Effect of rider and riding style on deformation of the front hoof wall in warmblood horses.

The research study aims to understand how a horse rider and their riding style influence the mechanical behavior of the warmblood horse’s front hoof during each stance phase – standing, walking, trotting, etc.

Study Methodology

• The researchers conducted their experiments on four Warmblood horses, with five rosette strain gauges glued to the surface of each horse’s front hooves to record strains.
• The strains were recorded under various conditions – with and without a rider, and when the rider assumed different positions such as sitting, rising at a trot, or in a forward-seated position.
• Changes in strains from trot to lead or non-lead at a canter and the effect of turning were also studied.

Main Findings

• Changing lead at a canter had as much effect on strain magnitudes as did turning. Strains tended to be up to 43% higher for the non-lead foot, but with little redistribution of the strain.
• The presence of a rider led to significantly lower strains on the quarters of horses by up to 30%. However, the strain at the toe of the hoof experienced a 10% increase or decrease depending on the individual horse.
• Riding style was shown to impact strain magnitudes by up to 20% and also caused strain redistribution. When the rider was sitting, strains were higher medially (middle region), and when leaning forward, strains were higher laterally (side region). On the other hand, strains for a rising trot were more evenly distributed and intermediate in magnitude.

Importance of the Study

• The data collected on the range and causes of variation in hoof wall strain serves as valuable baseline data, aimed at providing a biomechanical definition of hoof balance in the long term.
• Identifying the impact of a rider’s weight and their riding style on the hoof strain may help in identifying optimal riding techniques which reduce the risk of physical damage to the horse.