Lungeing on hard and soft surfaces: Movement symmetry of trotting horses considered sound by their owners.
Abstract: Lungeing is often part of the clinical lameness examination. The difference in movement symmetry, which is a commonly employed lameness measure, has not been quantified between surfaces. Objective: To compare head and pelvic movement symmetry between surfaces and reins during lungeing. Methods: Quantitative gait analysis in 23 horses considered sound by their owners. Methods: Twenty-three horses were assessed in-hand and on the lunge on both reins on hard and soft surfaces with inertial sensors. Seven movement symmetry parameters were quantified and used to establish 2 groups, namely symmetrical (n = 9) and forelimb-lame horses (n = 14), based on values from straight-line assessment. Movement symmetry values for left rein measurements were side corrected to allow comparison of the amount of movement symmetry between reins. A mixed model (P<0.05) was used to study effects on movement symmetry of surface (hard/soft) and rein (inside/outside with respect to movement symmetry on the straight). Results: In forelimb-lame horses, surface and rein were identified as significantly affecting all head movement symmetry measures (rein, all P<0.0001; surface, all P0.245; surface, all P>0.073). No significant influence of surface or rein was identified for any of the pelvic movement symmetry measures in either group. Conclusions: While more symmetrical horses showed a consistent amount of movement symmetry across surfaces/reins, horses objectively quantified as lame on the straight showed decreased movement symmetry during lungeing, in particular with the lame limb on the inside of a hard circle. The variation within group questions straight-line movement symmetry as a sole measure of lameness without quantification of movement symmetry on the lunge, ideally on hard and soft surfaces to evaluate differences between reins and surfaces. In future, thresholds for lungeing need to be determined using simultaneous visual and objective assessment.
© 2014 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2014-12-18 PubMed ID: 25297461DOI: 10.1111/evj.12374Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Biomechanics
- Clinical Examination
- Clinical Findings
- Clinical Study
- Comparative Study
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Exercise
- Gait Analysis
- Horse Owners
- Horses
- Lameness
- Locomotion
- Musculoskeletal System
- Trotting Horses
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Procedure
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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The research investigates how different surfaces and reins affect the movement symmetry of trotting horses during lungeing. The study found that the surface and rein can significantly affect movement symmetry in horses identified as lame, but not in symmetrical horses.
Research Methods
- The study involved quantitative gait analysis of 23 horses, which were considered sound by their owners.
- The horses were led in-hand and on the lunge on both reins on hard and soft surfaces.
- Inertial sensors were used to measure their movement.
- Seven movement symmetry parameters were quantified and used to divide the horses into symmetrical (9 horses) and forelimb-lame horses (14 horses), based on their performance in straight-line assessment.
- The researchers corrected left rein measurements to enable comparison of movement symmetry between reins.
- A statistical technique called mixed model was used to study the effects of surface (hard or soft) and rein (inside or outside) on movement symmetry.
Research Findings
- For horses identified as lame, the surface and rein were found to significantly affect all head movement symmetry measures.
- No significant influence of surface or rein was found for head movement in the symmetrical group.
- Neither surface nor rein significantly affected any of the pelvic movement symmetry measures in any group.
Conclusions
- Horses categorised as more symmetrical showed consistent movement symmetry across different surfaces/reins.
- In contrast, horses identified as lame on a straight line exhibited decreased movement symmetry during lungeing, especially when the lame limb was on the inside of a hard circle.
- The variation within each group raises questions about the validity of straight-line movement symmetry as the only measure of lameness, suggesting the need for quantification of movement symmetry on the lunge, ideally on both hard and soft surfaces.
- Future research should establish thresholds for lungeing using simultaneous visual and objective assessment.
Cite This Article
APA
Pfau T, Jennings C, Mitchell H, Olsen E, Walker A, Egenvall A, Tröster S, Weller R, Rhodin M.
(2014).
Lungeing on hard and soft surfaces: Movement symmetry of trotting horses considered sound by their owners.
Equine Vet J, 48(1), 83-89.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12374 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Science and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, UK.
- Department of Clinical Science and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, UK.
- Department of Clinical Science and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, UK.
