An objective method for evaluating the flexibility of the back of standing horses.

The research explored an objective method of quantifying the flexibility of a horse’s back, using tools for motion analysis and reference points along the animal’s spine.

Study Design

• The study involved 10 horses showing no <a href="/back-pain-in-horses/" title="Back Pain in Horses: Signs, Causes, Treatment & Management”>signs of back pain.
• Back flexibility was measured in different motions: maximum arching, dipping, and lateral bending to the left and right.
• The Expert Vision System, a motion analysis tool, was used to measure the back movements in these horses.
• Markers were placed in specific areas along the horse’s spine for precise measurement: the head, the spinous process at T5, T10, and T16 vertebrae, L3 in the lumbar region, and two places on the sacral spine.

Measurement Procedures

• By definition, the maximum spinal movement was determined when the marker at the T16 vertebra reached its maximum deviation from the starting position.
• The difference between the start position and this maximum position was then calculated as a percentage of the horse’s height at the withers, a point at the top of the shoulders and the typically highest part of the body.

Results

• The average results showed that at the T16 vertebra, back flexion or arching resulted in movement equivalent to 5.9% of the horse’s withers height with a standard deviation of 0.9.
• Extension or dipping resulted in negative movement, -2.4% of the horse’s height at the withers with a standard deviation of 0.7.
• Lateral flexion to the left caused movement amounting to 4.2% of the horse’s withers height, with a standard deviation of 1.1.
• Flexion to the right resulted in a movement of 5.3% of the horse’s height at the withers, with a standard deviation of 1.3.

This research provides an objective and measurable method to assess back flexibility in standing horses, using motion analysis tools and markers at key points along the animals’ spine. This method can be useful for veterinarians and equine sports scientists to better understand equine musculoskeletal health.