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Lateralised motor behaviour leads to increased unevenness in front feet and asymmetry in athletic performance in young mature Warmblood horses.
Abstract: Foot stance in grazing significantly influences hoof conformation and development from foal to yearling age. Objective: To conduct a longitudinal study to establish if the relationship between motor laterality and uneven front feet persisted in 3-year-old horses at the time of studbook selection and to investigate if such laterality and unevenness might influence the horses' ability to perform symmetrically while trotting, cantering and free jumping. Methods: Seventeen clinically sound but untrained (with only minimal experience of handling) and sound Warmblood horses that had participated in a previous study were assessed as per the protocol reported. Laterality was tested in a preference test (PT) and z-values were calculated for analysis purposes. Laterality and hoof unevenness were related to both relative limb length and relative head size, while the ability to perform symmetrically was tested in free trot-canter transitions and free jumping exercises. Differences in performance between horses with and without a limb preference in the PT and those with 'uneven' and 'even' feet were tested for differences in performance metrics using Students' t test, while linearity was tested using a regression analysis (P<0.05). Results: Significant laterality was still present in 24% of the 3-year-old horses and the relationship between laterality and uneven feet pairs was stronger than at foal and yearling stages. Horses with significant motor laterality had almost 4 times more unevenness, a smaller head and longer limbs and the relationship between body conformation and laterality was still present. There was a strong linear relation between unevenness, laterality and a bias or side preference for trot-canter transitions. However, this relationship was not significant during the free jumping exercise. Conclusions: Motor laterality and uneven feet pairs were still present and significantly related in the 3-year-old horses and both variables were also strongly related to sidedness in trot-canter transitions. Conclusions: Warmblood studbooks should include quantitative data on laterality at the time of studbook admission as part of the selection criteria.
Publication Date: 2010-07-20 PubMed ID: 20636782DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00064.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research suggests that in young mature Warmblood horses, unevenness in front feet and laterality (or favouring one side) in movement affect their athletic performance, specifically in trotting, cantering and free jumping.
Objective of the Study
- The goal of this research was to perform a longitudinal study to understand whether uneven front feet and motor laterality (preference for one side when moving), observed in Warmblood horses at 3-years-old, influence their ability to perform symmetrically in athletics like trotting, cantering, and free jumping.
Methods
- Seventeen clinically sound but untrained Warmblood horses that had participated in a previous study were assessed.
- The horses’ laterality was tested in a preference test, and z-values were calculated for analysis.
- Laterality and hoof unevenness were compared to both relative limb length and relative head size.
- The horses’ ability to perform symmetrically was tested in free trot-canter transitions and free jumping exercises.
- Performance differences between horses with and without a limb preference and between ‘uneven’ and ‘even’ feet were analysed using a Students’ t test.
- For testing the linearity, regression analysis was utilised.
Results
- Significant laterality was found in 24% of the 3-year-old horses, and the relationship between laterality and uneven feet was stronger than in their earlier life stages.
- Horses with significant motor laterality had almost 4 times more unevenness, smaller heads, and longer limbs.
- A strong linear relation was found between unevenness, laterality and a bias for trot-canter transitions.
- This relationship, however, was not significant during the free jumping exercise.
Conclusions
- The study concluded that motor laterality and uneven feet were still a presence and significantly related in 3-year-old horses.
- Both these variables had a strong correlation with sidedness in trot-canter transitions.
- The researchers recommend including quantitative data on laterality at the time of admission into Warmblood studbooks as a part of the selection criteria.
Cite This Article
APA
van Heel MC, van Dierendonck MC, Kroekenstoel AM, Back W.
(2010).
Lateralised motor behaviour leads to increased unevenness in front feet and asymmetry in athletic performance in young mature Warmblood horses.
Equine Vet J, 42(5), 444-450.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00064.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Female
- Forelimb / physiology
- Horses / physiology
- Male
- Motor Activity / physiology
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
Citations
This article has been cited 17 times.- Leclercq A, Lundblad J, Persson-Sjodin E, Ask K, Zetterberg E, Hernlund E, Haubro Andersen P, Rhodin M. Perceived sidedness and correlation to vertical movement asymmetries in young warmblood horses. PLoS One 2023;18(7):e0288043.
