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Topic:Trotting Horses
Trotting Horses refers to a specific gait in equines characterized by a two-beat diagonal stride, where the legs move in pairs diagonally across the horse's body. This gait is commonly observed in various horse breeds and is a fundamental aspect of disciplines such as harness racing and dressage. Trotting is often evaluated for its rhythm, balance, and speed, particularly in competitive settings. This topic encompasses a range of research studies and scholarly articles that investigate the biomechanics, training techniques, and performance metrics associated with trotting in horses. Additionally, the page includes research on the physiological and anatomical adaptations that enable this specific gait, as well as its implications for equine health and athletic performance.
Biokinematic effects of collection on the trotting gaits in the elite dressage horse. Trot in hand, working trot, collected trot, passage and piaffe of 6 Grand Prix dressage horses were recorded by high speed film (250 frames/s). Angular patterns and hoof trajectories of the left fore- and hindlimbs were analysed and presented as mean and standard deviation (s.d.) curves. Speed and stride length decreased and fore- and hind stance phase durations increased with collection resulting in no suspension in piaffe. The diagonal advanced placement was positive in all gaits except for piaffe. Most of the changes in forelimb angular patterns were effects of reduction in forelimb pendula...
Effect of exercise on enzymatic activity in tracheal fluid and on intrapleural pressure difference in horses. Seventeen trotters, eight healthy and nine with a mild respiratory disease, underwent a submaximal treadmill exercise. Heart rate, breathing frequency, intrapleural pressure difference (IP difference) as well as haematocrit and concentration of lactic acid in blood were monitored before exercise, during exercise and during recovery. The activities of beta-glucuronidase and plasmin, total proteolytic activity and trypsin inhibitory capacity were measured from the tracheal fluid before and after exercise. IP difference significantly increased during exercise and returned to normal values within ...
[Off-label use of lincomycin hydrochloride in 2 horses. Dysbacteriosis and fatal complications due to inadequate symptomatic therapy]. A lawyer inquired about the possible harmful effects of 'off-label use' of lincomycin in two trotting horses. From information in the relevant dossier it could be concluded that there was no direct indication to use antibiotics. In addition, mistakes were made in the medicinal treatment of horses, namely, the off-label use of lincomycin without prior consultation with the manufacturer, fluid and electrolyte replacement therapy not continued for long enough, and incorrect use of antipyretic analgesics. The intravenous administration of gentamicin to dehydrated patients is permissible only in co...
Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide in standardbred and Finnhorse trotters during and after exercise. To study the exercise-induced changes in atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), a hormone with cardiovascular and renal effects, an incremental submaximal exercise test on a high-speed treadmill was carried out with Standardbred and Finnhorse trotters, the former bred for speed and the latter originally for heavy work. Standardbreds performed the 2 min exercise intervals at speeds of 6, 7, 8, 9 m s-1 and Finnhorses, according to their training status, at 5, 6, 7, 8 m s-1, 4, 5, 6, 7 m s-1 or 5, 6, 7 m s-1. Steady-state heart rate (HR) was reached within each 2 min interval. The increase in HR was l...
Parameters of forelimb ground reaction force in 48 normal ponies. Recordings of forelimb ground reaction forces were made from 48 normal ponies moving at the trot, to evaluate the relationships between bodyweight, vertical ground reaction forces, the timing of individual events within the stance phase and the total contact time. There were highly significant correlations between the mean vertical ground reaction forces and bodyweight. The mean vertical ground reaction forces, corrected for bodyweight, were inversely correlated with the total contact time suggesting that higher trotting speeds may be associated with greater vertical ground reaction forces. Th...
Genetic homogeneity of Taylorella equigenitalis from Norwegian trotting horses revealed by chromosomal DNA fingerprinting. Chromosomal DNA fingerprinting indicated that Norwegian Taylorella equigenitalis strains are genetically homogeneous and similar to some Swedish isolates but different from other European strains. As contagious equine metritis is rarely a serious disease in Norwegian horses, we conclude that the dominant T. equigenitalis strain in Norway is a genetically homogeneous clone of low virulence.
How the horse moves: 1. Significance of graphical representations of equine forelimb kinematics. The kinematics of 24 two-year-old Dutch Warmblood horses were recorded at the trot (4 m/s) on a high-speed treadmill to study the coordination of joints within the equine forelimb. Joint angle-time, angle-angle, stick, and marker diagrams were used to show forelimb motion graphically. Because the kinematic data referred to the joint angles of the horse standing squarely and were time-standardised to the duration of the stride cycle, mean joint curves could be calculated for the total group. The motion of each segment in the equine forelimb during a complete stride is described and its function...
