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Locomotor mechanics of the tölt in Icelandic horses.
Abstract: To evaluate the locomotor mechanics of the tölt in Icelandic horses. Methods: 10 adult Icelandic horses with no history of lameness. Methods: Force platform data were captured for 27 trials for horses ridden at a tölt in a lateral sequence single-foot gait at a steady speed from 0.89 to 5.98 m/s. Simultaneous kinematic data were obtained by tracking retroflective markers overlying the right fore- and hind limbs. These kinetic and kinematic data were combined to evaluate 3 mechanical approaches, duty factor, Froude number, and center of mass (COM) mechanics, and to evaluate the capacity to recover mechanical energies during tölting via inverse pendulum and spring-mass (bouncing) mechanics. Results: Tölting horses had in-phase fluctuations of gravitational potential and kinetic energies of their COM and a capacity to recover mechanical energy through elastic recoil of spring elements in their limbs. These characteristics, along with Froude numbers exceeding values expected for the walk-run transition, are indicative of bouncing mechanics and, hence, most strongly ally tölting with running. Only the footfall pattern of a lateral sequence single-foot gait and low vertical excursions of the COM are more commonly associated with walking. Conclusions: At the tölt, horses have unique mechanical characteristics that should be understood for veterinary care. Differences in interlimb coordination between tölting and trotting mask the overall similarities in most other aspects of their locomotor dynamics.
Publication Date: 2006-09-05 PubMed ID: 16948593DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.67.9.1505Google 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
- U.S. Gov't
- Non-P.H.S.
Summary
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The research investigates the unique locomotor mechanics of the tölt, a special gait in Icelandic horses, and how it relates to veterinary care. It uncovers the mechanical characteristics of this gait and how it blends aspects of walking and running.
Study Participants and Data Collection
- The study included 10 adult Icelandic horses which had no history of lameness.
- Force platform data was captured for the horses while they were ridden at a tölt, a lateral sequence single-foot gait. This was done at a steady speed ranging between 0.89 and 5.98 m/s across 27 trials.
- The researchers also obtained kinematic data by tracking retroflective markers placed on the horses’ right fore- and hind limbs.
Approach and Measurements
- Both the kinetic and kinematic data captured were combined for evaluation using methods including duty factor, Froude number, and center of mass (COM) mechanics.
- The study aimed to determine the horses’ capacity to recover mechanical energies during tölting using inverse pendulum and spring-mass (bouncing) mechanics.
Results and Observations
- The study found that there were in-phase fluctuations of gravitational potential and kinetic energies of the horses’ center of mass (COM) when tölting.
- The research demonstrated that the horses had the capacity to recover mechanical energy through elastic recoil of spring elements in their limbs.
- The results showed that the tölt included characteristics of both walking and running. The Froude numbers exceeded values that are typically seen in walking to running transitions, suggesting that tölting uses bouncing mechanics and is thus more closely related to running.
- The footfall pattern of a lateral sequence single-foot gait and low vertical excursions of the COM are elements that are more commonly associated with walking.
Conclusions and Implications
- The study concluded that the tölt gait of Icelandic horses exhibits unique mechanical characteristics that veterinarians should understand for proper care.
- Even though the tölting gait differs in terms of interlimb coordination from trotting, most of the other aspects of their locomotor dynamics are similar.
Cite This Article
APA
Biknevicius AR, Mullineaux DR, Clayton HM.
(2006).
Locomotor mechanics of the tölt in Icelandic horses.
Am J Vet Res, 67(9), 1505-1510.
https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.67.9.1505 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Athens, OH 45701-2979, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biomechanical Phenomena
- Forelimb / physiology
- Gait / physiology
- Hindlimb / physiology
- Horses / physiology
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Rhodin M, Serra Bragança FM, Persson-Sjodin E, Björnsdóttir S, Gunnarsdottir H, Gunnarsson V, Hernlund E, Smit IH. Adaptation strategies of Icelandic horses with induced transient hindlimb lameness at walk, trot and tölt. Equine Vet J 2026 Jan;58(1):230-242.
- Vincelette A. The Characteristics, Distribution, Function, and Origin of Alternative Lateral Horse Gaits. Animals (Basel) 2023 Aug 8;13(16).
- Rhodin M, Smit IH, Persson-Sjodin E, Pfau T, Gunnarsson V, Björnsdóttir S, Zetterberg E, Clayton HM, Hobbs SJ, Serra Bragança F, Hernlund E. Timing of Vertical Head, Withers and Pelvis Movements Relative to the Footfalls in Different Equine Gaits and Breeds. Animals (Basel) 2022 Nov 7;12(21).
- Weihmann T. The Smooth Transition From Many-Legged to Bipedal Locomotion-Gradual Leg Force Reduction and its Impact on Total Ground Reaction Forces, Body Dynamics and Gait Transitions. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021;9:769684.
- Simonato SP, Bernardina GRD, Ferreira LCR, Silvatti AP, Barcelos KMC, da Fonseca BPA. 3D kinematic of the thoracolumbar spine in Mangalarga Marchador horses performing the marcha batida gait and being led by hand-A preliminary report. PLoS One 2021;16(7):e0253697.
- Clayton HM, Hobbs SJ. A Review of Biomechanical Gait Classification with Reference to Collected Trot, Passage and Piaffe in Dressage Horses. Animals (Basel) 2019 Oct 3;9(10).
- Weihmann T. Leg force interference in polypedal locomotion. Sci Adv 2018 Sep;4(9):eaat3721.
- Gunnarsson V, Stefánsdóttir GJ, Jansson A, Roepstorff L. The effect of rider weight and additional weight in Icelandic horses in tölt: part II. Stride parameters responses. Animal 2017 Sep;11(9):1567-1572.
- Lee DV, Comanescu TN, Butcher MT, Bertram JE. A comparative collision-based analysis of human gait. Proc Biol Sci 2013 Nov 22;280(1771):20131779.
- Bertram JE, Gutmann A. Motions of the running horse and cheetah revisited: fundamental mechanics of the transverse and rotary gallop. J R Soc Interface 2009 Jun 6;6(35):549-59.
- Starke SD, Robilliard JJ, Weller R, Wilson AM, Pfau T. Walk-run classification of symmetrical gaits in the horse: a multidimensional approach. J R Soc Interface 2009 Apr 6;6(33):335-42.
- Ren L, Hutchinson JR. The three-dimensional locomotor dynamics of African (Loxodonta africana) and Asian (Elephas maximus) elephants reveal a smooth gait transition at moderate speed. J R Soc Interface 2008 Feb 6;5(19):195-211.
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