Linear kinematics at take-off in horses jumping the wall in an international Puissance competition.

The objective of this study was to examine the kinematics, or the motion of bodies, of horses as they jumped a wall in an international Puissance competition. The researchers analyzed six variables in relation to the take-off of the horse and their correlation to the success of the horse’s performance.

Methodology

• 50 Hz sagittal plane SVHS video recordings were used to capture footage of the horses.
• The video sequences were manually digitized for analysis.
• Six kinematic variables at the moment of take-off were assessed. These covered aspects like the vertical velocity of the horse’s center of mass, its height, its distance from the fence, and the distance between the leading hind limb and the center of mass.
• The competition started at a fence height of 1.8 m with nine horses participating. Two horses competed in the final round with a fence height of 2.27m.

Key Findings

• Performance success showed a correlation with various take-off variables including: vertical velocity of the centre of mass (r = 0.45), height of centre of mass (r = 0.44), distance of centre of mass from fence (r = 0.46), and distance from leading hind limb to center of mass (r = -0.61).
• The findings indicated that body positioning at the take-off phase was the most critical factor when it came to jumping high fences.
• The study is the first of its kind to focus on horse jump dynamics, especially pertaining to the Puissance wall.
• The results can be tremendously valuable to riders and trainers hoping to improve performance in Puissance jumping horses. It could also assist in identifying horses with a natural talent for jumping high fences early on.