Method for estimating maximum permissible load weight for Japanese native horses using accelerometer-based gait analysis.

This research presents a technique for evaluating the maximum safe load weight for Japanese native horses, using an accelerometer to observe and analyze their gait. It argues through experimentation that the maximum safe weight to be carried by these horses is less than 100 kilograms.

Methodology

• The team used six mares of Japanese native horses for their study.
• An accelerometer was employed to record the acceleration of each horse while walking and trotting along a straight course. This sampling occurred at a frequency of 200Hz.
• The horses underwent a series of 12 tests, beginning and ending with a loaded weight of 80kg. In between, ten tests were randomly conducted with loaded weights ranging from 85kg to 130kg.

Data Analysis

• The record of acceleration was then subjected to a Fast Fourier transformation. This transformed the time series data into different frequency bins, which allowed the researchers to further analyze the horses’ motion.
• The Auto-correlation coefficient was calculated to identify the degree of correlation between the sets of weights.
• The first two peaks of the autocorrelation were defined as the symmetry and regularity of the gait. This determination helped researchers understand how the horses’ movement changed under different loaded weights.

Results

• The research found that at a trot, the symmetry levels during the 100, 110, and 125 kg tests were significantly lower than that in the initial 80 kg test.
• This indicates that the maximum permissible load weight for a Japanese native horse is less than 100 kg. This weight amounts to roughly 29% of the horse’s body weight.

Conclusion

• The researchers propose that the method they used to estimate the maximum permissible load weight is universally applicable and it prioritizes the welfare of horses.