Kinematics of treadmill versus overground locomotion in horses.

The research article demonstrates a comparative study between the movements of horses on a treadmill and overground. The study uses kinematic analysis to observe differences in stride and limb movement, finding varying results between treadmill, rubber ground, and asphalt surfaces.

Methodology

• The study examined stride variables and movements of limbs and trunk in 10 Dutch Warmblood horses. These were observed through a gait analysis system known as CODA-3.
• The overground observations were carried out on two types of surfaces: rubber ground and an asphalt track.
• The treadmill recordings, on the other hand, were done following a controlled habituation program. The horses ran at the same velocities as they did during the overground locomotion.

Findings

• On the asphalt track, the horses presented a shorter stride duration and decreased vertical displacement of the withers compared with locomotion on the rubber ground.
• When on the treadmill, the stance duration of the forelimbs was noted to be longer than in either overground condition. In line with this, the hind limbs made ground contact earlier than the forelimbs during overground locomotion, but this pattern was inverted on the treadmill.
• Horses moved both forelimbs and hind limbs more to the rear (caudally) during the retraction phase on the treadmill. However, no differences were detected in the protraction angle.
• The vertical movement of the hooves and withers was smaller on the treadmill than on rubber ground.
• It was also found that the treadmill belt velocity decreased by 9% during the horses’ stance phase.

Conclusion

• The differences found by the research team suggest that the biomechanics and kinematics of horses’ locomotion vary significantly between treadmill and overground conditions.
• These discrepancies indicate that caution should be taken when extrapolating data obtained during treadmill locomotion for application to overground locomotion in real-life conditions.