FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
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.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2025-05-15 PubMed ID: 40371819DOI: 10.1111/evj.14525Google 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.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

Cite This Article

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

References

This article includes 23 references
  1. Keegan KG, Dent EV, Wilson DA, Janicek J, Kramer J, Lacarrubba A. Repeatability of subjective evaluation of lameness in horses. Equine Vet J 2010;42(2):92–97.
  2. Hammarberg M, Egenvall A, Pfau T, Rhodin M. Rater agreement of visual lameness assessment in horses during lungeing. Equine Vet J 2016;48(1):78–82.
  3. Kristjansson T, Bjornsdottir S, Sigurdsson A, Andersson LS, Lindgren G, Helyar SJ. The effect of the “Gait keeper” mutation in the DMRT3 gene on gaiting ability in Icelandic horses. J Anim Breed Genet 2014;131(6):415–425.
  4. Rhodin M, Smit IH, Persson‐Sjodin E, Pfau T, Gunnarsson V, Björnsdóttir S. Timing of vertical head, withers and pelvis movements relative to the footfalls in different equine gaits and breeds. Animals 2022;12(21):3053.
  5. Biknevicius AR, Mullineaux DR, Clayton HM. Locomotor mechanics of the tölt in Icelandic horses. Am J Vet Res 2006;67(9):1505–1510.
  6. Waldern NM, Wiestner T, Ramseier LC, Weishaupt MA. Comparison of limb loading and movement of Icelandic horses while tölting and trotting at equal speeds. Am J Vet Res 2015;76(12):1031–1040.
  7. Bell RP, Reed SK, Schoonover MJ, Whitfield CT, Yonezawa Y, Maki H. Associations of force plate and body‐mounted inertial sensor measurements for identification of hind limb lameness in horses. Am J Vet Res 2016;77(4):337–345.
  8. Persson‐Sjodin E, Hernlund E, Pfau T, Andersen PH, Forsström KH, Byström A. Withers vertical movement symmetry is useful for locating the primary lame limb in naturally occurring lameness. Equine Vet J 2024;56(1):76–88.
  9. Buchner HHF, Savelberg HHCM, Schamhardt HC, Barneveld A. Head and trunk movement adaptations in horses with experimentally induced fore‐ or hindlimb lameness. Equine Vet J 1996;28(1):71–76.
  10. Zips S, Peham C, Scheidl M, Licka T, Girtler D. Motion pattern of the toelt of Icelandic horses at different speeds. Equine Vet J 2001;33(S33):109–111.
  11. Smit IH, Hernlund E, Persson‐Sjodin E, Björnsdóttir S, Gunnarsdottir H, Gunnarsson V. Adaptation strategies of the Icelandic horse with induced forelimb lameness at walk, trot and tölt. Equine Vet J 2023;56(3):617–630.
  12. Polet DT. The Murphy number: how pitch moment of inertia dictates quadrupedal walking and running energetics. J Exp Biol 2021;224(5):jeb228296.
  13. Minetti AE, Ardigò LP, Reinach E, Saibene F. The relationship between mechanical work and energy expenditure of locomotion in horses. J Exp Biol 1999;202(17):2329–2338.
  14. Lopes MAF, Dearo ACO, Lee A, Reed SK, Kramer J, Pai PF. An attempt to detect lameness in galloping horses by use of body‐mounted inertial sensors. Am J Vet Res 2016;77(10):1121–1131.
  15. Persson‐Sjodin E, Hernlund E, Pfau T, Andersen PH, Rhodin M. Influence of seating styles on head and pelvic vertical movement symmetry in horses ridden at trot. PLoS One 2018;13(4):1–15.
  16. Rhodin M, Persson‐Sjodin E, Egenvall A, Serra Bragança FM, Pfau T, Roepstorff L. Vertical movement symmetry of the withers in horses with induced forelimb and hindlimb lameness at trot. Equine Vet J 2018;50(6):818–824.
  17. Bragança FMS, Broomé S, Rhodin M, Björnsdóttir S, Gunnarsson V, Voskamp JP. Improving gait classification in horses by using inertial measurement unit (IMU) generated data and machine learning. Sci Rep 2020;10:17785.
  18. Glickman ME, Rao SR, Schultz MR. False discovery rate control is a recommended alternative to Bonferroni‐type adjustments in health studies. J Clin Epidemiol 2014;67(8):850–857.
  19. Rhodin M, Pfau T, Roepstorff L, Egenvall A. Effect of lungeing on head and pelvic movement asymmetry in horses with induced lameness. Vet J 2013;198(1):39–45.
  20. Kramer J, Keegan KG, Kelmer G, Wilson DA. Objective determination of pelvic movement during hind limb lameness by use of a signal decomposition method and pelvic height differences. Am J Vet Res 2004;65(6):741–747.
  21. Kramer J, Keegan KG, Wilson DA, Smith BK, Wilson DJ. Kinematics of the hind limb in trotting horses after induced lameness of the distal intertarsal and tarsometatarsal joints and intra‐articular administration of anesthetic. Am J Vet Res 2000;61(9):1031–1036.
  22. Bragança FMS, Hernlund E, Thomsen MH, Waldern NM, Rhodin M, Byström A. Adaptation strategies of horses with induced forelimb lameness walking on a treadmill. Equine Vet J 2021;53(3):600–611.
  23. Biknevicius AR, Mullineaux DR, Clayton HM. Ground reaction forces and limb function in tölting Icelandic horses. Equine Vet J 2004;36(8):743–747.

Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Korac L, St George L, MacNicol J, McCrae P, Jung L, Golestani N, Karrow N, Cánovas A, Pearson W. Functional and biochemical inflammatory responses to low-dose intra-articular recombinant equine IL-1β: a pilot study. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1746738.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1746738pubmed: 41624292google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,658 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.