A comparison between the trot of pony and horse foals to characterize equine locomotion at young age.
Abstract: The trot at 3 m/s of 24 Shetland foals ('ponies') and 24 Dutch Warmblood foals ('horses') was recorded at age 4 months on a treadmill using a modified CODA-3 apparatus to characterise equine locomotion at young age. Locomotor variables of the ponies were qualitatively and, after scaling, quantitatively compared with those of horses. Ponies made shorter strides than horses, evidenced by a shorter stance and swing duration, although their relative stance durations were similar. Neither linear nor dynamic scaling procedures could completely compensate for differences in height at the withers comparing ponies and horses. The patterns of the joint angle-time curves were similar. Ponies had a larger range of pro- and retraction, with a more protracted forelimb and a more retracted hindlimb, therefore demonstrating a more extended trot. The horses trotted with more extended elbow, stifle and tarsal joints and a more flexed hip joint, which is in accordance with the conformation for the Warmblood. The ponies moved with a stiffer trot in contrast to the more supple trot of the horses, which showed a larger maximal fetlock extension during the stance phase. In conclusion, ponies and horses move qualitatively similarly at age 4 months, but characteristic breed differences in conformation and gait quality can already be detected. Scaling methods to compensate for differences in height at the withers cannot be applied when animals move at the same velocity.
Publication Date: 2000-02-05 PubMed ID: 10659260DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb05226.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The study investigates the trotting behavior of two different equine breeds at a young age, focusing specifically on Shetland pony foals and Dutch Warmblood horse foals. The research suggests that while there are many similarities in movement between the two, there also exist notable differences bound to their breed characteristics which start showing up at an early age.
Methods and Tools Used
- The trot at 3 m/s of 24 Shetland foals (‘ponies’) and 24 Dutch Warmblood foals (‘horses’) was recorded at age 4 months
- The recording was performed on a treadmill using a modified CODA-3 apparatus, which is typically used to measure human movement, indicating a quantitative approach to the analysis
Comparison of Locomotor Variables
- Ponies made shorter strides than horses, they had a shorter stance and swing duration. Even though the scales were adjusted, the differences remained significantly noticeable.
- The relative stance duration between both breeds was similar.
- No scaling procedure could fully account for height differences when comparing ponies to horses.
Joint Angle-Time Curves Comparison
- The joint angle-time curve patterns were similar between both.
- Ponies had a larger range of pro- and retraction, indicating a more extended trot. They also demonstrated a more protracted forelimb and a retracted hindlimb.
- Horses trod with more extended elbow, stifle, and tarsal joints and a more flexed hip joint. This is in line with the typical conformation of the Warmblood breed.
Differences in Gait Quality
- The ponies trotted with a stiffer trot as opposed to the more supple trot of the horses.
- Horses showed a larger maximal fetlock extension during the stance phase.
In conclusion, the study found that there were breed-specific differences in the trotting pattern and gait quality of the two equine breeds considered. This study also highlighted that scaling methods to account for differences in height at the withers may not be effective when animals move at the same velocity. The findings suggest that these differences in locomotion patterns emerge early on and are likely to be of genetic origin.
Cite This Article
APA
Back W, Schamhardt HC, Van Weeren PR, Barneveld A.
(2000).
A comparison between the trot of pony and horse foals to characterize equine locomotion at young age.
Equine Vet J Suppl(30), 240-244.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb05226.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of General and Large Animal Surgery, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
MeSH Terms
- Aging / physiology
- Animals
- Biomechanical Phenomena
- Forelimb / physiology
- Gait / physiology
- Hindlimb / physiology
- Horses / physiology
- Locomotion / physiology
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Wagner FC, Gerlach K, Geiger SM, Gittel C, Böttcher P, Mülling CKW. Biplanar High-Speed Fluoroscopy of Pony Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon (SDFT)-An In Vivo Pilot Study. Vet Sci 2021 May 27;8(6).
- Sparrow LM, Pellatt E, Yu SS, Raichlen DA, Pontzer H, Rolian C. Gait changes in a line of mice artificially selected for longer limbs. PeerJ 2017;5:e3008.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