Camera speeds for optoelectronic assessment of stride-timing characteristics in horses at the trot. Quantitated locomotion analysis is increasingly being used during assessment and treatment of gait disorders in human beings. Locomotion analysis is also thought to have potential for enhancing the assessment of lameness in horses. Availability of high-speed video recording systems has simplified the process of quantitated locomotion analysis; however, the high cost of such systems has limited their use for routine clinical assessment in horses. The temporal resolution of 500- to 1,000-images/s (Hz) recording systems is beyond what has been considered necessary for precise quantitation of shor...
Equine hoof function investigated by pressure transducers inside the hoof and accelerometers mounted on the first phalanx. The dampening of hoof impact was investigated by measuring the accelerations transmitted through structures of the hoof in horses trotting freely on an asphalt tarmac. The hoof dampened the vibrations transmitted to the first phalanx. Shoeing decreased the viscous dampening and increased the median power frequency and the maximal amplitude of the vibrations transmitted to the first phalanx. The pressure inside the digital cushion of the foreleg was recorded. The pressure dropped during the stance phase, indicating expansion of the hoof. The expansion of the hoof was not produced by frog or sol...
Semi-quantitative analysis of hoof-strike in the horse. The initial forelimb loading of a horse trotting at 3.7 ms-1 on a treadmill was studied by use of an instrumented shoe, accelerometers and high-speed cinematography. At the beginning of the stance phase the forelimb was loaded successively from the hoof. This is suggested to be an important factor for effective shock force absorbency in the extremities. Shearing forces may appear in the carpus before the onset of the longitudinal loading of the limb. These forces are proposed to depend on speed, locomotion pattern and the friction and hardness of the surface. It is suggested that shearing forc...
Biokinematic analysis of the Swedish Warmblood riding horse at trot. The trotting gait of 4 approved Swedish Warmblood stallions with a mean gait score > or = 8.67 (maximum score = 10) at official performance tests was recorded by high speed film (approximately 250 frames/sec). Angular patterns and hoof trajectories of the left fore and hind limbs were analysed, and presented as mean and standard deviation curves. The horses had a mean stride duration of 794.0 msec (sd 13.7) and the mean diagonal advanced placement was +29.8 msec (sd 7.6). The variation in angular patterns between the horses was greatest during the swing phase. The trajectory of the hind hoof r...
Kinematics of treadmill versus overground locomotion in horses. A kinematic analysis was carried out to compare treadmill and overground locomotion in horses at the trot. Stride variables and limb and trunk movements of 10 Dutch Warmblood horses were measured using the CODA-3 gait analysis system. Overground recordings were made on a rubber ground surface and on an asphalt track. Treadmill recordings were taken after a controlled habituation programme and at the same velocities as measured overground. On asphalt, a shorthened stride duration and a decreased vertical displacement of the withers were found compared with those on rubber ground. On the treadmi...
The effect of toe weights on linear and temporal stride characteristics of standardbred trotters. Toe weights are applied to influence the stride characteristics of trotters. The quantitative effect of 88-g toe weights on the stride characteristics of Standardbred trotters was evaluated in a kinematic study using a CODA-3 analysis system. Six trotters were studied at a speed of 11 m/s on a treadmill. Temporal gait variables, joint angles, and the trajectories of the forelimb hoof were calculated. The stride patterns of the individual trotters were assessed by a judge and compared to the CODA-output. Those trotters with poor flexion of the carpal joint during the swing phase or with insuffi...
Comparison of the stride kinematics of the collected, working, medium and extended trot in horses. Highly-trained dressage horses were studied to test the hypothesis that stride length is altered independently of stride duration in the transitions between the collected, working, medium and extended trot. Six well-trained dressage horses were filmed at a frame rate of 150 frames/s performing the collected, working, medium and extended trots in a sand arena. Temporal, linear and angular data were extracted from the films, with 4 strides being analysed for each horse and gait type. There were no significant asymmetries between the left and rights limbs or diagonals when data from the whole gro...
