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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Adaptation strategies of Icelandic horses with induced trans...
Equine veterinary journal2025; doi: 10.1111/evj.14525

Adaptation strategies of Icelandic horses with induced transient hindlimb lameness at walk, trot and tölt.

Abstract: Icelandic horses are valued for their additional gaits, but assessing lameness in this breed can be challenging. Pelvic (P) vertical movement asymmetries, differences (D) in minimum (min)/maximum (max) position, are used to quantify impact (PDmin) and push-off (PDmax) hindlimb lameness during the trot, but no established parameters exist for detecting hindlimb lameness in other gaits. Objective: To evaluate temporal stride parameters and upper-body movement asymmetry after transient hindlimb lameness induction in walk, trot and tölt. Methods: In vivo experiment. Methods: Eleven Icelandic horses were measured before and after hindlimb lameness was induced (sole pressure). Vertical movement asymmetry of Head (H)/Pelvis (HDmin/HDmax/PDmin/PDmax) and hip-hike were measured during ridden walk, sitting trot and tölt as well as in-hand walk and trot, using an inertial measurement unit system. Linear mixed models compared sound and lame conditions within each gait, and differences in estimated marginal means (mm) between conditions are presented, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Lameness induction significantly increased PDmin asymmetry in all gaits except walk in-hand: walk (PDmin: 5.07), trot (PDmin: 10.72, PDmin: 9.85) and tölt (PDmin: 4.88). However, PDmax increased only for trot in-hand (PDmax: 4.80). Hip-hike increased on the lame limb side at trot (hip-hike: 20.90, hip-hike: 10.81) and tölt (hip-hike: 4.28). Conclusions: Findings need verification in clinically lame Icelandic horses with varying diagnoses and lameness severity. Conclusions: PDmin and hip-hike appear to be effective parameters for detecting mild hoof-associated hindlimb lameness in Icelandic horses when trotting in-hand or ridden. At walk or tölt under saddle, only slight PDmin changes were observed, likely due to lower limb loading in those gaits and the pelvic minimum position associating with different loading stages throughout the stride cycle for walking and running gaits. These findings suggest trot is the preferred gait for assessing mild hindlimb lameness in Icelandic horses. Unassigned: Islandpferde werden wegen ihrer zusätzlichen Gangarten geschätzt, aber die Beurteilung von Lahmheiten bei dieser Rasse kann schwierig sein. Asymmetrien in der vertikalen Bewegung des Beckens (P), Unterschiede (D) in der minimalen (min)/maximalen (max) Position, werden zur Quantifizierung von Lahmheiten der Hintergliedmaßen beim Trab beim Aufsetzen (PDmin) und beim Abstoßen (PDmax) verwendet, aber es gibt keine etablierten Parameter zur Feststellung von Lahmheiten der Hintergliedmaßen in anderen Gangarten. Unassigned: Bewertung der zeitlichen Schrittparameter und der Bewegungsasymmetrie des Oberkörpers nach vorübergehender Lahmheit der Hintergliedmaßen im Schritt, Trab und Tölt. Methods: In vivo Experiment. Methods: Elf Islandpferde wurden vor und nach dem Auslösen einer Lahmheit der Hintergliedmaßen (Sohlendruck) vermessen. Die vertikale Bewegungsasymmetrie von Kopf (H)/Becken (HDmin/HDmax/PDmin/PDmax) und der Hüftschwung wurden im gerittenen Schritt, sitzenden Trab und Tölt sowie im Schritt und Trab an der Hand mit einem Inertialmesssystem gemessen. Lineare gemischte Modelle verglichen gesunde und lahme Bedingungen innerhalb jeder Gangart, und die Unterschiede in den geschätzten marginalen Mittelwerten (mm) zwischen den Bedingungen werden dargestellt, wobei die Signifikanz auf P < 0,05 gesetzt wurde. Unassigned: Die Lahmheitsinduktion erhöhte signifikant die PDmin‐Asymmetrie in allen Gangarten mit Ausnahme von Schritt in der Hand: Schritt (PDmin: 5,07), Trab (PDmin: 10,72, PDmin: 9,85) und Tölt (PDmin: 4,88). Die PDmax stieg jedoch nur beim Trab an der Hand an (PDmax: 4,80). Der Hüftanstieg (“hip‐hike”) erhöhte sich auf der lahmen Seite im Trab (hip‐hike: 20,90; hip‐hike: 10,81) und Tölt (hip‐hike: 4,28). Unassigned: Die Befunde müssen bei klinisch lahmenden Islandpferden mit unterschiedlichen Diagnosen und Lahmheitsgraden überprüft werden. Unassigned: PDmin und “hip‐hike” scheinen wirksame Parameter zu sein, um leichte hufbedingte Lahmheiten der Hintergliedmaßen bei Islandpferden zu erkennen, wenn diese an der Hand traben oder geritten werden. Beim Schritt oder Tölt unter dem Sattel wurden nur geringfügige PDmin‐Änderungen beobachtet, was wahrscheinlich auf die Belastung der unteren Gliedmaßen in diesen Gangarten zurückzuführen ist und darauf, dass die minimale Position des Beckens mit unterschiedlichen Belastungsphasen während des Schrittzyklus beim Gehen und Laufen verbunden ist. Diese Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass der Trab die bevorzugte Gangart für die Beurteilung leichter Lahmheiten der Hintergliedmaßen bei Islandpferden ist.
© 2025 The Author(s). Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2025-05-15 PubMed ID: 40371819DOI: 10.1111/evj.14525Google Scholar: Lookup
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APA
Rhodin M, Serra Bragança FM, Persson-Sjodin E, Björnsdóttir S, Gunnarsdottir H, Gunnarsson V, Hernlund E, Smit IH. (2025). Adaptation strategies of Icelandic horses with induced transient hindlimb lameness at walk, trot and tölt. Equine Vet J. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14525

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Rhodin, Marie
  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Serra Bragança, Filipe M
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht, University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Persson-Sjodin, Emma
  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Björnsdóttir, Sigríður
  • Agricultural University of Iceland, Borgarnes, Iceland.
Gunnarsdottir, Helga
  • Agricultural University of Iceland, Borgarnes, Iceland.
Gunnarsson, Vikingur
  • Department of Equine Science, Hólar University College, Hólar, Iceland.
Hernlund, Elin
  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Smit, Ineke H
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht, University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Grant Funding

  • H-17-47-303 / Swedish Norwegian foundation for Equine Research
  • Pu00e1lmi Ju00f3nsson's Nature Conservation Fund
  • 12304 / The Eurostars Programme

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