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Sit-to-stand-and-walk from 120% Knee Height: A Novel Approach to Assess Dynamic Postural Control Independent of Lead-limb
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Standing horse posture: a longer stance is more stable
1Maximum Horsepower Research, Ithaca, NY, USA.
Biology Open
|May 12, 2022
Summary
Horses typically stand with vertical legs because this posture requires less neuromuscular effort for stability. Canted-in stances, while seen in some horses, demand significantly more effort to maintain balance.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Animal Locomotion
Background:
- Horses spend most of their time standing.
- They exhibit various leg postures but commonly stand with vertical legs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the biomechanical reasons behind horses' preferred standing postures.
- To understand the relationship between leg posture and the neuromuscular effort required for stability.
Main Methods:
- A 2D quasi-static model of a horse was developed, simplifying the body into rigid segments (trunk, limbs) connected by hinges.
- The model analyzed equilibrium configurations based on varying the distance between hooves (ℓg).
- Neuromuscular stabilization effort was quantified using spring stiffness (kmin) at the joints.
Main Results:
- Unstabilized standing postures are inherently unstable.
- A canted-in posture (small ℓg) requires approximately twice the stabilization effort (kmin) compared to vertical or splayed-out legs (large ℓg).
Conclusions:
- The prevalence of vertical or slightly splayed-out legs in wild and healthy domestic horses is likely due to their lower energy requirement for stability.
- The higher effort associated with canted-in postures presents a puzzle for their habitual use in some horses.
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