Reliable and clinically applicable gait event classification using upper body motion in walking and trotting horses.
Abstract: Objectively assessing horse movement symmetry as an adjunctive to the routine lameness evaluation is on the rise with several commercially available systems on the market. Prerequisites for quantifying such symmetries include knowledge of the gait and gait events, such as hoof to ground contact patterns over consecutive strides. Extracting this information in a robust and reliable way is essential to accurately calculate many kinematic variables commonly used in the field. In this study, optical motion capture was used to measure 222 horses of various breeds, performing a total of 82 664 steps in walk and trot under different conditions, including soft, hard and treadmill surfaces as well as moving on a straight line and in circles. Features were extracted from the pelvis and withers vertical movement and from pelvic rotations. The features were then used in a quadratic discriminant analysis to classify gait and to detect if the left/right hind limb was in contact with the ground on a step by step basis. The predictive model achieved 99.98% accuracy on the test data of 120 horses and 21 845 steps, all measured under clinical conditions. One of the benefits of the proposed method is that it does not require the use of limb kinematics making it especially suited for clinical applications where ease of use and minimal error intervention are a priority. Future research could investigate the extension of this functionality to classify other gaits and validating the use of the algorithm for inertial measurement units.
Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2020-11-21 PubMed ID: 33290946DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.110146Google 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
- Non-U.S. Gov't
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 focuses on developing a reliable method to objectively classify gait patterns in horses using upper body motion data. This aids in lameness evaluation and quantifies movement symmetry of horses contributing to their overall well-being and performance.
Objectives of the Research
- The main goal is to develop an accurate and reliable method for assessing horse movement symmetry using captured motion data. Understanding and evaluating horse gait can contribute to detecting possible lameness or other issues.
- The study attempts to classify gait and detect a horse’s step pattern based on upper body motion, without needing limb kinematics. This simplifies the application of the method in a clinical setting.
Methods
- The researchers used optical motion capture technology to gather data from 222 horses walking and trotting under different conditions.
- Features were extracted from notable points in motion such as vertical movement of the pelvis and withers and rotations in the pelvic region.
- The collected features were used in a quadratic discriminant analysis to classify the horses’ gait and step patterns, determining which hind limb was in contact with the ground.
Results
- The predictive model developed from this study accurately classified the gaits and step patterns of the tested horses at an accuracy rate of 99.98%.
- The test data involved 120 horses and took over 21,845 steps, all collected under clinical conditions, demonstrating the model’s effectiveness.
Implications
- The proposed method, due to its high accuracy and reliance on captured motion data, presents a realistic and practical solution to assess horse movement, aiding lameness evaluation.
- This method provides an alternative solution for clinical applications that don’t require the use of limb kinematic data, such as when ease of use and minimal error intervention are a priority.
- The research opens up opportunities for future investigations to extend this functionality to classify other gaits and validate the model for use with other inertial measurement units.
Cite This Article
APA
Roepstorff C, Dittmann MT, Arpagaus S, Serra Bragança FM, Hardeman A, Persson-Sjödin E, Roepstorff L, Gmel AI, Weishaupt MA.
(2020).
Reliable and clinically applicable gait event classification using upper body motion in walking and trotting horses.
J Biomech, 114, 110146.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.110146 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland. Electronic address: croepstorff@vetclinics.uzh.ch.
- Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
- Tierklinik Lüsche Gmbh, Lüsche, Germany.
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland; Agroscope - Swiss national stud farm, Les Longs-Prés, Avenches, Switzerland; Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biomechanical Phenomena
- Forelimb
- Gait
- Hoof and Claw
- Horses
- Motion
- Walking
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of Competing Interest The salary of Christoffer Roepstorff was partially funded by Qualisys AB. However, Qualisys AB had no influence on the outcome of this study. No other authors declare any conflicts of interest.
Citations
This article has been cited 16 times.- Key K, Berg K, Kirkegaard J, Andresen KR, Hansen SS. Evaluating the Accuracy of a Vision-Based Algorithm for Groundline Estimation in Trotting Horses Using Multiple Camera Angles. Vet Med Sci 2026 Jan;12(1):e70739.
