Combined influence of expertise and fatigue on riding strategy and horse–rider coupling during the time course of endurance races.

The research explores the biomechanical interaction between horse and rider during endurance races, to understand how rider experience and fatigue influence riding strategies. It finds that the riding technique and race speed are affected by the rider’s level of expertise, with accelerometer measurements proving useful in tracking these interactions, but further investigation is required to understand the impact of fatigue and strategy.

Research Objective and Methods

• The main aim of the research was to understand the impact of rider expertise and fatigue on riding strategies, specifically within the context of endurance horse races. It aimed to do this by studying the biomechanics of horse-rider interaction.
• To achieve this, the researchers analysed five elite and five advanced horse-rider dyads during endurance races. The participants were recorded using two synchronized triaxial accelerometers to capture vertical displacements of horse and rider per stride. This data helped determine the proportional use of different gaits and riding techniques during the race.
• Additional data collected included instantaneous speed and rider heart rates, which were captured through a global positioning system and heart rate monitor.

Research Findings

• The study found that all dyads primarily used two riding techniques per gait. The two-point trot proportion was found to be limited in both groups, constituting only 11% of the time.
• Different patterns were observed in advanced and elite dyads. The advanced dyads showed stable speed throughout the race, along with a stable proportion of four gait-riding technique combinations, and consistency in the relative phase of horse-rider vertical displacement. The elite dyads, on the other hand, showed an increase in the proportion of sitting canter from the middle to the end of the race. This was associated with an increase in racing speed and mean heart rate. The elite riders also initially had higher mean relative phase values.
• The study also noted an increase in intradyad relative phase variability in two-point canter in both groups.

Research Conclusions

• The use of accelerometers was found to be an ideal tool for monitoring the horse-rider interaction during international endurance races. The collected data helped identify and understand various riding trends qualitatively and quantitatively.
• The main finding of the study was that the rider’s level of expertise influenced the choice of gait and riding techniques, which in turn influenced the race speed.
• However, the authors concluded that further investigation is required to understand whether fatigue and strategic choices contributed to the observed trends.