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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2025; 15(2); 195; doi: 10.3390/ani15020195

Description and Analysis of Horse Swimming Strategies in a U-Shaped Pool.

Abstract: Aquatic training has been integrated into equine rehabilitation and training programs for several decades. While the cardiovascular effects of this training have been explored in previous studies, limited research exists on the locomotor patterns exhibited during the swimming cycle. This study aimed to analyze three distinct swimming strategies, identified by veterinarians, based on the propulsion phases of each limb: (S1) two-beat cycle with lateral overlap, (S2) two-beat cycle with diagonal overlap, and (S3) four-beat cycle. 125 underwater videos from eleven horses accustomed to swimming were examined to quantify the differences in locomotor patterns between these strategies. Initially, a classifier was developed to categorize 125 video segments into four groups (CatA to CatD). The results demonstrated that these categories correspond to specific swimming strategies, with CatA aligning with S1, CatB with S2, and CatC and CatD representing variations of S3. This classification highlights that two key parameters, lateral and diagonal ratios, are indeed effective in distinguishing between the different swimming strategies. Additionally, coordination patterns were analyzed in relation to these swimming strategies. One of the primary findings is the variability in swimming strategies both within and between individual horses. While five horses consistently maintained the same strategy throughout their swimming sessions, six others exhibited variations in their strategy between laps. This suggests that factors such as swimming direction, pauses between laps, and fatigue may influence the selection of swimming strategy. This study offers new insights into the locomotor patterns of horses during aquatic training and has implications for enhancing the design of rehabilitation protocols.
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Publication Date: 2025-01-13 PubMed ID: 39858195PubMed Central: PMC11758662DOI: 10.3390/ani15020195Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article summarises a detailed analysis of different swimming strategies of horses during aquatic training. The study also delves into how elements such as direction, fatigue, and rest intervals might influence these swimming patterns.

Overview of the Study

  • The research was carried out to investigate different swimming strategies of horses during aquatic training. The objective was to delve deeper into understanding locomotive patterns that were not largely explored in previous studies.
  • Three distinct swimming strategies namely S1, S2, and S3 were examined, each differentiated on the basis of propulsion patterns of horse limbs.

Methodology of the Study

  • The study involved the assessment of 125 underwater videos featuring eleven horses accustomed to swimming.
  • In the beginning, a classifier was created to divide the videos into four categories (CatA to CatD).

Results & Findings

  • Detailed analysis showed that these video categories represented the aforementioned three swimming strategies. For instance, CatA was found to be corresponding to S1, CatB to S2 and CatC and CatD depicted variants of S3.
  • The classification signified that lateral and diagonal ratios are of paramount importance in distinguishing the different swimming strategies of horses.
  • It was also found out that the coordination patterns too played a role in the different swimming strategies of horses.
  • The study unravelled that horses exhibit variability in the selection of swimming strategies and factors such as swimming direction, frequency of breaks, and fatigue might drive these variations.

Implications of the Study

  • The study uncovers new insights into the locomotion patterns during horse aquatic training which could ultimately be beneficial for designing more effective rehabilitation protocols.

Cite This Article

APA
Gaulmin P, Marin F, Moiroud C, Beaumont A, Jacquet S, De Azevedo E, Martin P, Audigié F, Chateau H, Giraudet C. (2025). Description and Analysis of Horse Swimming Strategies in a U-Shaped Pool. Animals (Basel), 15(2), 195. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15020195

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 2
PII: 195

Researcher Affiliations

Gaulmin, Pauline
  • Centre d'Imagerie et de Recherche sur les Affections Locomotrices Equines (CIRALE), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France.
Marin, Frédéric
  • Laboratoire de BioMécanique et BioIngénierie (UMR CNRS 7338), Centre of Excellence for Human and Animal Movement Biomechanics (CoEMoB), Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC), Alliance Sorbonne Université, 60200 Compiègne, France.
Moiroud, Claire
  • Centre d'Imagerie et de Recherche sur les Affections Locomotrices Equines (CIRALE), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France.
Beaumont, Audrey
  • Centre d'Imagerie et de Recherche sur les Affections Locomotrices Equines (CIRALE), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France.
Jacquet, Sandrine
  • Centre d'Imagerie et de Recherche sur les Affections Locomotrices Equines (CIRALE), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France.
De Azevedo, Emeline
  • Centre d'Imagerie et de Recherche sur les Affections Locomotrices Equines (CIRALE), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France.
Martin, Pauline
  • LIM France, 24300 Nontron, France.
Audigié, Fabrice
  • Centre d'Imagerie et de Recherche sur les Affections Locomotrices Equines (CIRALE), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France.
Chateau, Henry
  • Centre d'Imagerie et de Recherche sur les Affections Locomotrices Equines (CIRALE), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France.
Giraudet, Chloé
  • Laboratoire de BioMécanique et BioIngénierie (UMR CNRS 7338), Centre of Excellence for Human and Animal Movement Biomechanics (CoEMoB), Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC), Alliance Sorbonne Université, 60200 Compiègne, France.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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