Detection of Equine Hoof Motion by Using a Hoof-Mounted Inertial Measurement Unit Sensor in Comparison to Examinations with an Optoelectronic Technique – A Pilot Study.

The research article investigates if a hoof-mounted inertial measurement unit (IMU) system can accurately measure a horse’s motion on different terrains compared to an optoelectronic technique.

Methodology

• The study was carried out on the right hoof of just one horse, on which an IMU sensor was mounted.
• The sensor had an optical reference marker on top to gather data for direct comparison with the optoelectronic method.
• The horse performed fifteen steps on a firm ground, and five steps on a penetrable or soft ground in both walk and trot.

Measurements and Comparisons

• The accuracy of the data collected from the IMU sensor system was gauged via a comparison of concordance correlation coefficients, accuracy and precision of timings for different gait events and step lengths with the optoelectronic technique.
• The techniques showed strong agreement for most parameters in both walking and trotting on two types of terrain.

Limitations and Potential

• However, there was a decrease in agreement between both techniques while calculating breakover and landing duration during a trot on soft, penetrable ground.
• The discrepancy can be attributed to problems in marking individual phases of the stance accurately during optoelectronic analysis on soft terrain.
• The study concluded that IMU sensors mounted on the hoof provide a more exact method for examining different parts of a horse’s stance phase, especially on soft ground.
• Therefore, although the study was conducted on one horse, these findings underscore the considerable potential of IMU sensors for daily horse motion analysis in the field.