- Kawahisa-Piquini G, Bass L, Pezzanite LM, Moorman VJ. Hoof Unevenness in Juvenile Quarter Horses During First 6 Months of Training. J Equine Vet Sci 2023 Jul;126:104494.
- Zetterberg E, Leclercq A, Persson-Sjodin E, Lundblad J, Haubro Andersen P, Hernlund E, Rhodin M. Prevalence of vertical movement asymmetries at trot in Standardbred and Swedish Warmblood foals. PLoS One 2023;18(4):e0284105.
- Krueger K, Schwarz S, Marr I, Farmer K. Laterality in Horse Training: Psychological and Physical Balance and Coordination and Strength Rather Than Straightness. Animals (Basel) 2022 Apr 16;12(8).
- Pitts JB, Kramer J, Reed SK, Schiltz P, Thombs L, Keegan KG. Effect of induced hindlimb length difference on body-mounted inertial sensor measures used to evaluate hindlimb lameness in horses. PLoS One 2020;15(2):e0228872.
- Egenvall A, Clayton HM, Eisersiö M, Roepstorff L, Byström A. Rein Tension in Transitions and Halts during Equestrian Dressage Training. Animals (Basel) 2019 Sep 23;9(10).
- Hobbs SJ, Nauwelaerts S, Sinclair J, Clayton HM, Back W. Sagittal plane fore hoof unevenness is associated with fore and hindlimb asymmetrical force vectors in the sagittal and frontal planes. PLoS One 2018;13(8):e0203134.
- Cully P, Nielsen B, Lancaster B, Martin J, McGreevy P. The laterality of the gallop gait in Thoroughbred racehorses. PLoS One 2018;13(6):e0198545.
- Hagen J, Kojah K, Geiger M. Correlations between the equine metacarpophalangeal joint angulation and toe conformation in statics. Open Vet J 2018;8(1):96-103.
- Veen I, Killian D, Vlaminck L, Vernooij JCM, Back W. The use of a rein tension device to compare different training methods for neck flexion in base-level trained Warmblood horses at the walk. Equine Vet J 2018 Nov;50(6):825-830.
- Wiggers N, Nauwelaerts SL, Hobbs SJ, Bool S, Wolschrijn CF, Back W. Functional locomotor consequences of uneven forefeet for trot symmetry in individual riding horses. PLoS One 2015;10(2):e0114836.
- MacKechnie-Guire R, Clayton H, Byström A, Marlin D, Haussler K, Latif S, Blum N, le Jeune SS, Wanless M, Egenvall A. International Survey Exploring Rider-Perceived Sidedness of the Horse. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jul 2;15(13).
- Haussler KK, le Jeune SS, MacKechnie-Guire R, Latif SN, Clayton HM. The Challenge of Defining Laterality in Horses: Is It Laterality or Just Asymmetry?. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jan 21;15(3).
- Byström A, Egenvall A, Eisersiö M, Engell MT, Lykken S, Lundesjö Kvart S. The impact of teaching approach on horse and rider biomechanics during riding lessons. Heliyon 2025 Jan 30;11(2):e41947.
- Zetterberg E, Persson-Sjodin E, Lundblad J, Hernlund E, Rhodin M. Prevalence of movement asymmetries in high-performing riding horses perceived as free from lameness and riders' perception of horse sidedness. PLoS One 2024;19(7):e0308061.
- Onouchi S, Yoshida T, Saito S, Atoji Y. Relationship between the left-right asymmetric motor-related conformation and the orientation of facial hair whorls in Japanese Kiso horses. J Vet Med Sci 2024 Sep 1;86(9):920-924.
- Phannithi T, Laikul A, Pathomsakulwong W, Rungsri P, Apichaimongkonkun T, Watchrarat K, Cherdchutham W. External Hoof Measurements of Untrimmed and Unshod Mules in Northern Thailand. Animals (Basel) 2024 Apr 16;14(8).
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