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PloS one2023; 18(7); e0288043; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288043

Perceived sidedness and correlation to vertical movement asymmetries in young warmblood horses.

Abstract: The prevalence of vertical asymmetries is high in "owner-sound" warmblood riding horses, however the origin of these asymmetries is unknown. This study investigated correlations between vertical asymmetries and motor laterality. Young warmblood riding horses (N = 65), perceived as free from lameness were evaluated on three visits, each comprising objective gait analysis (inertial measurement units system) and a rider questionnaire on perceived sidedness of the horse. A subgroup (N = 40) of horses were also subjected to a forelimb protraction preference test intended as an assessment of motor laterality. We hypothesized associations between vertical asymmetry and motor laterality as well as rider-perceived sidedness. Vertical asymmetry was quantified as trial means of the stride-by-stride difference between the vertical displacement minima and maxima of the head (HDmin, HDmax) and pelvis (PDmin, PDmax). Laterality indexes, based on counts of which limb was protracted, and binomial tests were used to draw conclusions from the preference tests. In the three visits, 60-70% of horses exhibited vertical asymmetries exceeding clinically used thresholds for ≥1 parameter, and 22% of horses exhibited a side preference in the preference test as judged by binomial tests. Linear mixed models identified a weak but statistically significant correlation between perceived hindlimb weakness and higher PDmin values attributable to either of the hindlimbs (p = 0.023). No other statistically significant correlations to vertical asymmetry were seen for any of the questionnaire answers tested. Tests of correlation between the absolute values of laterality index and asymmetry parameters (HDmin, HDmax, PDmin, PDmax) identified a weak correlation (p = 0.049) with PDmax, but when accounting for the direction of asymmetry and motor laterality, no correlations were seen for either of the asymmetry parameters. No convincing evidence of associations between vertical asymmetries and motor laterality were seen and further studies investigating motor laterality and the origin of vertical asymmetries are needed.
Copyright: © 2023 Leclercq et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
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Publication Date: 2023-07-07 PubMed ID: 37418437PubMed Central: PMC10328353DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288043Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigated the connection between vertical movement asymmetries and perceived sidedness in young, healthy warmblood horses. Researchers found a weak and statistically significant correlation between perceived hindlimb weakness and higher vertical asymmetry measurements, but overall, no strong evidence of associations between vertical asymmetry and motor laterality were found.

Research Context

  • This research was conducted due to a high prevalence of vertical asymmetries (difference in movement pattern between the left and right side) in “owner-sound” warmblood horses. The cause of these asymmetries remained unknown and the study wanted to investigate the correlation between these vertical asymmetries and motor laterality (the preference of using one side of the body over the other).

Research Methodology

  • The study was carried out on young, healthy warmblood riding horses that were perceived to be free from lameness.
  • The assessment involved objective gait analysis using an inertial measurement units system, rider questionnaires on perceived sidedness of the horse, and forelimb protraction preference tests to assess motor laterality for a selected subgroup of horses.

Research Findings

  • Findings showed a high prevalence of vertical asymmetries, with 60-70% of horses demonstrating this in ≥1 parameter. A smaller group (22%) exhibited a side preference in the preference tests.
  • The only statistically significant correlation was a weak association between perceived hindlimb weakness and higher vertical asymmetry values, indicating horses with perceived hindlimb weakness showed slightly greater asymmetry in movement.
  • There were no other significant correlations between vertical asymmetry and responses to the rider questionnaire. There was also a weak correlation between absolute values of laterality index and asymmetry parameters, specifically in regard to PDmax, which measures the maximum displacement of the horse’s pelvis. However, when accounting for asymmetry direction and motor laterality, no correlations were established.

Conclusion

  • Overall, the study did not find convincing evidence for a strong association between vertical asymmetries and motor laterality in young warmblood horses.
  • The authors suggest further research is required to explore motor laterality and the origin of vertical asymmetries.

Cite This Article

APA
Leclercq A, Lundblad J, Persson-Sjodin E, Ask K, Zetterberg E, Hernlund E, Haubro Andersen P, Rhodin M. (2023). Perceived sidedness and correlation to vertical movement asymmetries in young warmblood horses. PLoS One, 18(7), e0288043. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0288043

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 18
Issue: 7
Pages: e0288043
PII: e0288043

Researcher Affiliations

Leclercq, Anna
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Lundblad, Johan
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Persson-Sjodin, Emma
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Ask, Katrina
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Zetterberg, Ebba
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Hernlund, Elin
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Haubro Andersen, Pia
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Rhodin, Marie
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.

MeSH Terms

  • Horses
  • Animals
  • Lameness, Animal
  • Head
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Movement
  • Gait
  • Forelimb
  • Upper Extremity
  • Hindlimb
  • Horse Diseases

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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Citations

This article has been cited 7 times.
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