Prevalence and risk factors in serous arthritis in the carpal joint of Norwegian coldblooded trotters. Of 508 four-year-old coldblooded trotters examined for carpitis, 135 (27%) had the condition. Thirty horses had unilateral carpitis on the left frontlimb, 52 on the right frontlimb and 53 had bilateral carpitis. Of these horses, 105 were stallions, 135 were geldings and 269 were mares. The prevalence of carpitis in these three groups was 25%, 25% and 28%, respectively. Information was obtained on the training regimes in four periods of the life of 378 horses. The odds ratios for the training variables were of the same order in all four periods. In logistic regression analyses on the training v...
Accumulation of allantoin and uric acid in plasma of exercising trotters. Plasma concentrations of hypoxanthine, uric acid, and allantoin, which are breakdown products of adenine nucleotides, were measured in Standardbred and Finnhorse trotters during and after an exercise test on a high-speed treadmill, after an incremental exercise test performed on a racetrack, and after a racing competition. Fiber-type composition of the middle gluteal muscle and the muscle concentrations of adenine nucleotides and inosine monophosphate were measured after the racetrack test. Changes in the concentration of hypoxanthine were not observed in any of the tests. Peak concentration o...
Computer-assisted three-dimensional gait analysis of amphotericin-induced carpal lameness in horses. Motion of 6 clinically sound horses trotting at a speed of 4 m/s on a treadmill was captured by video cameras before and 9, 16, and 23 days after amphotericin-induced lameness to determine the quantitative variables of three-dimensional computer-assisted image analysis that objectively describe carpal lameness. Amphotericin-B was used to induce lameness, and phenylbutazone (2.2 mg/kg of body weight, PO, once) and butorphanol tartrate (0.1 mg/kg IM, q 6 h, to effect) were used to control discomfort. Four 60-Hz cameras were symmetrically placed around the treadmill to capture 6 seconds of images...
Ground reaction force patterns of Dutch warmblood horses at normal trot. This study was undertaken to establish limb loading patterns of sound horses at the trot, to provide a data base against which results for lame horses could be compared. Ground reaction force (GRF) data were collected from 20 clinically sound Dutch Warmblood horses. The data from at least 5 stance phases of each limb were averaged after standardisation to the animal's body mass and to the stance phase duration and resulted in 'representative' GRF data. The symmetry in the vertical GRF peak amplitudes, impulses and the stance phase duration comparing left and right limbs exceeded 97%. By averag...
Shortening of the forelimb in the horse during the stance phase. Compressions in the forelimb of a horse trotting at 3.7 m/s were studied using high-speed cinematography. From a diagram of shortenings it has been concluded that successive loadings in the longitudinal direction from below signify longer impact time and smaller impact forces compared to a theoretically stiff limb. It is proposed that the limb takes up the impact force passively until the onset of loading at the elbow joint, i.e. 30 ms following first contact.
Comparison of the damping effect of different shoeing by the measurement of hoof acceleration. The purpose of this study was to compare the damping effect of 16 types of shoeing by measuring hoof acceleration parameters on two trotting horses. At impact, maximal deceleration had extreme values such as 188 m/s2 (+/- 55) for the most damping combination (p < 0.01) and 746 m/s2 (+/- 14) for the steel shoe (mean = 551 m/s2 +/- 125). After the shock, the hoof was exposed to a mean vibrating acceleration at 418 Hz (+/- 84) which was progressively damped in 37.3 ms (+/- 10.5). According to these results, the damping ability of different farriery products significantly reduces (p < 0.05) shocks...
A preliminary study of transitions between the walk and trot in dressage horses. The object of this study was to determine the limb support sequence during the transitions from walk to trot and from trot to walk in dressage horses under saddle and to test the null hypothesis that the limb support sequence during the transitions is not related to the level of training. Sixteen dressage horses training at novice to FEI Grand Prix level were videotaped performing an average of 9 transitions each from walk to trot and from trot to walk. The 30-Hz videotapes were viewed in slow motion, and based on the limb support sequence the transitions were categorized into two types. In ty...
Quantification of hind limb lameness in the horse. The three-dimensional optoelectronic locomotion analysis system SELSPOT II was used for kinematic studies of hind limb locomotion patterns. Two groups, 11 sound horses and 15 horses suffering from hind limb lameness, were examined at the trot. Both graphical and quantitative analyses were compared in sound and lame horses. The parameter hip acceleration quotient (HAQ), using the different peaks of vertical acceleration of one hip during one stride, proved to be a suitable value for quantitative analysis of hind limb lameness. In sound horses the HAQ ranged from 1.03 to 1.54, lame horses showed...
