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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Anat / Inertial properties of equine limb segments.
Journal of anatomy2011; 218(5); 500-509; doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2011.01353.x

Inertial properties of equine limb segments.

Abstract: Quantifying the dynamics of limb movements requires knowledge of the mass distribution between and within limb segments. We measured segment masses, positions of segmental center of mass and moments of inertia of the fore and hind limb segments for 38 horses of different breeds and sizes. After disarticulation by dissections, segments were weighed and the position of the center of mass was determined by suspension. Moment of inertia was measured using a trifilar pendulum. We found that mass distribution does not change with size for animals under 600 kg and report ratios of segmental masses to total body mass. For all segments, the scaling relationship between segmental mass and moment of inertia was predicted equally well or better by a 5/3 power fit than by the more classic mass multiplied by segmental length squared fit. Average values taken from previous studies generally confirmed our data but scaling relationships often needed to be revised. We did not detect an effect of morphotype on segment inertial properties. Differences in segmental inertial properties between published studies may depend more on segmental segmentation techniques than on size or body type of the horse.
© 2011 The Authors. Journal of Anatomy © 2011 Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Publication Date: 2011-02-28 PubMed ID: 21355866PubMed Central: PMC3089746DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2011.01353.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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.

Scientists studied the weight and balance properties of horse limbs across various breeds and sizes, finding no change in these features for horses under 600 kg and identifying scaling relationships in segmental mass and inertia reactions.

Scope and Approach of the Study

  • The study’s primary aim was to quantify the dynamics of limb movements in horses, which necessitates an understanding of how mass is distributed within and between limb segments.
  • Measurements were taken from 38 horses of various breeds and sizes, examining attributes such as mass distribution, the center of mass, and moments of inertia, which is the measure of an object’s resistance to changes in its rotational motion.
  • These measurements were taken after disarticulation, a process involving dissections, during which the segments of the horse’s limbs were separated.

Methods and Techniques

  • The scientists employed a trifilar pendulum to measure the moment of inertia, while the center of mass was determined by suspending the limb segments.
  • The relationship between segmental mass and moment of inertia was predicted through a 5/3 power fit, which was compared to a more conventional fitting method involving multiplying mass by the square of the segment length.

Findings and Conclusion

  • Results generally indicated that the mass distribution in horses under 600kg remained consistent. The segmental mass-to-body mass ratios were also reported.
  • In most cases, the 5/3 power fit was found to predict the correlation between segmental mass and moment of inertia either equally well or even better than the other approach.
  • The researchers did not find any influence of the horse’s morphotype, which concerns the size and shape, on the inertial characteristics of the limbs.
  • They also reason that differences in segmental inertial properties among different studies might be due to differences in segmentation techniques, rather than disparities in the horse’s size or body type.

Cite This Article

APA
Nauwelaerts S, Allen WA, Lane JM, Clayton HM. (2011). Inertial properties of equine limb segments. J Anat, 218(5), 500-509. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7580.2011.01353.x

Publication

Journal of anatomy
ISSN: 1469-7580
NlmUniqueID: 0137162
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 218
Issue: 5
Pages: 500-509

Researcher Affiliations

Nauwelaerts, Sandra
  • McPhail Equine Performance Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA. nauwelae@msu.edu
Allen, Whitney A
    Lane, Jasmine M
      Clayton, Hilary M

        MeSH Terms

        • Animals
        • Biomechanical Phenomena
        • Body Weight
        • Forelimb / anatomy & histology
        • Forelimb / physiology
        • Hindlimb / anatomy & histology
        • Hindlimb / physiology
        • Horses
        • Muscle Strength / physiology

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        Citations

        This article has been cited 5 times.
        1. Minetti AE, Ruggiero L. Inertial biometry from commercial 3D body meshes.. Biol Open 2022 Mar 15;11(3).
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        2. Jones OY, Raschke SU, Riches PE. Inertial properties of the German Shepherd Dog.. PLoS One 2018;13(10):e0206037.
          doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206037pubmed: 30339688google scholar: lookup
        3. Macaulay S, Hutchinson JR, Bates KT. A quantitative evaluation of physical and digital approaches to centre of mass estimation.. J Anat 2017 Nov;231(5):758-775.
          doi: 10.1111/joa.12667pubmed: 28809445google scholar: lookup
        4. Kilbourne BM. Scale effects and morphological diversification in hindlimb segment mass proportions in neognath birds.. Front Zool 2014;11:37.
          doi: 10.1186/1742-9994-11-37pubmed: 24876886google scholar: lookup
        5. Garcia E, Arevalo JC, Muñoz G, Gonzalez-de-Santos P. On the biomimetic design of agile-robot legs.. Sensors (Basel) 2011;11(12):11305-34.
          doi: 10.3390/s111211305pubmed: 22247667google scholar: lookup
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