreted as shifting the COP (not the COM) towards the hindlimbs in passage.…”

Science in brief: Highlights from the equine abstracts at the Eighth International Conference on Canine and Equine Locomotion

“…It was suggested that the diagonal dissociation of fore-and hindlimb contacts at the trot in dressage horses may represent an important balance mechanism as the centre of pressure is shifted significantly caudally in a hind-first dissociation, potentially assisting with trunk stabilisation [18]. A further study into ground reaction forces in collected trot and passage showed results similar to those of a previous treadmill-based study [19,20]. In an investigation into jump technique in elite and non-elite horses, analysis of electrical activity in selected hindlimb muscles showed that the neuromuscular strategy in the superficial gluteal differed between the two groups with elite requiring less muscular effort at take off [21].…”