Analysis of trotter gait on the track by accelerometry and image analysis.

The research sought to assess the correlation between Phase-specific trotter limb cycles and points on acceleration curves using a novel gauging technique. The team collected kinematic data by deploying 3D acceleration and video image analysis on three French trotters in training. No substantial differences were found in stride measurements: stride, stance, braking, and thrust durations conducted through acceleration signaling and video analysis. Point-specific acceleration patterns surfaced expertly outlined stride temporal analysis.

Research Methodology

• The research involved comparing kinematic data obtained from video image analysis and 3-dimensional acceleration recordings drawn from three French trotters in training. The trotters were run on a racetrack at varied speeds of 8.33, 10, and 11.66 m/s, ramping up with a final speed burst.
• The horse’s motion was captured via a synchronised video camera at a frame frequency of 200 Hz in tandem with the Equimétrix gait analysis system.
• The gait variables were computed using 3-dimensional acceleration data, recorded at the sternum (dorso-ventral, longitudinal, and lateral axes) at a sampling rate of 100 Hz.

Data Collection and Analysis

• The research identified three stride phases precipitated by the dorsoventral acceleration signal. These include hoof landing, midstance phase, and toe-off.
• They employed the use of the corresponding longitudinal acceleration signal to highlight the braking and propulsion stages.
• The study utilized the lateral signal to determine the weight-bearing diagonal.
• Stride temporal dynamics, which include stride duration, stance, braking, and propulsion durations for both diagonals, were gauged using video analysis and acceleration signal analysis.
• The team found no significant discrepancies between the measurements (stride, stance, braking, and propulsion durations) obtained by video analysis and the acceleration signal analysis (P>0.05).

Potential Applications and Conclusion

• Specific points on the acceleration pattern facilitated a precise temporal analysis of the stride, offering potential applications in the assessment of racing performance-related locomotor dynamics or potential locomotive disorders when galloping at higher speeds.
• The study suggests that the new gait analysis system provides a reliable and precise way of evaluating the stride of trotters in training, which may contribute to improved training techniques and performance monitoring.