Body lean angle in sound dressage horses in-hand, on the lunge and ridden.

This research study aims to investigate the difference between the observed and predicted lean angles in a horse’s body during various activities. Another goal of the study is to evaluate how factors such as age, rein, and ridden work quality affect the body lean angle of horses.

Study Design and Execution

• The research was a prospective, non-random, cross-sectional survey involving thirteen non-lame horses.
• Each horse was subjected to various activities such as trotting in straight lines, being lunged, and ridden on both reins.
• An inertial measurement unit (IMU) equipped with a global positioning system was attached over the animal’s tuber sacrale. This was to accurately measure and calculate the body lean angle, velocity, and radius.

Results and Findings

• The study’s findings indicate a significant discrepancy in the observed and predicted leans in the horse’s body. This result was predominantly evident in horses aged six years old or less, with the horse’s body leaning more than predicted.
• Conversely, horses aged seven years or older showed less leaning than predicted.
• The study also discovered an inverse correlation between the horse’s quality of ridden work and its body lean. Horses with better-performing ridden work according to the Fédération Equestre Internationale grading scale (i.e., a score of 7 or higher) had less leaning than predicted.

Conclusion

• The study did not find any statistically significant differences in body lean between the trot and canter exercises, nor between work on the left and right reins. However, it proposed that an asymmetry in body lean between reins could be an early marker of lameness.