- Department of Clinical Science and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, UK.
- Department of Large Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Copenhagen, Taastrup, Denmark.
- Equine Studies, Moulton College, Moulton, UK.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Department of Clinical Science and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, UK.
- Department of Clinical Science and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, UK.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biomechanical Phenomena
- Gait
- Head / physiology
- Horses / physiology
- Monitoring, Ambulatory
- Movement
- Torso / physiology
Citations
This article has been cited 14 times.- Macaire C, Hanne-Poujade S, De Azevedo E, Denoix JM, Coudry V, Jacquet S, Bertoni L, Tallaj A, Audigié F, Hatrisse C, Hébert C, Martin P, Marin F, Chateau H. Investigation of Thresholds for Asymmetry Indices to Represent the Visual Assessment of Single Limb Lameness by Expert Veterinarians on Horses Trotting in a Straight Line.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Dec 11;12(24).
- Pfau T, Bolt DM, Fiske-Jackson A, Gerdes C, Hoenecke K, Lynch L, Perrier M, Smith RKW. Linear Discriminant Analysis for Investigating Differences in Upper Body Movement Symmetry in Horses before/after Diagnostic Analgesia in Relation to Expert Judgement.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Mar 17;12(6).
- Pfau T, Scott WM, Sternberg Allen T. Upper Body Movement Symmetry in Reining Quarter Horses during Trot In-Hand, on the Lunge and during Ridden Exercise.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Feb 27;12(5).
- Pfau T, Persson-Sjodin E, Gardner H, Orssten O, Hernlund E, Rhodin M. Effect of Speed and Surface Type on Individual Rein and Combined Left-Right Circle Movement Asymmetry in Horses on the Lunge.. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:692031.
- Byström A, Hardeman AM, Serra Bragança FM, Roepstorff L, Swagemakers JH, van Weeren PR, Egenvall A. Differences in equine spinal kinematics between straight line and circle in trot.. Sci Rep 2021 Jun 18;11(1):12832.
- MacKechnie-Guire R, Pfau T. Differential Rotational Movement of the Thoracolumbosacral Spine in High-Level Dressage Horses Ridden in a Straight Line, in Sitting Trot and Seated Canter Compared to In-Hand Trot.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Mar 20;11(3).
- 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.
- MacKechnie-Guire R, MacKechnie-Guire E, Fairfax V, Fisher D, Fisher M, Pfau T. The Effect of Tree Width on Thoracolumbar and Limb Kinematics, Saddle Pressure Distribution, and Thoracolumbar Dimensions in Sports Horses in Trot and Canter.. Animals (Basel) 2019 Oct 21;9(10).
- Johnson S, Symons J. Measuring Volumetric Changes of Equine Distal Limbs: A Pilot Study Examining Jumping Exercise.. Animals (Basel) 2019 Sep 30;9(10).
- Persson-Sjodin E, Hernlund E, Pfau T, Haubro Andersen P, Holm Forsström K, Rhodin M. Effect of meloxicam treatment on movement asymmetry in riding horses in training.. PLoS One 2019;14(8):e0221117.
- Persson-Sjodin E, Hernlund E, Pfau T, Haubro Andersen P, Rhodin M. Influence of seating styles on head and pelvic vertical movement symmetry in horses ridden at trot.. PLoS One 2018;13(4):e0195341.
- Pfau T, Noordwijk K, Sepulveda Caviedes MF, Persson-Sjodin E, Barstow A, Forbes B, Rhodin M. Head, withers and pelvic movement asymmetry and their relative timing in trot in racing Thoroughbreds in training.. Equine Vet J 2018 Jan;50(1):117-124.
- Rhodin M, Egenvall A, Haubro Andersen P, Pfau T. Head and pelvic movement asymmetries at trot in riding horses in training and perceived as free from lameness by the owner.. PLoS One 2017;12(4):e0176253.
- Rhodin M, Roepstorff L, French A, Keegan KG, Pfau T, Egenvall A. Head and pelvic movement asymmetry during lungeing in horses with symmetrical movement on the straight.. Equine Vet J 2016 May;48(3):315-20.
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