Kinematic characteristics of hoof landing in jumping horses at elite level.
Abstract: Biomechanical events of the distal limb during the landing phase of a jump have been proposed to be risk factors for injury, indicating need for further characterisation of the landing and the hoof-surface interaction. This is essential also for valid testing of arena surfaces when simulating actual conditions. Objective: To investigate the hoof landing characteristics for different limbs of elite showjumping horses during the landing phase when jumping 1.30-1.50 m competition fences on 2 different arena surfaces. Methods: A single, fixed high speed camera (1000 frames/s) was aimed at landing spots after different fences during 2 competitions. A total of 64 hoof landings were recorded on one sand and one turf surface (using studs on the turf). Hoof movements were tracked from calibrated video sequences. Landing velocities, landing angles, maximal vertical and horizontal deceleration and timing of maximal deceleration peaks were calculated and compared between leading/trailing fore-/hindlimbs. All outcomes were analysed for limb, using generalised linear models and controlling for effects of surface and obstacle. Results: Landing speed differed among limbs (P < 0.02 for all speeds and models). The leading hoof approached the ground more acutely angled to the horizontal plane than the trailing comparing fore- (P 0.01), respectively. Differences in landing and braking kinematics were also found between surfaces and obstacles; however, these effects were hard to separate because of the nonexperimental design. Conclusions: The landing and braking characteristics of the hooves varied substantially between hind-, fore-, trailing and leading limbs. Developing mechanical testing devices for arena surfaces, this fairly wide range of biomechanical events must be considered, in order to simulate the horse-surface interaction.
© 2010 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2011-05-27 PubMed ID: 21059046DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00187.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research investigates how the hooves of elite showjumping horses interact with different types of arena surfaces during the landing phase of a jump. The study examined two types of surfaces, sand and turf, and the hoof movements were tracked to understand how different associated parameters such as landing velocities, and angles, vary among the horse’s limbs.
Methods Used
- The study recorded the landing of horse hooves on different fences during competitions using a high-speed camera with a shooting capacity of up to 1000 frames per second.
- Two types of surfaces were used in this experiment, a sand surface and a turf surface, where the horses were wearing studs on their hooves for the turf.
- A total of 64 hoof landings were recorded and analyzed. Parameters such as landing velocities, angles, maximum vertical and horizontal deceleration, and time of maximum deceleration peaks were also measured.
- Data analysis was conducted using generalized linear models and took into account the effects of the surface type and obstacle.
Findings of the Study
- Results showed that landing speed varied notably among the different horse limbs (fore- and hindlimbs, and leading and trailing).
- The leading hoof, compared to the trailing hoof, landed more acutely angled to the ground.
- Notably, the landing and deceleration characteristics of the hooves varied substantially depending on whether they were forelimbs or hindlimbs, and whether they were leading or trailing.
- Surface type and the nature of obstacles also influenced the hoof’s landing and deceleration kinematics. However, since it was not an experimental design, distinguishing between these two variables was challenging.
Implications
- The results of the study indicate the importance of considering a wide range of biomechanical events when developing mechanical testing devices for arena surfaces. A better understanding of these events is crucial to simulating realistic horse-surface interactions and potentially minimizing injury risks.
- The findings could help design better protective equipment or suggest safer landing techniques for horses, reducing the risk of injury.
Cite This Article
APA
Hernlund E, Egenvall A, Roepstorff L.
(2011).
Kinematic characteristics of hoof landing in jumping horses at elite level.
Equine Vet J Suppl(38), 462-467.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00187.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Anatomy, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden. Elin.Hernlund@uds.slu.se
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biomechanical Phenomena
- Female
- Forelimb / physiology
- Hindlimb / physiology
- Hoof and Claw / physiology
- Horses / physiology
- Male
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Rohlf CM, Garcia TC, Marsh LJ, Acutt EV, le Jeune SS, Stover SM. Effects of Jumping Phase, Leading Limb, and Arena Surface Type on Forelimb Hoof Movement.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jun 27;13(13).
- Carter A, Boyd J, Williams E. Understanding the Impact of Scale Height on the Kinetics and Kinematics of Dogs in Working Trials.. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:742068.
- Tijssen M, Hernlund E, Rhodin M, Bosch S, Voskamp JP, Nielen M, Serra Braganςa FM. Automatic hoof-on and -off detection in horses using hoof-mounted inertial measurement unit sensors.. PLoS One 2020;15(6):e0233266.
- Tijssen M, Hernlund E, Rhodin M, Bosch S, Voskamp JP, Nielen M, Serra Braganςa FM. Automatic detection of break-over phase onset in horses using hoof-mounted inertial measurement unit sensors.. PLoS One 2020;15(5):e0233649.
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