- St George L, Nankervis K, Walker V, Maddock C, Robinson A, Sinclair J, Hobbs SJ. A Feasibility Study to Determine Whether Neuromuscular Adaptations to Equine Water Treadmill Exercise Can Be Detected Using Synchronous Surface Electromyography and Kinematic Data. Animals (Basel) 2025 Nov 1;15(21).
- Ignatowska-Jankowska BM, Swaminathan LI, Turkki TH, Sakharuk D, Gurkan Ozer A, Kuck A, Uusisaari MY. Accurate Tracking of Locomotory Kinematics in Mice Moving Freely in Three-Dimensional Environments. eNeuro 2025 Jun;12(6).
- Byström A, Egenvall A, Eisersiö M, Engell MT, Lykken S, Lundesjö Kvart S. The impact of teaching approach on horse and rider biomechanics during riding lessons. Heliyon 2025 Jan 30;11(2):e41947.
- St George LB, Spoormakers TJP, Hobbs SJ, Clayton HM, Roy SH, Richards J, Serra Bragança FM. Classification performance of sEMG and kinematic parameters for distinguishing between non-lame and induced lameness conditions in horses. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1358986.
- Calle-González N, Lo Feudo CM, Ferrucci F, Requena F, Stucchi L, Muñoz A. Objective Assessment of Equine Locomotor Symmetry Using an Inertial Sensor System and Artificial Intelligence: A Comparative Study. Animals (Basel) 2024 Mar 16;14(6).
- Ask K, Rhodin M, Rashid-Engström M, Hernlund E, Andersen PH. Changes in the equine facial repertoire during different orthopedic pain intensities. Sci Rep 2024 Jan 2;14(1):129.
- Pfau T, Landsbergen K, Davis BL, Kenny O, Kernot N, Rochard N, Porte-Proust M, Sparks H, Takahashi Y, Toth K, Scott WM. Comparing Inertial Measurement Units to Markerless Video Analysis for Movement Symmetry in Quarter Horses. Sensors (Basel) 2023 Oct 12;23(20).
- Byström A, Hardeman AM, Engell MT, Swagemakers JH, Koene MHW, Serra-Bragança FM, Rhodin M, Hernlund E. Normal variation in pelvic roll motion pattern during straight-line trot in hand in warmblood horses. Sci Rep 2023 Oct 10;13(1):17117.
- Crecan CM, Peștean CP. Inertial Sensor Technologies-Their Role in Equine Gait Analysis, a Review. Sensors (Basel) 2023 Jul 11;23(14).
- St George L, Spoormakers TJP, Roy SH, Hobbs SJ, Clayton HM, Richards J, Serra Bragança FM. Reliability of surface electromyographic (sEMG) measures of equine axial and appendicular muscles during overground trot. PLoS One 2023;18(7):e0288664.
- St George LB, Spoormakers TJP, Smit IH, Hobbs SJ, Clayton HM, Roy SH, van Weeren PR, Richards J, Serra Bragança FM. Adaptations in equine appendicular muscle activity and movement occur during induced fore- and hindlimb lameness: An electromyographic and kinematic evaluation. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:989522.
- Ask K, Andersen PH, Tamminen LM, Rhodin M, Hernlund E. Performance of four equine pain scales and their association to movement asymmetry in horses with induced orthopedic pain. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:938022.
- Hardeman AM, Egenvall A, Serra Bragança FM, Swagemakers JH, Koene MHW, Roepstorff L, van Weeren R, Byström A. Visual lameness assessment in comparison to quantitative gait analysis data in horses. Equine Vet J 2022 Nov;54(6):1076-1085.
- 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.
- Hardeman AM, Egenvall A, Serra Bragança FM, Koene MHW, Swagemakers JH, Roepstorff L, van Weeren R, Byström A. Movement asymmetries in horses presented for prepurchase or lameness examination. Equine Vet J 2022 Mar;54(2):334-346.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
