Effects of Rider Experience Level on Horse Kinematics and Behavior.

The research study examined the potential differences in horse behavior and movement as influenced by riders with varying levels of skill, intending to provide support information for horse management and welfare decisions. The study found no significant differences in the behavior or motions of horses when handled by beginner or advanced riders while trotting, under the specific conditions studied.

Study Design and Participants

The researchers carried out a structured study involving riders and horses with different skill and sensitivity levels. Working with a total of 16 participants:

• 8 riders were divided into two groups of four beginners and four advanced users.
• 8 horses were also divided into two groups, based on their sensitivity – four reactive and four nonreactive.

Each rider was paired with a horse from each sensitivity group, resulting in a total of two combinations per rider – one with a reactive horse and one with a nonreactive horse. Linked rider and horse pairs were then employed in a repeated 2 × 2 Latin square design.

Data Collection and Analysis

Data collection involved video analysis of the horses at the posting trot stride under an English riding setup, focusing specifically during the stance phase of single fore and hind footfalls.

Following this, a multi-variate analysis of variance (MANOVA) of the kinematic variables (the variables relating to the motion of the horses) was conducted to identify any possible patterns or trends.

Behaviors were quantified using a pre-determined ethogram (a catalog of all the different kinds of behavior or activity observed in the study) and a willingness scale for each horse.

Results and Conclusion of the Study

Despite the structured approach, the study found no significant patterns or trends across the kinematic variables, with only a few joints showing near-significant effects. Additionally, no differences were identified in relation to rider skill level or horse sensitivity based on the behavior analysis.

While these results suggest that the level of a rider’s experience does not substantially affect horse behavior or kinematics when trotting, additional trials are necessary to explore potential effects at different phases of stride, other gaits, or over longer periods of motion.