Ground reaction force patterns of Dutch warmblood horses at normal trot.
Abstract: This study was undertaken to establish limb loading patterns of sound horses at the trot, to provide a data base against which results for lame horses could be compared. Ground reaction force (GRF) data were collected from 20 clinically sound Dutch Warmblood horses. The data from at least 5 stance phases of each limb were averaged after standardisation to the animal's body mass and to the stance phase duration and resulted in 'representative' GRF data. The symmetry in the vertical GRF peak amplitudes, impulses and the stance phase duration comparing left and right limbs exceeded 97%. By averaging the 'representative' GRF of the 20 horses a 'standard' GRF pattern of the Dutch Warmblood horse at the trot was constructed. The GRF patterns at the trot, compared with those at the walk, showed only one vertical force peak in forelimbs and hindlimbs (11.59 N/kg and 10.21 N/kg, respectively). The retardatory and propulsory forces were distributed over the forelimbs and hindlimbs in such a way that the forelimbs contributed more to retardation (peak forces 1.13 and 0.79 N/kg), and the hindlimbs more to propulsion (-0.84 and -1.17 N/kg, respectively).
Publication Date: 1993-03-01 PubMed ID: 8467772DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1993.tb02923.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The researchers conducted a study to understand how Dutch Warmblood horses distribute weight across their limbs while trotting. This information can serve as a comparative baseline to identify irregularities in lame horses.
Research Objective and Methodology
The main objective for conducting this study was to establish the limb loading pattern in sound, or healthy, horses while they are trotting. This baseline data can later be used to compare with the patterns for lame horses, to better diagnose and treat their conditions.
The researchers collected ground reaction force (GRF) data from 20 clinically sound Dutch Warmblood horses. The GRF measures the force exerted by the ground on a body in contact with it, which helps to understand how the weight is distributed on different limbs of the horse while trotting. For each horse, data was taken from at least five stance phases of each limb.
- The stance phase is when the horse’s hoof is in contact with the ground during a stride.
- The data was then standardized according to the animal’s body mass and to the stance phase duration.
- This resulted in ‘representative’ GRF data indicative of each horse’s average limb loading pattern.
Findings of the Study
From the data collected, researchers found that the symmetry in the vertical GRF peak amplitudes, impulses and the stance phase duration comparing left and right limbs exceeded 97%. This implies that horses maintain a high level of symmetry in their trot, equally distributing their weight between the left and right sides.
- They identified a ‘standard’ GRF pattern for Dutch Warmblood horses at the trot by averaging the ‘representative’ GRF of the 20 horses.
- When comparing the GRF patterns at the trot to those at the walk, they noticed only one vertical force peak in both the forelimbs and hindlimbs.
- The forces were distributed such that the forelimbs contributed more to retardation (slowing down) and the hindlimbs more to propulsion (moving forward).
Conclusion
The research provides a valuable baseline for understanding the weight distribution of Dutch Warmblood horses while trotting, which can help veterinarians identify irregularities in lame horses. The retardatory and propulsory forces also provide an informative insight into how movement and balance are maintained by these horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Merkens HW, Schamhardt HC, Van Osch GJ, Van den Bogert AJ.
(1993).
Ground reaction force patterns of Dutch warmblood horses at normal trot.
Equine Vet J, 25(2), 134-137.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1993.tb02923.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of General and Large Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Forelimb / physiology
- Gait / physiology
- Hindlimb / physiology
- Horses / physiology
- Reference Values
Citations
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