Clinical Research Abstracts of the British Equine Veterinary Association Congress 2015.

The research article examines the impact of the Equiband™ system, which includes resistance bands attached to a saddle pad, on the movement and stability of a horse’s backbone. Over a 4-week exercise protocol, the system was found to notably lessen body roll, pitch, and sideways motion in the upper-mid section of a horse’s torso, indicating that it could assist in dynamic stabilization of the vertebral column.

Objective and Background of the Study

• The primary objective of this research was to quantify the influence of the Equiband™ system on back kinematics and movement symmetry in horses. The system, which consists of resistance bands attached to a custom saddle pad, is suggested to provide continuous proprioceptive feedback during movement, stimulating the use of abdominal and hindquarter muscles.
• The motivation for the study arises from the understanding that training and rehabilitation techniques that strengthen core muscles can enhance the dynamic stability of the equine vertebral column.

Methods and Procedures of the Study

• This was a longitudinal intervention study with a quantitative analysis of back movement and gait symmetry in horses before and after a 4-week exercise program implementing the Equiband™ system.
• Data was gathered from seven horses using inertial sensors at the beginning (Week 0) and end (Week 4) of a structured exercise regime.
• Analysis was conducted both with and without the Equiband™ system at a trot on a hard surface and for both reins on a lunge on a soft surface.
• Six back kinematics and three movement symmetry parameters were calculated following established methods, and a mixed model was used to assess the impact of the Equiband™ system over time, as well as the direction of trotting on back kinematics and movement symmetry parameters.

Results and Conclusion of the Study

• The results indicated that the Equiband™ system significantly reduced roll, pitch, and mediolateral displacement in the cranial-mid thoracic region of the horses. Furthermore, back displacement and range of motion values were notably higher when horses were on the lunge than when moving in a straight line.
• The researchers concluded that these preliminary results suggest the Equiband™ system may help in dynamic stabilization of the vertebral column in horses.
• It’s important to note that two of the researchers involved in this study were developers of the Equiband™ system, which could potentially influence the study’s findings.
• The study was conducted ethically and was fully authorized by the Ethics and Welfare Committee of the Royal Veterinary College in London, and written consent was obtained from the owner or keeper of each horse involved in the study.