Acetylsalicylic acid and blood coagulation in the horse. Equine blood may contain salicylic acid (SA) taken up as free acid or represents the metabolite of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). To obtain information of SA in race horses we screened blood samples of trotting-horses routinely drawn to be analyzed for doping substances. The individual values determined followed a Gaussian distribution displaying a geometric mean of 19 ng SA per ml serum. A probit analysis revealed linear relationship (r = 0.995). Additional studies examined the antithrombotic efficacy of ASA in the horse. An oral dose of 300 mg ASA considerably elevated the bleeding time for mor...
[Genetic structure of the Orlov trotter and the Russian trotter]. The genetic structures of Orlov's and Russian trotters for 16 biochemical systems have been comparatively analyzed. Polymorphism of 6 systems of these horse groups is revealed. The main genetic differentiation between Orlov's and Russian trotters is observed on the transferrin and phosphoglucomutase loci.
[Glutathione peroxidase activity in whole blood and plasma of horses of different ages, sexes and different use]. GSH-Px activity in blood and plasma of 269 horses was determined and interrelated to age, sex, and type of use or breed. Furthermore values in blood were related to hematocrit and hemoglobin contents. Trotters and riding horses had higher GSH-Px activities in plasma as well as in blood (0.83 +/- 0.22 and 0.79 +/- 0.23 U/ml plasma or 27.2 +/- 4.3 and 24.0 +/- 7.0 U/ml blood) than Thoroughbreds in training and yearlings (0.61 +/- 0.,14 and 0.56 +/- 0.16 U/ml plasma or 20.6 2 +/- 6.9 and 24.6 +/- 4.3 U/ml blood). 3 to 6 years old Thoroughbreds had higher GSH-Px-activities than 1 to 2 years old on...
[The postnatal iron status of trotter foals]. The postnatal iron status of 20 trotter foals (7 female, 13 male) was studied by analyzing different parameters in blood drawn on the day of birth, and 14 +/- 2 and 28 +/- 2 days later. Hemoglobin hematocrit, plasma iron and transferrin saturation averaged 14.9 g/dl, 41.8%, 300 micrograms/dl and 59.4%, respectively, on the day of birth. These values were significantly reduced after 14 days, but had approached again the initial levels by day 28. There was a slight, statistically nonsignificant rise in the mean total iron-binding capacity over the four-week period. Iron status was not affecting ...
A mechanical trigger for the trot-gallop transition in horses. It is widely thought that animals switch gaits at speeds that minimize energetic cost. Horses naturally switched from a trot to a gallop at a speed where galloping required more energy than trotting, and thus, the gait transition actually increased the energetic cost of running. However, by galloping at this speed, the peak forces on the muscles, tendons, and bones, and presumably the chance of injury, are reduced. When the horses carried weights, they switched from a trot to a gallop at a lower speed but at the same critical level of force. These findings suggest that the trot-gallop transiti...
Concentrations of progestagens and oestrogens in the faeces of pregnant Lipizzan, trotter and thoroughbred mares. Faecal samples were collected at weekly intervals from pregnant Lipizzan mares during Weeks 7-16 following mating and from Lipizzan, Trotter and Thoroughbred mares during the last 3 months of gestation. After parturition, samples were taken daily from the Thoroughbred mares for another 6 days. Non-pregnant mares served as controls. The concentrations of unconjugated oestrogens (Eg), 20 alpha-OH-progestagens (20 alpha-G) and 20 beta-OH-progestagens (20 beta-G) were measured by enzyme immunoassay. In the faeces of Lipizzan mares, immunoreactive progestagens were significantly (P less than 0.01) ...
[Training-induced changes of reference vectors in the QRS complex of the EKG of young trotting horses]. After the onset of training ("breaking") in young standardbred horses within continuing investigations changes of vectors in the QRS-complex were considered. These changes accomplished in two stages. Mainly within the first three months of training the vector R (VR) in limb leads changed to the left and to caudal and dorsal. In a second interval between five and seven months after breaking the vector S (VS) changed to cranial. As main cause the different character of training in both phases is discussed. Additional indicators of age- or development-related causes were not found.
A radiographic survey of tibiotarsal osteochondrosis in a selected population of trotting horses in Denmark and its possible genetic significance. This research study investigated the prevalence and potential genetic factors of tibiotarsal osteochondrosis, a joint condition, in trotting horses in Denmark through a radiographic survey. The study examined 325 yearlings, […]
