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Determining Objective Parameters to Assess Gait Quality in Franches-Montagnes Horses for Ground Coverage and
Annik Imogen Gmel1, Eyrún Halla Haraldsdóttir2, Filipe Manuel Serra Bragança3
1Agroscope, Animal GenoPhenomics, Posieux, Switzerland; Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Journal of Equine Veterinary Science
|November 23, 2022
Summary
Stride length (SL) in horses is influenced by front limb movement and suspension duration. Over-tracking distance (OTD) is linked to hind limb movement and pelvis pitch, highlighting the need for precise gait quality definitions.
Area of Science:
- Equine biomechanics
- Animal locomotion analysis
Background:
- Stride length (SL) and over-tracking distance (OTD) are key gait quality traits in horses.
- Visual assessment of these traits by experts is common but lacks precise kinematic definitions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify specific limb and body movement patterns associated with SL and OTD in Franches-Montagnes stallions.
- To correlate objective kinematic measurements with expert subjective assessments of gait quality.
Main Methods:
- 3D optical motion capture (OMC) and inertial measurement units (IMUs) were used to measure kinematics during a treadmill trot.
- Linear mixed-effect models analyzed the variance explained by different kinematic parameters on SL and OTD.
- Expert scores for ground coverage and over-tracking were correlated with kinematic data.
Main Results:
- Front limb stance duration and suspension duration were significant predictors of SL variance.
- Suspension duration and maximal pelvis pitch explained OTD variance.
- Expert assessments showed correlations with front limb protraction angle and suspension duration.
Conclusions:
- Objective kinematic parameters, particularly front limb stance duration and suspension duration, are crucial for defining SL and OTD.
- Precise definitions of gait quality traits are necessary for accurate and consistent assessment in equine science.
