Kinetics and kinematics of the horse comparing left and right rising trot.

The research article investigates if changes are induced in a horse’s movement pattern and the forces experienced by their limbs, specifically during a rising trot – a gait technique used by riders – and if these changes differ between the left and right pairs of limbs of a horse.

Objectives and Methodology

• The main objective of the study was to determine if a rising trot leads to uneven loading in the vertical ground reaction force (VGRF), which could lead to asymmetrical effects on the horse’s locomotion pattern when comparing the left and right sides.
• The research was carried out on seven elite horses, which were ridden in both left and right rising trot on a treadmill, while measurements were taken for VGRF and kinematics.
• The horse’s neck was kept raised, the poll was kept high and the bridge of their nose was kept slightly in front of the vertical during the tests.

Results and Conclusions

• The findings revealed that the forces experienced by the limbs were generally higher on the side the rider was sitting during the trot.
• The lumbar back was lower between mid-stands of the sitting and non-sitting stance, indicating an alteration in the horse’s posture.
• Other changes noticed were limited pelvic roll and lowered tuber coxae heights on the side where the rider was sitting.
• In terms of movement, the study found that maximum hindlimb protraction was decreased while forelimb retraction was increased and the T6 height decreased when the rider was sitting during a trot.
• Thus, it was concluded that rider movement induces an uneven biphasic load that affects not only the back, pelvis, and limb kinematics, but also the VGRF.
• The findings also supported the common riding technique of alternating limbs when riding in a rising trot.
• Changes in VGRF between rising on the left or right diagonal were present but minor, and thus unlikely to directly impact the risk of locomotor injuries. Nevertheless, this knowledge of increased asymmetry in a rising trot may prove useful for riders or trainers.